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genus Funka are extremely various plants , and can add some lovely ground cover to your thousand or garden . But what plant grow best with them in the garden ? Which ones search the best together ? In this article , certified skipper gardener and hosta enthusiast Laura Elsner see the best companion plants for hostas in your garden .
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Hostas rule the specter . They are bully foundation plants that other perennialscan easily be layeredagainst to make garden musical harmony . The possibilities are endless . I ’ve compile a comprehensive list of my favorite fellow for planting with hostas . But there are many , many more possibilities to go along with this leafy marvel .
If you ’ve decide to establish genus Funka , you ’ll need to play close attention to foliage texture and coloring material that will compliment and contrast against them . This will aid create stunning and visually interesting combinations in your garden , orcontainer planting .
While there are manyhosta associate planting options , I ’ve outline my favorites below whenever I ’m produce new arrangements for my shade garden or container . Any of these combinations will help oneself you create a visually stunning garden distance , especially in shadowy areaswhere it ’s elusive to grow . Let ’s dig in !
Hostas
I find like I needed to get the obvious one out of the style first . Hosta ’ best booster are other hostas . I wrote anarticle about 31 unique varieties of hostas(check it out to find some perfect hosta pairings ) . My friend called me in disbelief , “ there ’s that many hostas ? ! ” .
She just assumed hosta was a plain green tone plant . But there are over 3000 hosta variety show ! Some look so different it ’s hard to tell they ’re even the same industrial plant . So just play with hostas and using different varieties will create a patchwork of foliation color in a shade garden . Hostas are easy to growwith other hostas , and they do n’t compete for nutrient like other industrial plant conjugation do .
One of myfavorite hosta combinationsis a chartreuse leafsum and substance hosta , pair with a pure intermediate immature august moon hosta , and then a guacamole hosta that has a intermediate green gross profit margin and a yellow green center to tie everything together .
Coral Bells
Coral bells might just be a hosta ’s best friend . They both like thesame soil , water , and unclouded weather condition . They are both leafy wonder . Coral chime have a dissimilar , ruffled , leaf shape and come in a variety of colors like deep purpleness , chartreuse , and red .
When the dissimilar texture and colors of coral ship’s bell are placed in and amongst hostas it make a beautiful arras of foliage . essay a sorry purple variety like Black Pearl , next to a patrician change of hosta , like profane backer , for a striking combination .
I also really like how Coral bells have anevergreen lineament , they are out of the ground before the hostas . So you will have heucheras up in the other spring garden rather of pure bare soil that hostas leave until they settle to pop out later in the season .
Creeping Jenny
Creeping Jenny , or lysimachia , is my garden hot sauce . I put it on everything ! But alongside hostas is one of my favorite applications . Especially the golden variety . Under the foot of hostas it underwrite the soil andacts as a raw mulchto keep the soil moist .
The golden semblance makes any yellowish green in variegate miscellanea ( eg . Guacamole , varnished Glass , Whirlwind etc . ) Really pop . Be aware that genus Lysimachia can get out of hand . Its roots are shallow though , so you may easy dig and force it up to keep it in its place .
Ferns
fern and Hosta go great together . The light airy texture of fern frond against the large solid leaf of hostas is visually interesting despite it being dark-green on green . I think this compounding is what can make a shade gardenfeel really lush , like you ’re subsist in a jungle ( as a cold clime zona 3 gardener , I ’m desperate for a jungle ) .
Ostrich ferns and male ferns for deterrent example , aregenerally taller than hostasand provide a great background with hostas in front . small fern , such as a Nipponese painted fern , or a lace making fern , are great in an amongst , or even in front of hostas to provide interesting textures and color sport .
Tuberous Begonias
I love assign a fewtuberous begoniasin and amongst Hosta . Itadds some colorto break up the sometimes uniform putting surface of shade gardens . I am normally a more is more sort of gardener and prefer to see spate of annuals over just one or two spread out . But tuberous begonia in a hosta seam is an exclusion . you may get aside with spreading out a few large flowered tuberous begonia throughout your hostas and they willprovide a big impactwith their big flowers .
I love the Nonstop series . Nonstop red has giant balls of ruby peak all over it , they can be seen from across the garden . They also come inyellow , pink , and white , so take your pick . Tuberous begonias also care the same lacrimation , sun , and land weather condition as hostas so it is an easy flower to add in .
Vinca Vine
Vinca vine is an evergreen vine that is arrant for pairing with hostas . Be mindful that vinca vine isaggressive , borderline invasive(in fact check to verify it is not on the encroaching list in your country before planting ) , so use caution . I like that genus Vinca is up and out of the land in other spring . Hosta garden can depend like desolate space until they decide to start growing later in the season .
Their sheeny immature leafage , that come in arrant super C or variegated , look endearing with hostas . Theirpurple flowersare the same color as most genus Hosta flowers so it ’s anice pairing for purple bloomingflowers throughout the summer ( remark : they wo n’t bloom at the same time , vinca is spring , hostas late summertime ) .
Hydrangeas
Hostas andhydrangeas , the definitive compounding . This combination graces covers of gardening cartridge holder and clothe instagram . With good grounds , hostas growing around the invertebrate foot of the large pom pom ball flowers are gorgeous . hydrangea are gravid fellow traveller , due sharing a like for acidulous soil , just like Funka .
Theyboth have wide leavesand provide a profuse spirit , then later in the season when the hydrangeas start flowering in vapours , pink , or whites , it is striking . If you know in a zone where the classic blue / pinkish hydrangea does n’t rise , try an annabelle hydrangea , or a peegee hydrangea , they are adorable for thelower zones .
Sweet Woodruff
This sweet woodland basis cover is lovely with hostas . It has treat , glossy green foliage that pairs nicely with magnanimous hosta leaves . Then in spring it will irrupt into tiny white mavin shaped prime , it peeks through the small , new hosta leaves and see great . It willneed to be maintainedto keep in its space , it ’s easy enough to rip and dig out if it is interfering too much with the hostas .
Tulips
I hump this sneaky piffling combining . In the descent when the hosta foliage is on its way out , grab a bag of tulip bulbs andplant themin and amongst the hostas . When spring comes and the hostas are still sleeping , the tulips will spring up and do their cheery tulip thing .
Then the hostas will emerge as the tulips fade and thehosta leaves will cover the dying tulip leave . This works especially well if you have an area in your garden that is shadowy due to a deciduous tree diagram . In the leaping the tulips will get Lot of Dominicus before the leaves fill in . Then the leaves fill in and it becomes a shady paradise for Hosta . These colourful , low - maintenance perennial flowersmake groovy associate plantsfor hostas .
Brunnera
Brunnera isanother leafy marvelthat should be placed in and amongst hostas with ease . The usually have a frosted foliage appearance and so they play nicely with the green in hostas . I love coral bells , Funka , and brunnera all together in a bed . This aid create a patchwork quilt of foliage . They are all relatively the same size and they allstay in their own space(non spreading ) , so it ’s a great , low maintenance , excogitation option that has a lot of impingement .
Allium
Alliums are diminish planted bulb that pop up in the fountain . They are like purple lollipops on sticks . One of my best-loved plants , they have so much impact and tote up garden whimsy . With genus Hosta they work outstanding becausethey obliterate their dispirited leaf .
When an genus Allium blossom , the thin grassy foundation of the plant is already starting to turn yellow and perish off . This is the downside to allium . The trick is to imbed them so the bottom leaves are being hidden by another plant so they just appear as ice lolly blow through your garden . Hostas are perfect for this because they are do up as the allium are blossom and the bottoms are dying . So the genus Funka leaves will cover the allium leaves perfectly .
This is another great option for nuance garden under deciduous trees . The same with tulip , they will grow up and blossom before the tree riffle out and then the tree exit provide shade for the incoming hostas .
Lettuce
Okay , pick up me out on this one . veggie gardening hasbecome even more popularthe last several years . I shinny with vegetable and I could never reckon out why . Not struggling with the existent growing of them , but with the desire to grow them . Why do n’t I want to grow something that me and my syndicate can eat ? But I ’ll grow tons of decorative plants . I really thought about it and I came to the conclusion that I garden for the nontextual matter of it .
I bonk visually appealing garden . Vegetable garden can be skillful to look at , but often they are grown more for function than visual ingathering . But I know clean garden vegetables . So I make up one’s mind to surreptitiously plant vegetables throughout my garden beds .
Lettuce is great because you could find some really beautiful , and pleasant-tasting mixed bag . I love mesclun cutting mixes . They havechartreuse , green , red , and purpleall mixed together . I bedevil the seeds into my hosta bed in the early leap and they part popping up . If the genus Funka leaves start taking them over , then it is a perfect time to cut them and use them for salads .
I do n’t put too much thought into it , for the $ 1 pack of seeds , I use what I can . Or I buy the head variety , like romaine , iceberg lettuce , or a red foliage kind , like oak leaf , or even an interesting textured one , like frisée . I plant these in front of or amongst the hostas and cut them off and utilise them as I need . This is thebest of both worldsfor me , beautiful garden , and tasty fresh vegetables .
Dogwood
Hostasneed confidential information protection , and dogwood tally just that . Plus , they offer some structure to a garden , and their red branches ( they actually come in yellow and pink now too ) are a beautiful manner to add together winter interest to your garden . The job with shade gardens is a lot of the plant stuff in the refinement dissolves to nothing in the winter . It is nice to have something in the garden to bet at through the winter .
Dogwoods add wind protection , some refinement , beautiful foliation in the summer , and wintertime stake with theirstriking red branchesin the wintertime . They are a slap-up hosta comrade . I extremely recommend Ivory Halo Dogwood . It ’s a courteous round bush with brilliant red branches and beautiful variegated foliage . It ’s a great background shrub .
Clematis
Clematis is a great match for hostas that are inmore sunny conditions . The lighter colored Hosta are great for this . Clematis wish to have cooler feet and then sun on the upper vines . In the spring when things are cool andClematisare start to pullulate they need the sun to get expire . Then once they have grown in height , the Funka will turn up andshade their feetand help hold in some moisture .
Muscari
Muscari , sometimes call grape hyacinth , is a lovely hosta companion . It is afall plant bulbthat can be planted in and amongst the Hosta . Then in the early natural spring they will pop up and bloom before the genus Funka leaves come out . Then the hosta leaves come out and will continue the stringy grass like leave over from the muscari . I like found muscari in a river normal running through the garden .
When it is in bloom it is a spectacular floral river of puritanic sweeping through the garden . After muscari bloom of youth however , it is justleft with ropey grass like frond . If you plant it in blocks you ’re stuck with blocks of yucky foliage through the summertime . A undulation allows you to cover it with other plants , like hosta , that will handle it once it ’s finish blossom .
Alyssum
I was at a backyard wedding year ago , and they had plant a front border of alysum all along their garden . Every time a picnic come through thesweet scentwafted beautifully . I loved it . This is another one that wo n’t take too deep of tad , but part tincture , alongside genus Funka is okay .
Alyssum gives a beautiful courtly appearance to a garden . A garden with hydrangeas in the back , genus Funka in front and a border of genus Alyssum in the front would be beautiful . It also is in bloom all through the time of year andrequires very footling maintenance .
Chives
I ’m adding another sneaky veggie into the hosta garden . I fuck the aspect of straight upright chives next to the prominent circular parting of hostas . Then you’re able to go in with scissors hold and snip them off for baked Irish potato and ballock . I wish how chives areeasily usable and cheap . Sometimes buying crazy perennial convey expensive .
I know a cheap choice when it comes to horticulture , it have it accessible for everyone . If you do n’t want to purchase them , you’re able to find short ton of gardener eager to give them away . The over-embellished balls of flowers are endearing too . Just make indisputable tocut them off before they go to seedor you ’ll end up with a quite a little more chives than you stand for .
English Yew
Yewslove the shade , and so do genus Hosta . A dream match . I hump the soft needled foliage against the gravid rounded hosta leaves . Yews also canprovide some fart security . The also have a delicate sensationalistic color in them that plays nicely against the Paris green foliation that some hostas have ( eg . Guacamole , Whirlwind , Brother Stefan ) . The evergreen plant foliation of yew is also large for wintertime interestingness long after the hostas have vanish into the earth for wintertime .
Lady’s Mantle
The green leaf of lady ’s mantle blend in attractively with Funka foliage . Then in thesummer they bloomsprays of Indian mustard color efflorescence . The gentle frail flowers vacillate and fall onto the hosta leaves and lighten up everything .
In a miscellaneous hosta seam with yellowish green ( eg . total and substance ) , and green ( eg . august moon ) hostas , when you add a gentlewoman ’s mantle the light-green leaf and sprays of yellow peak tie everything together to create garden concord .
Bleeding Heart
Hostas andbleeding heartsare a classicshade perennialpairing that feels really succulent and can be achieved even in the lower gardening zone . engraft them behind Funka and enjoy the lush leafage and beautiful dangling gist shaped flowers .
Then when they pop out to fade away in the heat of the summertime , simplycut them downand you ’ll be left with beautiful hostas whose leave will have filled in entirely by that clip .
False Goat’s Beard
This is another sensational shade compounding . The lacy leafage of the astilbe against the big structural hosta foliation is interesting enough . But when the astilbe bloom itssoft feathery flowersthat rise slightly above the hosta leaves it is gorgeous . They will start blooming in summer after the natural spring efflorescence have faded .
Both of these plants enjoy the samedamp , humus rich soil , and partial sunshine . They are also straight compendious perennials that stay in their spot and demand very little sustentation throughout the season . They also come in a variety of colors , white , pink , red , purple .
Hepatica
Hepaticais one of the earliest of other spring bloomers . I sometimes even leave out it in client garden because it has already bloomed before my first sojourn . It has littlepurple or snowy flowersthat are such a welcome sight in early spring . They move around around , but not annoyingly , and they have beautiful tri lobed immature foliation .
This is another one that search great while hostas are still asleep , then sometimes a Funka will track it over , but sometimes it will be popping out a spot and that ’s fine too . It adds to the luxuriance of a shade garden ’s floor .
Cranesbill geranium
This is a shaggy , often skinny perennial , thatdoes well in part shade . It has pocket-size lacy foliage that see good against the bombastic Funka leaves . It will bloom , usually purple , flowers in the later give . Be careful with this one , it can take over . But on the flipside it can also cover a with child area and has nice lush looking foliation .
Bugbane
I love the combination of a dark purple lacy foliaged bugbane behind a blue hosta , like a blue holy person hosta . Black housecoat is my favorite variety of bugbane as it istall and a honest bloomer . It blooms in the crepuscle and has an intoxicating fragrance . But even when Veratrum viride is n’t in efflorescence the delicate lacy , deep purple foliage adds texture and color in a shade garden .
Monkshood
helmetflower like part fly-by-night areas of gardens to blossom ( not full shade ) . I care identify hostas at the foot of Aconitum napellus . Monkshood tend to have scraggly icteric leave near the bottom of their stems , so having a hosta there to cover it is a perfect root . They also havesimilar bloom clock time , so they will both be blossom purpleness in the previous summer . I also care the lacy leaves ofmonkshoodas a direct contrast to the rounded leaves of hostas .
Pansies
Panies are my pet . I know their across-the-board cheery aspect . They look great as a front boundary line around genus Hosta . I find pansies look best when you have a lot of them . Do n’t grab a couple , grab a flat . Then set them in a long perimeter framing the hostas . Or plant them ingroupings of 3 , 5 , or 7’sin the front of beds . you could also contribute themunderneath hostas in container .
Do n’t make the same mistake I made the first year I garden and plant them behind sleeping hostas . fairy are easy to mature , and can beplanted very ahead of time in the time of year , before genus Funka are up , so it ’s easy to plant them behind or too close to hostas and then the hosta comes up and covers them . Although if this happens , just dig up and transplant the pansy .
Do not plant pansies indeep tincture gardens . Pansies get leggy and do n’t bloom in full shade . But mottle part tone gardens are perfect for fagot and genus Hosta . If you lay off deadheading pansies ( pinching off the bloom once they fetch up blossom ) in the fall they will self seed and you will get sweet-flavored little Johnny Jump ups throughout your genus Hosta bed the next time of year .
Bugleweed
Bugleweed is a corking hosta fellow traveler . It lies low-down underneath a hosta . My favourite combination is one of the aristocratical tinged hostas , like puritanical saint , with the purple bugle underneath . It ’s a slap-up line of color in the shade .
Bugleweedis alsoout of the ground too soon in the springso it ’s out before hostas . It also has endearing purple blossoms in early summertime that the bees just love . I love finding outer space for bugleweed in gardens . It can be aggressive , but I line up it easy to pull out if it bulge invading your hosta ’s outer space .
Final Thoughts
Hostas are a garden staple , they are retiring and can fill up a orotund sphere of the garden . The power to use them toelevate other plants’features makes them even more particular . search at the foliage of your hosta and make pairings that congratulate andcontrast the foliage colors , or their texture .
Something purple against a profane hosta always look great . Or something feathery and airy against the large circular hosta leaves has interest . These are just 27 thought , but there are many , many more combination that you may make with genus Hosta . So toy around andmix and match , and have fun ! Happy gardening !
