Hostas (plantain lily) are a popular plant for shade gardens because of the massive variety of species available, their ability to thrive in shady garden spots, and their general easiness to grow. Hosta leaves come in a wide selection of colors, shapes and sizes, and their bell shaped flowers are also quite beautiful come early fall. Most varieties are also quite winter hardy,with some varieties surviving into zone three. Hostas make an excellent choice for the beginning gardener, as they are almost foolproof plants that can thrive in almost any shade perennial garden.
Hostas prefer rich, moist and well drained soil. They can work well as a ground cover if planted closely together, where they can quickly choke out competing weeds. The one problem you might encounter if you live in a very moist climate will be slugs, who love to feast on hosta leaves. You may want to look into slug control methods suitable for your shade perennial garden if you fear this will be problem.
Hostas are easy to propagate by divisions, with many gardeners gladly giving away their extras each year. You might want to check if any of your neighbors have hosta varieties they are planning to divide this year that you would like to try in your garden.
Some hosta varieties you might want to consider trying this year in your shade perennial garden include:
Hosta fortunei "aurea" - has nearly gold shaded leaves in the spring, that will darken as the season progresses
Hosta sieboldiana - has very large, blue-green heart shaped leaves. A beautiful specimen.
Hosta undulata - has thin leaves that are wavy, and a white center outlined with green.
You will find that many garden catelogs and nurserys will have a wide variety of other hosta varieties to choose from (there are over 3000 named hosta varieties). In fact, shopping for hostas for your shade perennial garden can quickly become an addiction!
