Hostas are very hardy, and I wouldn't hesitate to move or divide them just about any time, except for dry and hot conditions.

As for the Burning Bush - no need to worry about killing them - I doubt you could. They are extremely hardy. Because they are so rugged, growers and nurseries have promoted these things like crazy and they are WAY over-planted, especially in commercial properties. Frankly, the only redeeming quality I see about Burning bush is the fall color - their flowers are inconspicuous and they are boring and ugly shrubs (IMO).

They are prohibited because they are invasive. Birds spread the seeds and they have naturalized in wild areas, crowding out native plants. Even after nurseries stop selling them, there are only about a million of them growing in the woods and wild areas everywhere.

You can divide hosta any time....but it's best to do it not more than 6 weeks before expected ground freeze.
You will find the hosta easier to divide and they will look nicer for your mother if you dig the whole plant and cut it up and replant some for her and take what you want....but carving a piece off the side and filling the hole with bagged compost or top soil works well too.
Linda C

If the burning bush has overgrown it's position, I would take this opportunity to remove an invasive shrub & replace it with something more appropriate. Blueberry, 'Diablo' Ninebark, fragrant summer-blooming deciduous azaleas, and/or viburnum will all give you nice fall color.

/tricia

PS I think Linda meant to say not to dig the hostas LESS than six weeks before first frost.

While I agree with other posters that the hostas can be dug/divided/transplanted/otherwise manhandled at pretty much any time of the year, for appearance's sake I'd try to wait until later in the season - say early fall. It is impossible to divide them while in full leaf without chewing up the foliage pretty badly, even out of the ground. To take just a portion or chunk from the mother plant is going look even worse.

try going over to the hosta forum ...

and use the search function for a post named something like:

MOVING FULLY LEAFED OUT HOSTA....

try the FAQ's also ...

they live on the driveway you know ....

ken

I lift the leaves and try totake the piece where it will not affect the overall appearance of the original. I just slip the spade under the side and gently pull it loose from the clump. Our weather has been cool and damp so they recover quickly. Cutting into the plant would not be the best option now. Mary

I just destroyed 4 burning bush on purpose!! I've had enough of them. I hope I can find all the seedlings in the woods this fall.

The root ball of a very old and very big hosta may be difficult to simply slice out a piece. But whatever you do, you will not kill the mother plant. No matter how small a piece you get out, it will do fine.

The only issue as someone said is affecting the looks of the mother plant.

I just dug and sliced up around 20 plants that were over grown. A friend gave them to me all at once last Sunday. I managed to get them divided and planted the same day. Then I've kept up on watering them. They look great but a little odd. As new foliage grows in, I'm cutting back the longer ones. So far so good. Don't worry, just make sure you're giving them enough water so they come back. In the past, it has taken around 4 weeks to have a nice growth from the divisions. But, the view next year will be very nice... it keeps the beds looking very neat!