YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES
This hosta is not your ex-boyfriend
Posted on June 17th, 2008 – 9:59 AMBy Jaime Chismar
Have you ever noticed when something (or someone) gets stuck in your craw you suddenly see it everywhere?
My ex-boyfriend, for example, drove a gold Vovlo grocery-getter, a boxy station wagon popular with suburban families in the early 90’s — and even more popular with urban hipsters in the late 90’s. While we were dating, it was the only one on the road. After we broke up, everyone was vrooming around in a Volvo. Did Denny Hecker have another hail super sale?
I know this sounds a little neurotic, but five years later, I’m having the same experience with hostas. Yes, HOSTAS.
Once I started to notice these prolific perennials I could not “un-notice” them. Ringed around tree trunks, mailboxes and birdbaths, Minnesotans are hot and heavy for hostas. Isn’t there any else you can plant under your pines? Perhaps some Snow-on-the-Mountain? (Oh, wait… that’s almost as prolific as hostas.)
When I moved into my first house, I swore I’d dig up every hosta and dump them on the curb with a big FREE FOR YOUR BIRDBATH sign. But soon, I began to wise up. Rain, hail, drought — many plants ended their lives in my compost bin, but these green machines could take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’.
This year, as I watch my neighbors plant their hostas in full-sun, I feel a need to intervene. “Step away from your shovel. All this plant needs is a little shade. Exposure to full-sun all day will stress your hosta to death!”
I guess you could say I’ve officially changed from a hosta hater to a hosta sympathizer. They aren’t the one size-fits-all gardening solution in my yard, but they are very hardy place-holders that have earned my respect.
Has this ever happened to you? Have you learned to appreciate a plant you once disliked?
23 Responses to "This hosta is not your ex-boyfriend"
This exact thing happened to me five years ago when I bought the ol’ homestead in south Minneapolis! There were hotsas everywhere and I (is this too strong) HATED them. But over time I became aware of that I shouldn’t write them off so fast, and now have a few scattered about… I am even considering them for a prime spot of my limited space! But I only have the white flowered variety, like discriminating against the flower is better then the whole plant!
Have we grown up a little or caved?
So Jaime, are you worried that in another year or two, you’ll become a full blown hosta hugger? I just planted a bunch of hosta around some arbor vitae. Geez, both of those are practically parodies of themselves, and yet, I can appreciate their classic appeal, too.
I have Hosta Envy. I have a black thumb but I’m pretty sure I could keep hostas alive, except someone won’t let me plant them because they’re agressive and not native.
Now that I have them under control in the garden beds, I’m looking forward to the little white flowers that come up on the morning glory vines. Plus, the vines help fight back the blackberries that don’t produce anything but painful thorns.
>> Have we grown up or caved?
Good question, Cola (I love your blog, BTW). When I was five, I swore that I’d never eat brussel sprouts. Now I am growing them in my garden and I can’t wait to pan fry them in butter.
We have a pretty rough patch by our air conditioner. It’s dry and shady until 2 pm then it gets full sun for three hours. By August, only the hostas look good. I don’t know how they do it.
I really used to hate ferns. I felt they were so ordinary. Well, I leaned my lesson and now have a large dwelling of ferns and HOSTAS on the south side of my house. They are all doing really well.
Geri,
You do not have a black thumb. You’ve had a healthy pathos since I’ve known you!
>> I really used to hate ferns.
When I first moved in into our house, Sarah, I thought that my ferns were the best part of the yard — Hee hee!
“Isn’t there any else you can plant under your pines?”
I am taking suggestions.
In the meantime a friend who works for a landscaping company keeps dropping off hosta he digs out of other people’s yards.
I used to HATE ferns and hostas and when someone would suggest I plant either, I’d be all, “Bah, that’s like women who cut their hair shorter and shorter as they get older because it’s easier to care for. I still care about how my yard LOOKS, thank you very much!” But over time I’ve really come to appreciate hostas and ferns, and actually paid money for even more hostas this year. They’re hardy, they choke out weeds, they do have pretty textures, purple flowers, and ferns are so old-fashioned and lacey. Yep, I’m reformed. I hope this doesn’t mean I’m going to start seeing the perks of a utilitarian haircut next.
Bsimon-
I am having that problem to- huge pine, hostas under it! Such a cliche… I have thought about azaleas or blueberries, but I don’t want the shrubby look going on in that spot…
Jaime- I guess that is the process of growth, I try to keep just enough in my head to get by! Out with the old judgments, in with the new…
I too love the ferns!
I am one of those people who make fun of the people who hate hosta, because they’re just thinking they’re only good for lining a sidewalk or circling the birdbath, as you say. But they are perfect foils for lacier foliage and a backdrop for flowers, and the cut leaves are perfect for flower arrangements. They are great for “rearranging” a garden.
I’m the bad gardener who has hostas in full sun…but I won’t move them because they shade the roots of a glorious jackmanii clematis. Some plants have to make a sacrifice for others, I guess.
I’ve never been a rose lover–too prickly, too finicky, too much work. But after finding a tiny wild rose bush at a plant swap, I’ve fallen in love. Right now the pink roses and the burgundy foliage are beautiful, and the foliage will stay beautiful all summer. The bush is now about 4 feet and requires no work other than a little trimming.
I have grown to like the volunteer diasies that have been in my yard forever. I used to pull them up, but this year, I’m letting a few live as they are filling in some blank spots. Now I just need to get really, really good about deadheading so they don’t spread too much!
I had ferns everywhere and hated them and yanked them out. It was a mostly futile battle. I don’t love hostas, but they are strong enough to compete with the ferns, and they grow where little else will. I love a little variety of hostas together.
But I won’t be planting them under the trees. (Ferns OR hostas.)
(p.s. All the ferns went to a good home.)
I paid money for some hostas this year after three years of trying to grow something else between our yard-yard and the woods behind. A good transition. What’s a suburban mom with hair that’s getting shorter and shorter AND with old-boxy Volvo envy to do? Oh, and I’ll be digging up some ferns from up at the cabin and transplanting those next spring too. Big sigh.
hey what looks better with ferns & hostas than a big happy bleeding heart! Yep I have all three plus grow-anywhere-snow on the mountain & lily of the valley in my shady spot. If your going to be cliche, go all the way!
Oh FrugalJo! I still have a soft spot for old-boxy Volvos. This one had over 300,000 miles on it and still started in the winter.
And yes, I love my bleeding heart (I have a white one). I transplanted it last year and it is about to eat the house.
I happily, purposefully planted a hosta glen under my two front pine trees. They are useful since my meighbor thinks of my front gardens as his personal dog toilet, and they just stay green and happy despite this fact. It’s cliche, certainly, but I have at least 10 different varieties, which I tell myself makes my “glen” different. Whatever it takes, right?
A plant I have grown to respect is the daylily. I can’t quite get to stella de oro (sp?) but these are another utility plant that I have actually spent money on so I can have the 12 different colors I now enjoy in my yard. Perhaps I need therapy?
Smart thinking Beth! What variety of hosta is your fav?
Jaime - I have more than 350 varieties of hostas, most of which are in full sun. Hostas are a “shade tolerant” plant. Here in zone 4 there are many that actually thrive in full sun.
i love the ex boyfriend analogy! it’s so true and hostas are my ex bf, too.
Greengirls Connie Nelson, Robyn Dochterman and Jaime Chismar are dishin' the dirt from the backyard garden and beyond. Whether you're a greenthumb or greenhorn, they're eager to learn from your misshaps, mistakes -- and most importantly, your sweet successes -- all growing season long.
Need more Greengirls? Follow along on Twitter:
Subscribe to Greengirls
Learn more about RSS
Garden resources
Categories
- Apples, Plums + Tree fruits (18)
- Asparagus (3)
- Beans + Peas (9)
- Bees (12)
- Beets, Carrots + Root veggies (7)
- Berries (10)
- Books + Resources (13)
- Chickens (13)
- Compost (7)
- Container gardening (7)
- Corn (2)
- Critters + vermin (27)
- Cucumbers + Melons (15)
- Farmer's Markets (1)
- Flowers + Grasses (27)
- Garlic (5)
- Greens + Lettuces (10)
- Herbs (6)
- Lawn care (12)
- Mulch (7)
- Mystery plants (9)
- Potatoes (9)
- Preserving (7)
- Rain gardens (2)
- Seed starting (16)
- Soil care (4)
- Squashes + gourds (1)
- Succulents (2)
- Tomatoes, Peppers + Eggplant (38)
- Tools, gloves, rain barrels + more (17)
- Transplanting (1)
- Tree + shrub care (4)
- Uncategorized (164)
- Water gardens (3)
- Weather woes (25)
- Weeds (13)
- Weekend to-dos (11)
-
425 Portland Av. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55488
(612) 673-4000
- Company
- Subscriber Services
- Website
- Buy Ads
- Store
- Connect with Us
© 2012 StarTribune. All rights reserved.
StarTribune.com is powered by Limelight Networks
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters