Gold hostas brighten shade gardens
It is no secret that I love hostas. They grow in a variety of sizes, forms, and foliage colors, textures and edges. Leaves can be long and narrow, oval, round, and wedge- or heart-shaped. Foliage ranges from the size of a thumbnail to as large as 3 feet. The textures of leaves may be smooth, corrugated or furrowed. Leaf edges can be flat, cupped, wavy or twisted.
These qualities give hostas distinct characteristics, but I think most people choose hostas for the color of their foliage. Hosta leaves can be light to dark green, blue, blue-gray, chartreuse, gold, cream, white or any combination of these colors.
Gold hostas brighten up shady spots in the garden and blend well with other shade-loving perennials or hostas of other colors - especially blue, dark green or types with gold centers or margins. Here is a sampling of gold hostas available at many local garden centers.
Large hostas - those over 30 inches tall - become focal points in borders. Sum and Substance is an impressive specimen. It grows up to 3 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Its enormous, thick leaves cup slightly downward.
Key West is similar in size and stature but offers bright golden, heart-shaped foliage that is slightly wavy. Fat Cat grows a bit smaller with thick, heavily corrugated, bright gold leaves.
Bugbane (Cimicifuga ramosa Atropurpurea) is a pleasing partner with these imposing hostas. Its vertical, open habit contrasts beautifully with the broad hosta foliage. A mass of turtlehead (Chelone lyonii Hot Lips), with their rigidly upright stems topped with rose-pink flowers in mid- to late summer, would be another suitable partner. Or plant one beside a Japanese maple with red leaves.
When medium-size, gold hostas - those from 1 to 2 feet tall - are planted with other perennials with colorful foliage, shade gardens offer as much color as any flower-filled border in the sun. August Moon is one of the oldest hosta cultivars and remains a favorite year after year. It has large, oval, corrugated foliage.
Fort Knox boasts thick, heart-shaped leaves. The deeply veined, ruffled foliage of Dancing Queen unfurls bright yellow in spring and matures to gold as the season progresses.
Japanese painted ferns and coral bells are natural companions with medium-size gold hostas. When these dramatic foliage plants are planted together, who needs flowers? Well, me, sometimes. I plant astilbes alongside gold hostas for gorgeous flowers and foliage in the summer shade garden.
Small hostas - those that remain under a foot tall - are perfect for rock gardens or edging borders. Gold Edger has small, heart-shaped leaves and forms a dense mound. It grows fast enough to be utilized as a ground cover.
Maui Buttercups sports rounded, deeply-cupped and corrugated, bright gold foliage. Curly Fries is chosen for its narrow, heavily ruffled leaves that emerge chartreuse in spring and age to gold.
Partner small gold hostas with Corydalis lutea, Ajuga Black Scallop or ever-blooming bleeding hearts (Dicentra Luxuriant).
Plant hostas in well-drained soil amended with organic matter. To grow top-size hostas, be sure they receive plenty of moisture, especially in spring and fall, and feed them with slow-release fertilizer in spring.
Generally, gold hostas require some direct sunlight to achieve their best foliage color. Too much sun, however, will cause leaves to scorch. Sited in too much shade, foliage may turn chartreuse. It may take a move or two to find the perfect place in your garden.
• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist, garden writer and speaker. She blogs at gardenwithdiana.com.