DID you know that some hostas are edible? H. lactifolia, in particular, is added to salads in Korea, while some people harvest the rolled-up leaves when they emerge in spring, for use in stir-fries.
The idea is likely to fill fans of these foliage favourites with horror. And growing them as a food crop does seem a dreadful waste of the potential of what is an incredibly useful decorative plant.
Just as at home in beds and borders as they are in patio planters, hostas look great in vase arrangements – a few even feature beautifully scented flowers. Available with leaf sizes from tiny to huge, with a wide range of shapes and patterns, they are, quite simply, essential in any garden. They’re also easy to grow! Tolerant and adaptable, these hardy perennials have no problem shrugging off even a bad British winter and will come back year after year, bulking up steadily (many make excellent ground cover).
We tend to think of them as shade plants, but there are varieties that will thrive in the sun, just so long as the soil is not too dry. They also hate boggy conditions. Outside of those two extremes, however, they’re happy in any well-drained soil.
There are thousands of varieties, with new ones being added each year. Some of these are superb, yet certain well-established old favourites remain among the best perennials you can buy. They’re also far cheaper than many of the choice newcomers.
Slugs and snails
Esta historia es de la edición June 13, 2020 de Amateur Gardening.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 13, 2020 de Amateur Gardening.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
To dig or not to dig?
Should we be carrying out a full dig on plots now? Bob considers the pros and cons of the 'autumn dig' debate
The box ball blues
As if his beleaguered box hadn't already taken a beating, Toby now has to deal with some hungry box caterpillars
Save your own seeds
Masterclass on: seed saving
Strange sightings
Three unusual insects turn up in Val's garden in one day
A bolt from the blue!
Cornflowers are perfect for garden and vase
Winter moth prevention
Ruth shows you how to avoid maggoty tree fruits
Create a winter container
There are as many options as in summer
Lightweight gardening tools
AS well as being good for our mental health, gardening is also great exercise.
Autumn price round-up
AG finds better bargains in lesser-known brands
Rudbeckias
Rudbeckias are ideal for sunny summer patios and borders, with some able to survive our coldest winters