Collection: Hostas

The best place for hostas is a partially shaded spot with well draining soil. Their natural environment is under trees in a woodland, with dappled light coming through the tree canopies, so the closer you can get to this, the better they’ll grow.

Spring and early autumn are the best times to plant hostas in the UK. This allows the plants to build up plenty of energy before they have to deal with any extreme weather conditions in summer or winter.

Water your hostas regularly when they're newly planted and during dry or hot weather, taking care not to let them get waterlogged. Feed them with a balanced fertiliser in spring and midsummer and mulch around the base of the plant in autumn. After a few years you may want to divide your hosta plant if it has become crowded or outgrown its space.

Hostas are perfect for growing in pots. Use a large container with good drainage holes in the bottom, and fill it with a good quality compost.

Hostas are mainly grown for their foliage, but they also flower in summer, with small clusters of white, pink or lilac flowers on tall, slender stems.

Don’t worry if your hosta ‘disappears’ over winter. The foliage will die back completely in colder regions but this is normal, and they’ll produce new growth in the spring. Give your hosta a good layer of mulch in autumn and this will make sure the plant’s roots are insulated against frost damage over the winter.