Surreal Gardening

Please take a few minutes and visit Surreal Gardening's Facebook page by clicking here. You'll find a lot of really useful and interesting information.

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