Some plants seem to attract dedicated collectors: dahlias, daylilies, roses, conifers, hostas, to name a few. Certainly, any of these can easily be found at basic garden centres, but a specialty nursery is where the variety such as hosta choices can be delightful — sometimes overwhelming — and you may find a new introduction, a coveted rarity or an old favourite not readily available.
Hosta choices
A road trip to Lotsa Hostas (lotsahostas.com) in Copetown, Ontario, which specializes in these hardy perennials, was an opportunity to find a few new specimens to add to our collection. Lotsa Hostas’ hours are Wednesday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm; Saturdays, 9 am to 3 pm; and Tuesday evenings, 4 pm to 7 pm. They open for the season on Victoria Day weekend.
I recommend studying their page of hosta FAQs on their website. It has detailed information about overwintering in containers and extensive planting advice.
Visiting a specialty nursery means you’ll also find kindred spirits who enjoy talking about your shared plant passion, suggesting even more varieties to add to your collection. Most have display gardens where you can evaluate mature specimens and view them in combination with other plants. Websites often include cultivars sold, growing information and occasionally an option to pre-order for pickup.
Like with any type of nursery, plant availability is best in spring. When we visited Lotsa Hostas in mid-July the options were more limited although I did “manage” to find six hostas to bring home.
We use hostas as workhorses in our garden, turning to them as a solution when other plants fail or where a section of exposed soil needs coverage. (I prefer plants over mulch; they’re more attractive and permanent than shredded bark.) Even a mature garden like ours has the inevitable bare spots, most of which are in dry shade, where hostas do well.
Hostas come in all sizes, seldom require dividing and are long-lived if sited in the right light conditions. Some prefer full shade; others tolerate or grow better in more sun. Generally, gold-leaved hostas like more sun than blue-green varieties. Deer and slugs love them, but every plant has its challenges.
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