Say hello to hostas

After disappointments, Ruth gives hostas another chance

- Ruth Hayes

I LOVE the simple elegance of hostas, but having lost several to slugs and snails many years ago I haven’t had the heart, nor the inclination, to grow any since.

But now there are so many non-toxic slug deterrents on the market I am giving hostas another go, protecting them with cordons of wool pellets.

The varieties I have chosen are ‘Guacamole’ and ‘So Sweet’. ‘Guacamole’ grows to 3ft (90cm) in the right conditions and has glossy, slightly puckered leaves that are golden-yellow to light green. It produces scented mauve and white flowers.

‘So Sweet’ is clump-forming, has leaves edged with white and funnelshaped flowers that are white with purple stripes.

I am planting them at the margins of the branches of a weeping ornamental pear. Most hostas thrive in shade, though Hosta ‘Guacamole’ is happy in sun, so they should like this dappled shade.