Hosta

A family of aristocratic plants. Although they will survive almost anywhere, they look best and do better, in partial shade, in cool well-fed soil. Once established, may well produce immense leaves, totally weed proof. Strategically placed, nothing can create such a bold or lush effect. Trumpet-shaped flowers add interest from late summer-autumn. Most yellow forms need shade or part shade.

The flowers of hostas attract and feed pollinators, especially bumblebees, but also in their native Asian lands, birds. Famously palatable to slugs, the use of poisons to control slugs is NOT recommended, given the collateral damage to hedgehogs, song thrushes and the like. Much better to provide shelter for natural predators such as ground-beetles that will help to control a problem. This can be encouraged also by mulching heavily over the hosta crowns in winter, as even a few weeks delay in emergence of the leaves the following year will give predator populations the chance to build up.