Gorgeous

Gorgeous! I've always wanted to try hostas at my New Mexico place. Do you think rabbits and deer would eat them? It's so ugly trying to fence everything off from them.

Karen, we have both rabbits and deer, but no fences against them. We occasionally have a little damage from rabbits nibbling on our hostas, but in the main they seem to prefer the grass in our lawns. The deer we have are not many in number, and I get so delighted to see them that I don't mind them eating a few plants - that said, they seem to like the roses best. By far the biggest pest for our hostas are slugs (they LOVE hostas and their damage is very unsightly) but we have been able to stop them in their tracks by using mineralised straw mulch. We used to use copper rings, but our hosta collection grew too big to keep it affordable.

Thank you for that info, Mika. I may try some here. They're all so green and beautiful! Do they take a lot of water, or only a medium amount? We are on a very iffy well and it doesn't rain enough to collect rainwater.

Karen, in my very dry area, yes, it will need a bit more watering, with the very low humidity. It is the thermal heat that is not good for it especially when we start hitting the high 90's to triple digit and very dry, leaves will start wrinkling bad and plants will just slow down, just too dry for it, even in shade. And my other enemy as already mentioned by others are the slugs. I grew mine in a container before, also experimenting then how the plant will behave here.

You may want to put several layers of mulch to help hold the moisture around the plant, and use a soaker hose if you are planting inground, and position in your shadiest side of the garden.

Karen, have a look at this - it's from a website for Mickfield Hostas, national collection holder of hostas in England, and includes all sorts of useful info on growing hostas in less than ideal conditions. I've found it very helpful and I think it may have something for you, too.

http://www.mickfieldhostas.co....

Thank you Tarev and Mika. Good information. I was thinking of planting in ground, but below the plants I could add granular fertilizer and those water holding crystals to help keep them hydrated. I could even add a mister over them if it would help. It's close to a water bibb. Mulching is a good idea too. I'm always trying things that need a lot of extra work, lol!

Beautiful as always Paul. Any plans for new ones this year, or are you out of room? I have some ordered but I'm trying to keep it small until I find out about my shoulder...

Rose....I will probably get a FEW new ones this year but my room is full.........

Paul,
Fantastic specimens! What is the variety front and centre in your first pick? It is absolutely stunning. And, your Corydalis and Hakonechloa are lovely companions.

Good morning ......Debbie, in the first picture there are two plants of Great Expectations. Thanks for the kind comments everyone.......

I think, for me, it would be a sad shade garden without hosta. The spears when they are coming up, the leaves as they are unfolding, the variety of leaf colors and shapes, then the flowers toward fall, all are fascinating to watch. They are, as Paul said, the backbone of my shade gardens.

Oh my Paul, Great Expectations, I'm even more impressed as I know it can be a difficult Hosta to grow. Wonderful.

I think Great Expectations might have a reputation that is doesn't fully deserve. It is a somewhat slow grower but is attractive as a small plant so has garden value each year as it matures. I have 4 in my garden and a friend here has several mature specimens.

Here are a few more Hosta combos with other plants....some Mouse Ears Hosta and Corydalis lutea.........

Paul I love your Hosta garden photos. Until I got tired of planting annuals, which were for me, impatiens, coleus, geraniums (in the least shady spots) and a few others, I needed something perennial and it was through the discussion of shade plants and your pictures that I was inspired to grow hostas. Now I am a true convert to these wonderful plants and aspire to have a garden full of them.

I have several beds of Hostas in my yard. One runs along the north side of my House. For many years the bed was my growing area for Tuberous Begonias which I so dearly love but one year My tubers weren't taken care of properly and I couldn't find a source for those wonderful American Hybrid tubers so I planted Hostas. I dearly miss my begonias but the Hostas are a nice replacement and require less attention.

Paul, Your hostas are lovely. I like how healthy they all look & how you have interspersed them with other perennials.

I have one hosta that I like in particular: Hosta montana 'Aureomarginata'. I like it because it is relatively deer resistent, the leaves stand up high in the garden & you can grow other plants beneath it, and it has variegated foliage so it makes a nice show.

Montana Aureomarginata is one of my favorites also.....