The Shady Garden - Hostas

Let's face it, a shady garden spot comes with challenges. Most of the plants that will thrive in shade are various shades of green. Hostas are easy to grow and hard to kill. Last year a neighbours goats ate all my hosta plants down to the dirt. They came up this past spring healthier than ever. Hostas are a great way to add colour to any shady spot in your garden or yard. Blue Mouse Ears Hosta

This 2008 Hosta of the Year Has Leaves no Bigger than Your Pinkie! Soft blue-green coloring with hints of gold at the base. Such a delight, 'Blue Mouse Ears' sets exquisite soft blue-green leaves, gently curled, just 2 3/4 inches long and 2 inches wide. A tightly mounded, dense plant, it reaches only 6 inches high and a foot wide, but draws the eye with its cool tones and soft texture. This Hosta is a sport of H. 'Blue Cadet,' a miniature that makes up for in vigor what in lacks in size. New foliage unfurls from the center of the plant all season, and the older leaves keep their blue tones well in summer heat. At the base of each leaf, you may glimpse a hint of bright gold! Lavender blooms dangle above the foliage on short stems in summer, but are insignificant. Use 'Blue Mouse Ears' in containers of all sorts, as edging, in the front of the shade border, and as an accent among green- and yellow-leafed plants. It tolerates partial to full shade, and does not like direct sun. Unequaled for their beautiful foliage, low care, and many landscape uses. Hosta provide bright color in the shade with handsome, broad, ribbed foliage in many colors. Very showy from early spring until late fall. Excellent for shade, sun or partial shade....they don't need dividing. Grown even in moist locations. Plant 18" apart. They take about 1 year to establish themselves. Stained Glass Hosta

Hostas or plantain lilies have around 70 species, from China and Japan, they have been hybridized into hundreds of exciting crosses. Stained Glass This is a Hans Hansen introduction of a variation of the popular Hosta 'Guacamole' from which it mutated. The brilliantly shiny golden foliage is surrounded by a 2" wide, dark green margin. This incredibly vigorous sun tolerant grower makes a 3-4' wide clump, topped in late summer with large, very fragrant, light lavender flowers! Zones 3-9. Mr. Big. The worlds largest hosta!

It is difficult to find a garden that is without this versatile East Asian native. Lush foliage in diverse colors, heights and textures, coupled with its ability to excel in deep shade have captured gardeners' hearts everywhere. Move over, Sum and Substance, here comes MR. BIG!. Leaves are blue, seer-suckered and have great substance. Giant leaf; 144 square inches. Lavender flowers in June. Unequaled for their beautiful foliage, low care, and many landscape uses. Hosta provide bright color in the shade with handsome, broad, ribbed foliage in many colors. Very showy from early spring until late fall. Excellent for shade, sun or partial shade....they don't need dividing. Grown even in moist locations. Plant 72" apart. They take about 1 year to establish themselves. Lavender Blooms Shade to Part Shade Hardy Zones 3-8. Mature Height: 36" Months of Bloom: Summer Praying Hands Hosta

Something unique and interesting. This hosta has somewhat folded, crinkled and wavy textured foliage. The edges are slightly variegated. Lavender flowers. Unequaled for their beautiful foliage, low care, and many landscape uses. Hosta provide bright color in the shade with handsome, broad, ribbed foliage in many colors. Very showy from early spring until late fall. Excellent for shade, sun or partial shade....they don't need dividing. Grown even in moist locations. Plant 18-24" apart. They take about 1 year to establish themselves. Hosta 'Praying Hands' Color of Bloom: Pale Lavender Hardy Zones 3-8. Mature Height: 14" Months of Bloom: Summer

Straw Bale Gardening

Straw bale construction for homes and other buildings is growing in popularity. Have you ever thought about straw bale gardening?


I live mostly on rock. I tried to put in a typical garden and discovered nothing but solid rock four inches down. Hardly conducive to growing flowers let alone vegetables.

There are huge benefits to straw bale gardening – no back breaking digging and no bending over to pull weeds or deadhead.

I use the small square bales because they are easier to move than the large square bales. I make rows that are three bales wide and three bales high and how ever long I want them. Once the bales are in place give them a good soaking with the hose. Water them in the evening so the hot sun doesn’t evaporate the water during the day. I soak the bales for two or three consecutive days to make sure they are completely soaked.

Spread four to six inches of topsoil, compost etc across the tops of the bales and water. Plant your seeds following the directions on the package. One advantage is you can water less because the straw retains water quite well without leaving the roots sitting in water.

You can make a nice wall around a sitting area and grow plants like citronella to keep the mosquitoes away, or herbs so they are handy to pick fresh when barbequing.

This also makes a unique mini-fence covered in flowers. Trailing plants and vines are nice because they will cascade over the sides.

Vegetables have never been easier to pick because you don’t need to bend over to reach them.

Another advantage is less pests because the plants are not at ground level. I’ve had great success with climbers like beans and peas, instead of needing to stake and tie them they just trail over the edges.

You can also make a maze for the kids and grandkids this way, as long as you have the space. Or you can make a step pattern. Start with a base row three bales wide, then two rows wide for the second layer and one row wide for the top layer. The upper two layers can either be centered or with the high side to the outside. Either way you’ll enjoy three different levels of flowers.

Being creative with straw bale gardening is easy because to don’t have to build or buy raised beds or containers.