Just yesterday I was talking to a friend who has a lovely full sun garden. When I told her my garden was mostly shade, she looked aghast and asked, "wow, what can you grow then...other than...you know...hostas or something (insert dismissive laugh here)" She was embarrassed when I told her I actually love hostas. I don't blame her at all, because I used to think the same way...ya know, when I still thought all of you hosta forum folks were a bunch of friendly nut jobs. :)

Anyway, what I love about them is the depth and glow they bring to the garden. While flowers usually fade quickly, the beautiful colors, patterns, and textures of the leaves stay beautiful for much of the season.

I am glad to have a shade garden to grow hostas. First, the colors and shapes of them just appeal to me aesthetically. But also, I like that they are attractive all season long, relatively speaking (not counting slug damage, nematodes, or drought). With sun gardens, often the foliage isn't all that interesting on it's own, so I think choreographing bloom time is more important in the overall design and look of it. i don't really want that challenge...nor do I want to be out there watering constantly. I feel the look of a shade/hosta garden is more serene.

Can't disagree with any of those reasons. Mine are much the same. I was astounded when I found this forum to see what I had been missing-all the colors, variations, different edges, different leaf shapes, variety of flowers, lushness, etc., etc, etc. I think "depth", "glow", and "serene" pretty much sum it up for me. When I look around the yard today with our above 90 degree F heat and oppressive humidity, the gardens look cool and inviting. I thank all the folks here who got me hooked. Addiction to hosta...it's a good thing.

Mike, I agree with all your reasons.
In my front yard there is more sun, there I grow mostly sun loving perennials and dwarf conifers. In the back I have tall white pines with much more shade and there I grow mostly hostas, azaleas and rhododendrons. I am gardening since 1974, and hostas are definitely the best for a shady landscape, but also ferns and other plants growing in the woods.
Bernd

I love the fact that hosta vary so much in looks, size and pattern. Yet, they're the same plant so their basic culture is the same. Once you get good at growing one type, you can basically successfully grow most of them.

I also like the fact that a hosta garden is serene...at least to me. Flowers are great, but looking at a flower garden isn't as relaxing to me because of all of the bright colors. It can be a bit busy. With hosta the garden is mainly blues and greens, which are very relaxing colors. I can sit and look at them after a long day (or when the kids and DH are driving me crazy!) and feel more centered when I'm done.

Oh, flower frenzy, your answer couldn't be more perfect considering your screen name. :)

I'm with you by the way...the kids know that if things get crazy inside I say "garden time!" Then I water and enjoy the garden while the kids hunt slugs and pull weeds. A good time all around! :) Someday they'll get smart and realize I'm exploiting them shamelessly.

Jadie- nothing wrong with a little slave labor! Lol

This is why

Hostas look like sculpture to me. It reminds me of artwork . The different levels of heights and colors works together to create a tapestry.

All of the previously stated reasons, and, why would anyone NOT want to grow hostas? I know those people are out there and I confess I simply don't understand them. When the sun is beating down on those 90+ degree days, I don't want to be weeding the sunny beds but I can still enjoy being outside in the shade with all those lovely hostas.

Vpeterson, it's funny you say that....I almost commented that they were sculptural ...and I am an artist so maybe that is also part of the appeal for me.

The heat has been brutal lately and I can barely stand to be outside....but I can stand it a whole lot more in the shade!!!!

It is brutal, Coll! Our property is a lot sunnier than it was before we cut down five 100' tall pines a few years ago. I've tried every trick of the trade to create shade where there was none, including using big umbrellas, tall tropical plants in pots arranged like a screen, whatever. Because I like the challenge of growing hosta on the southern frontier.

I've enjoyed leaves more than flowers in my garden, although a few special flowers are great to have. When I discovered the variety of leaf shapes/patterns/colors/textures, it took me by surprise. For the first time in my life, I am going all out for the joy of gardening with hosta.

What I like the best, is how my DH is helping me with the heavy stuff, and letting me have the pleasure of selecting and situating the hosta. Now that he is home all the time, I have someone here to appreciate them too. He likes to say he bought 20 hosta 40 years ago and split them over the years to fill gardens all over his New England town. And we brought one of those, the Undulata Albomarginata, south with us, to continue the tradition. Not many plants endure and prevail that long a time, another reason to love it.

Another thing I love about hosta, it is always possible that even an amateur can have growing off his hosta, a sport that sets the heart to beating faster....maybe not a fortune maker, but a lovely creation from your own plant. It can be exciting.

They grow in shade.

Some of them are wonderfully fragrant.

Infinite sizes, colors, color combinations, textures, sheens.

Once established, I don't have to worry (much) about them. Here in central Wisconsin, I can be gone for a month knowing that when I return home, the basket of fuschia went belly-up the week after I left, the lawn will look like hell but the hosta will be OK.

Extended growing season possible if you sow hosta seeds for a winter grow.

Oh, and also love them because I can "throw 'em on the driveway" and they still survive. ;)

Hostas are beautiful. Period. And they grow in spite of me. And after that first season or so they can soldier through on whatever mother nature offers while I'm away for most of the summer. But the main reason I have so many is...wait for it... the hosta forum! If I had stumbled into a community of petunia fanatics instead I might have a yard full of them. So thank you all for rescuing me from such a sticky fate.
Jan