What is the best combination of hostas in landscape design

Plants with massive green leaves are often found in gardens and parks; they frame flower beds, plant along fences, decorate rock gardens and rockeries.

Are hostas always appropriate in the garden, how to grow them and what to combine with – about this in this article.

Varieties host

In appearance, the bushes resemble plantain – they have the same massive leaves with large veins. The roots of the plant are strong, compact, the host tolerates transplants well. In addition, culture has several advantages:

• unpretentiousness – the plant does not require special care;
• the possibility of landing on any soil – hosts grow both on clay soils and on sandstone or black soil;
• compatibility with any kind of flowers, shrubs and trees;
• the possibility of landing on any site: whether it is the sunny side of the garden or a shady corner;
• variety of types and shades;
• possibility of long-term cultivation;
• good growth – in 2-3 years, the bush covers an area of ​​uXNUMXbuXNUMXbabout one square meter;
• frost resistance – in the southern and central regions of the country, hostas can not be covered, they tolerate low temperatures well.

To date, there are about four thousand hybrid varieties, each of which has its own distinctive features. From this variety it is quite difficult to choose the most suitable plant.

However, all varieties can divided into only a few groups, according to external distinguishing features:

1. Hosta curly – a very remarkable culture with dark green leaves that have a beige or white frame around the edges. The leaves are very large, the bush itself reaches 0,6 m in height.
2. Wavy hosta, on the contrary, it is white inside, and green at the edges of the sheet. The edges of the leaves are wavy – hence the name of the species. The height of the bushes reaches 75 cm.
3. Bloated varieties distinguished by green leaves with pointed tips. A feature of the species is strongly pronounced veins, which give the leaves volume. In height, such bushes reach a maximum of 0,5 meters.
4. Plantain varieties Outwardly, they are very similar to ordinary plantain, only they are larger. The leaves are painted in rich green color, have a glossy surface. Plantain hosta bushes rarely grow above 0,5 meters.

Another distinguishing feature is the height of the bushes.. So, plants are:

• dwarf – up to 15 cm high;
• undersized – from 15 to 25 cm;
• medium – 25-45 cm;
• high – from 50 to 70 cm;
• giant hostas can reach a meter height.

For example, tall plants are best planted separately; they themselves are an excellent decoration of the garden. Medium-sized hostas go well with flowering plants in flower beds. And undersized ones are successfully used in garden design in conjunction with rockeries or alpine slides, decorative ponds, and stone borders for flower beds.

Features of growing a host

When purchasing a host for your site, you must remember that it:

• does not like strong sun;
• does not tolerate wind;
• needs regular watering;
• it should be fertilized frequently;
• requires attention and regular inspection for infection or the appearance of pests.

There are two ways to plant decorative bushes.:

1. With the help of seeds.
2. Cuttings.

The first method is good in that it does not require much time and effort to complete it. However, it must be remembered that most hostas are hybrids, which means they have underdeveloped seeds. The percentage of germination of seed material collected from plants, even after treatment with growth accelerators, does not exceed 80%. In addition, it is highly likely that completely different plants will grow from seeds collected by oneself, unlike their “parents”.

Most often, hostas are propagated by cuttings. For this method, it is necessary to separate the process from a 3-year-old bush and dig it in the same soil. At first it may seem that the cutting has not taken root – the leaves will become sluggish, the stem will tend to the ground. But that’s the way it should be. Timely watering by sprinkling will help the sprout get stronger, and in a couple of years a large healthy bush will grow out of it, which is then transplanted to a permanent place.

Plant Care

Hostas do not require special care, but need minimal attention. First of all, these ornamental plants with massive leaves need water. You need to water the bushes at least twice a week. In this case, the sprinkling method cannot be used – the crop is irrigated with a gentle pressure jet directed under the root.

If the ground around the hosta has become stony, it must be loosened, hard soil harms plants, they begin to turn yellow and disappear. Mulching is very useful for this crop, it can be done at any time of the season. For these purposes, chopped straw, overripe sawdust are used.

You need to feed the hosts once a month, any fertilizer is suitable for this: phosphate, potash, and mineral.

Many gardeners do not allow hostas to bloom, they believe that this spoils the landscape design and disrupts the harmony in the garden. But some like the delicate inflorescences that hostas throw out in the summer.

Even before the seed pods appear, faded flowers must be removed so that they do not rob the plant of strength. Dry and withering leaves are also removed. However, before wintering, it is not recommended to cut the foliage from the bushes, this will weaken the plants. In addition, its own foliage will become additional heating for the hosta.

What can harm

In addition to the wind and the scorching sun, these ornamental bushes can be damaged by slugs, aphids, or various diseases. Methods for dealing with these problems are as follows:

1. Finding out about the appearance of slugs on the host is quite simple – large holes form on the leaves. These pests are very fond of fleshy large leaves and a humid climate that forms under the bush. You can get rid of them in a simple way – spread a coarsely crushed eggshell around the bush. Slugs will not be able to crawl to the bush, as they will get hurt on the sharp edges of the shells. Another way is to put a few bowls of beer, which is very attractive to slugs.
2. You can get rid of aphids with an antibacterial agent.
3. A common problem of moisture-loving plants is rot and fungus. In this case, fungicidal preparations will help.
4. White cotton rot is another host disease. It appears on the root neck of the plant. Dichloran will help cure the bush.
5. If the leaves on the host turn yellow, this indicates excessive waterlogging of the bush. Hostas need nutritious soil, and frequent watering helps leach nutrients from the soil. To save a yellowing plant, it is necessary to water it less often and fertilize thoroughly.

What is the best combination of hostas in the garden

As mentioned above, these plants are unassuming in the choice of “neighbors”. They also look great with any other crops.

For example, at a decorative pond or waterfall, the hosta can be supplemented with water lilies, lilies, creeping plants. On rocky rockeries and hills, it is better to grow low hosta bushes, in this case, they choose the shaded side of an artificial structure for them.

Any kind of green crop can be planted along the fence, flowering hosta bushes look especially beautiful. In flower beds, it is preferable to plant low bushes that will limit the edge of the flower bed and create a backdrop for flowering crops.

The giant hosta is quite self-sufficient, it is planted alone, on the lawn or at the entrance to the house. These plants blend well with coniferous trees and shrubs, look great with geraniums, peonies, geyhers, astilbes.

Photo host in landscape design clearly demonstrate the beauty of these plants. In such a simple and affordable way, you can decorate the garden on your own, without involving expensive designers to create a landscape.