I’ve had the yellow hakone grass next to Halcyon for several years and it doesn’t seem to be thriving. So I found this carex Banana Boat at the nursery and it multiplied beautifully, so last summer I divided and started spreading it a bit.

I like ferns of all types..these are Autumn ferns..epimediums..astilbes..this astilbe blooms white but in this pic there's a dried brown bloom..more ferns..Autumn and Japanese Painted ferns and hellebores..I'll try anything that can tolerate my shade..

Since I also love Japanese Maples, it seems only natural . . .

Time will tell if this works out or not . . .

Not many photos here, found this one. This garden has Limeade, Green Spice and Paris heuchera. I added a Black Stockings thalictrum here last spring. The micro climate changes here so there are daylilies in the background.

Sherry

Astilbe! Also bring a handful of ferns down from our cabin up north and plant them around too.

This garden has bleeding heart, lady’s mantle, corydalis, Little Lime hydrangea and a new thalictrum.

Sherry

I am having trouble finding pics too.

Ligularia 'The Rocket'. Shade Fanfare bottom right but Blue Angel & Elegans are on either side of it.Gillenia trifoliata - adore this one.

Geranium phaeum 'Samobor'.

Everyone’s combinaction pictures are really wonderful and highlight the structure of the hostas.

So exciting to watch things grow and change from year to year!

there's A LOT of variety on this thread and it's ALL beautiful..

June with Autumn ferns, boxwood and Japanese maple..steve - my climate is similar to yours..I bet your beds will "work out" and be stunning..a fuzzy pic but there's Annabelle hydrangeas, epimedium and a heuchera..I see frost damage on the Honeybells :-( ..a volunteer hydrangea popped up by these hostas..see the flat lacecap blooms?

3rd try sigh..

for something different try a banana..

or an elephant ear..

Wonderful combos everyone....peren, stunning garden pics

I like lush plantings and even though I’m a bit of a collector I try to restrain myself and aim at eye pleasing combinations using different grasses, conifers, heucheras, astilbes, different ground covers etc

Great groupings Laura!

*Edited my message and changed photos to avoid repeating*

Just realized that my first attempt with these photos had succeeded (though houzz claimed that there was an error, try again...)

everyone here has worked so hard!!..gardens don't look this pretty without dedicated owners..thanks for showing us the results :-)

I love seeing all these combinations. I really do need to add a Japanese Maple I love it's delicate grace in a garden.

In my garden I also use ground covers, ferens and heucheras.

Aww thank you mbug! We are a dedicated bunch aren't we nicholsworth!

Astrantia 'Lars'. Fragrant Bouquet is hidden behind and Love Pat on left, Black Hills on right. This area in front gets shade from a hedge then behind is full sun.

Asarum e. - European ginger is such a great plant. Our native ginger is wonderful too.

I am a huge fan of Epimedium too.

Another group of Epimedium just finishing it's bloom. Aruncus aethusifolius at bottom left and a white old fashioned Bleeding Heart behind the rock. A squirrel relocated the Lilium there. It is not staying.

Hepatica is a wonderful plant.

Brunnera macrophylla

B. 'Jack Frost'

Actaea rubra & Pulmonaria blooming some years before or as Hosta are emerging.Actaea rubra berries later in season.

Showy lady's slipper - Cypripedium reginae a gorgeous native peaking out from behind Sagae. Aconitum behind & Ligularia 'Desdemona' on the left.

This is great...lots of ideas!

I like use ferns, heucheras, brunnera (Jack Frost), ligularia and even some Peony and different ground covers. I plant items that I like and hope it works. I takes some moving around sometimes.

Jack Frost in the middle, heuchera on the right, under a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick (love these and have 3 of different size).

Fern

Hosta Honey Pie....Ferns...heuchera...ground cover

Great Expectations...Jack Frost

Great Expectations..Ferns...heuchera

Jewel of the Nile....English Ivy

June ...heuchera

ligularia

ligularia

ligularia on left

Marrakech.....between heuchera

In fall, JM 'Inaba Shidare' with the remnants of 'Paul's Glory' and 'Gold Standard' make great companions.

tj

Touch of Class .....Jack Frost

Warwick Commet surrounded by Ferns

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini .....Autumn Fern above.....Japanese Painted Fern below

I've been trying to incorporate more colorful companion plants in the hostas but not much yet. My "companions" are more like allowing spreading plants to invade my hosta beds. Like ferns, moss, creeping Jenny, etc. My favorite is European Wild Ginger.

Ostrich Ferns crowding Blue Angel with moss in front.

European Wild Ginger with Halcyon under the Rhododendron.

Getting some Astilbe mixed in.

Small winding moss path, I guess that's a companion.

Another short path filling in with European Wild Ginger.

Rhododendrons as a backdrop.

peren..I think all of us are on a mission to create a perfect garden on our spot of the earth..and we did it..but we never stop trying to improve it!

these pics are awesome..fun to see combinations and plants that are new to us..I'm ready to get to work..

old_dirt..that moss path is dreamy..

I can't keep up to point out every plant combination that I love..I truly appreciate all of these pics..

Old dirt, I love your pics!❤️

Wow so many great pics, plants and ideas. You all are such an inspiration, but I'm afraid I'm too much of a collector to get there. My favorite thing to plant with Hosta are more Hostas

Although, I did manage to get some Heuchera and ferns in this bed

and some Clematis in behind this bed (with JM 'Sister Ghost' and more Heuchera in the bed)

Clematis from the other side

Lol steve!!..hostas with more hostas IS an ideal no brainer combination..I think you have more "non hosta" plants than you realize haha..

Well, I've only lived here 3.5 years. I'm still in the process of ripping out all of those non-Hostas.

Actually, I've planted quite a few Viburnums, daylilies, Heucheras, Irises, Clematis, Peonies, other flowering perenials and even a few trees.

Old Dirt.....Wow!

I say Wows to everyone!

Totally agree with mbug and nicholsworth! Every garden has it's own personality and style just like their owners. Such a great thread!

Kirengeshoma palmata just coming into bud in Sept. Depending on the weather it will bloom between Aug. and mid Oct. It is an amazing plant. Revolution is just visible.

Kirengeshoma koreana is a much younger plant. Hellebore on the left and the screaming red of Lobelia cardinalis. The groundcover on the upper right corner is Phlox stolonifera.

Phlox stolonifera 'Home Fires' in late spring. There is another wonderful P. s 'Bruce's White'. It is bright, bright white. Both are evergreen making for a terrific weed suppressing groundcover. I really like ferns too.

My biggest problem is that I like pretty much every plant and I keep thinking of more!

peren..I love the colorful blooms exploding all around your hostas!..I have the same problem that you described - to me almost every plant IS pretty and I say "Oh I'll try it"..

You all have such lovely gardens and have introduced me to some plants I was unfamiliar with. I now have a whole other list for companion plants I’d like to incorporate.

Old Dirt- you definitely have color in your garden! Wish I could have such gorgeous rhodies... I suspect your soil is fairly acid. Mine is about as alkaline as can be. I think that’s why I never see the asarum for sale around here... it probably wouldn’t be happy in the soil around here.

I'm with Steve Duggins, hosta with hosta is best, LOL. In 2019 I'm trying something different. I'm adding coleus and hostas in those new beds. I find that now I'm also coleus collector, help me :)

Here is just some of my coleus growing inside. I might be in trouble before spring is here, they are growing very well.

Saija

Saija, you don’t need help! Maybe more space instead?

; )

Sherry

Saija..Wow!..your coleus are so pretty..I can't wait to see those new beds full of plants..

What a good idea Saija...they're so pretty and colorful! It's been years since I planted coleus seeds (I was a teenager), but I think they were pretty easy to start that way... and that would be less expensive than buying nursery-grown plants!

And the list gets longer....

I love all your photos and planting combinations. Here is my front yard garden. It’s full of hosta, ferns, heuchera, Brunnera, grass, and other shade loving plants. I was worried about this garden because I lost a tree that provided a few hours of late shade, but it seems to be doing well.

Very pretty Carol! Cute birdhouse too. What kind of hydrangeas are in the background?

I love astilbe with hostas!

Donna - your garden is gorgeous... I like the astilbe too and may have to get some. Do you know what variety they are? I like the color echo with the daylilies.

I did order some Malaysian Monarch daylilies this spring... I think that's what you have?

Thanks Windy. The astilbe is an older variety. bit you can find the same color on different websites. Yes those are my Malesian Monarchs which I've had for years.

Thanks windymess. Those are oak leaf hydrangea.

Laura, your pics are beautiful. What is the blue flower in your first pic?

Thanks Susan, the blue one is Meconopsis ’Lingholm’, himalayan poppy

Here is Parky's Prize on bottom right, with a bunch of fragrant hostas as accompaniment : )

Old Dirt, that moss path is awesome!

Thanks Don, I just let it evolve over the years on top of a brick path. I love when my Granddaughter comes over and licks off her shoes to walk it barefoot.

This past year something played havoc with it, ripping out small chunks of it. I assume it was birds looking for insects and worms.

I love all of the pictures. Lots of inspiration. My favorite combination with hostas is with my baptisia. I tucked the hosta (this one is a no id, I inherited him when we bought this house) in close, and the baptisia sort of creates a canopy over the hosta. The only catch is that around midsummer, I have to tie up/stake my baptisia so that it doesn't collapse on the hosta.

I haven't been taking as many photos but this was from the garden club that my gardens in 2018 (July) I haven't bought any new plants for a couple years now from lack of space and energy level is deteriorated with my back problems. Good thing I went crazy for a few years or it wouldn't happen now