Hosta Colour Festival

The Hosta 'Colour Festival' is a cultivar that presents a particularly dazzling and festive range of colours! Its thick, slightly wavy and veined oval leaves have cream-white centres streaked with yellow that blend into its wide and irregular dark green edges. From July to August, it produces low mauve flowers in clusters that barely rise above the foliage. This hosta is vigorous and interesting for brightening up a shady woodland or a cool border. Its variegated leaves are even more spectacular when exposed to the morning sun.

This hosta, or Funkia, is a mutation of H. 'Entreprise'. It is a deciduous perennial but very hardy, with its leafy clump only appearing in spring. It belongs to the asparagus family. The plant forms a clump reaching 30 cm (12in) in height and 60 cm (24in) in width. It is a long-lived plant with deciduous leaves that are ovate with rounded bases, 15 cm (6in) long and 8 cm (3in) wide, tapering to a pointed tip. The lamina is pleated with 10 more or less pronounced veins. The well-defined petioles in this cultivar are cream-white with green margins. From the heart of its variegated foliage emerge from July to August floral stems 40-50 cm (16-20in) tall, bearing racemes of bell-shaped, slightly fragrant flowers.

Hostas prefer moist, well-drained and rich soils, and they absolutely despise drought and scorching exposures. In hotter and drier regions, a thick mulch is recommended. Hostas, with their generous and decorative foliage, are perfect as ground covers in partly to fully shady borders or beds, where other plants struggle to grow. Indeed, they thrive in sheltered locations that remain cool, such as woodlands. In general, exposure to morning sun allows these perennials to develop optimally and also makes them more floriferous. Blue-leaved varieties prefer shade as the sun tends to turn them green. Lighter foliage thrives in partial shade, where their color transforms and lightens with increased sunlight. Gastropods (slugs and snails) are particularly fond of these fleshy perennials, so contemporary hybridizations aim to create hostas that are increasingly resistant to their attacks. This variety is slug-resistant.

Combine them in masses with other hostas, ferns, delphiniums, solomon's seal, and other low-growing ground cover perennials like bugleweed, geraniums, and dead nettles. All of these are very effective as slug repellents. The silvery Brunnera macrophylla 'Mr Morse', familiar in woodland areas, makes for excellent company. Also consider Heucheras with their fantastic range of colors, or the delicate flowers of Epimediums. This will enhance the shaded and slightly damp areas of the garden, creating a pleasant haven of freshness for the summer. Hostas also thrive in pots, but be sure to place them in partial shade and water them regularly. Hostas pair wonderfully with spring bulbs that appear in late spring, providing ample foliage to cover fading plants. Around a pond, plant them with knotweeds, sedges, and astilbes. Their blue foliage blends perfectly with the red and purple leaves of Japanese maples.

Did you know: Most of the species found in Western gardens were introduced from Japan. Hostas are edible and are known as urui in Japan, where they are commonly consumed.