Last year I ordered several mini hosta to use in a living wreath. It didn't quite turn out as planed. I ordered some small plugs and a few didn't make it and then I gave a few away to friends and planted a few in my wall. So I only had 3 small hosta left come time to plant the wreath. I added ivy, impatiens, lobelia and a few other plants. This is what it looked like right after planting.

Over the summer the impatiens took over and all but buried the small hosta. Pretty but not really what I had in mind.

So come fall I wasn't quite sure what to do with my wreath. Of course the annuals would die but I wasn't sure how hardy the ivy was and I didn't know if the Hosta would survive the winter if I didn't plant them in the ground. In the end I decided to set the wreath on the ground in a protected area under my wisteria where it covered over with leaves till spring. Much to my pleasure the ivy and hosta survived and the hosta started to grow once again. This year the hosta are a bit larger and looking good. I haven't finished planting it yet but I put a few impatiens in the wreath again and some small 6 inch begonias I am hoping that the hosta being a bit bigger this year will hold their own. I would also like to find a few more mini's to add to the wreath. I have a bit more work to do on this wreath as an unexpected trip has set me behind schedule but I thought you might like to see it even unfinished. Hard to see but the hosta are just starting to bloom and should open very soon.

Holly - that is such a neat idea -- it looks beautiful!!

Thanks, I have some more work to do on it, but so far I like the idea and if I can overwinter it like I did last year I may do a few more of them. I really want the hosta to be the main focus of the wreath so finding something to give it some color without taking over will be the challenge. Hopefully the 6in begonias will do well. Started me wondering if I could overwinter the mini hosta in other containers like the wall pots I use by my front door or my window boxes.

Holly if you try to overwinter in them please do give us a report next year. If it works for you, I might give it a try next spring.

You can overwinter hosta in pots, but you need to move them into an unheated dry area for the season. The wet/dry and freeze/thaw will kill them otherwise.

What an awesome idea!!!

Lots of hosta collectors around here don't even plant their hosta. They keep them in the black pot then move all the pots into the garage for the winter. Do they have a better survival rate then in the ground? Do they just like moving them around the garden? Can somebody explain why that's done?

I have an unheated attached garage (for lack of a better description, you can't park a car in it) I store many of my gardening tools, pots, and garden art out there. I usually set up some lights and grow plants out there as the weather warms It sounds like just the spot to overwinter the hosta in pots. Do you give them any water at all over the winter if you store them dry?

I don't water from the time I put them in my unheated area (usually end of Oct. or beginning of Nov.) until I drag them outside (usually mid-late April, after hard freezes are done). They are usually poking up through the dirt about then

Thanks so much for the info. Think I had better start looking for more mini hosta.

I was out yesterday and stopped by a nice small nursery. They have a very impressive variety of hosta and a really nice Mini section. I picked up 3 new ones to add to my wreath Little Sunspot on the left, Teeny-weeny Bikini in the middle and Tiny Tears to the right.

Here is the newest pic of the wreath. Haven't added the new hosta yet and it still needs to fill in more. I passed up the Irish moss as I haven't found any small containers of it just a few very large pots at pretty good sized prices. I will probably just add the 3 new hostas and stuff in some sphagnum. It is still laying in one of the shade beds and I think it might just stay there for a while longer. Just wanted you to see the mini hostas in bloom.

Little Sunspot is a lovely hosta, but it ISN'T a mini. Mine is nearly 18" in diameter in its third year. You might want to put it into the garden instead.

For minis - I've found Hope, Cracker Crumbs, Baby Bunting, Lakeside Elfin Fire, Kifukurin Ko Mame - all to be fast growers.

The tag on my Little Sunspot says 6 inches tall 8-12 inch spread. Wonder what it will do in the wreath????? Thanks for the warning. Sure is pretty.

Holly your wreath is really starting to fill in nicely, thanks for sharing.

Your wreath is beautiful. What do you do with it over winter?

Thank you Ariene, Last year I let it lay outside under the wisteria in an area that collects leaves. This spring I just dug it out from under a few inches of leaf debris. I'm planing on trying that again and hopefully it will revive as well as it did last year.

Great! Then you don't have to deconstruct it!