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Design help, please...

windymess z6a KC, Ks

8 years ago

I want to add a single hosta next to my group of 3 Rainforest Sunrise. This bed gets morning sun. I was thinking maybe something with a more upright form, and maybe a solid color? I also have some epimedium in that bed. The bed is lightly shaded by a young Bloodgood Japanese Maple. So, these are some of the varieties that I can get locally, but I'm not sure which would look/perform best. I'd appreciate your input and suggestions...
Fluted Fountain, Ringtail, Tidewater, Raucous Ruffles, Salute, Cutting Edge

Also - ultimate max width for this hosta should be about 4 feet (less is okay but probably not too much more).
Thanks!

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
have a pic from last year??

how about blue Hawaii ....

back in the day ... as my bloodgood got 5 to 7 years old... the fibrous roots.. killed just about everything under it ... you couldnt dig a hole to put in annuals... and even if you did... there was no available moisture ...

ken
windymess z6a KC, Ks thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
Babka NorCal 9b
8 years ago
I have a 30 year old Bloodgood, and the tough vinca minor under it is struggling and sparse. The vinca did well until about 5 years ago. The trick is to get the groundcover (or hosta) in before the maple roots get into it. The groundcover needs a head start to grab it's own territory and get deep established roots. But in the end the maple will win.

-Babka
windymess z6a KC, Ks thanked Babka NorCal 9b
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windymess z6a KC, Ks
Original Author
8 years ago
Well, bummer.

I can try to dig in where I want to plant another hosta and see what it's like there. And Ken - I like the idea of Blue Hawaii... I never even considered that or anything like it, but I think it would be beautiful and a good contrast to the RS. And when I googled for more pics of BH, it looks like it has "orderly scapes" -- which appeals to me even more! If it's already too rooty there, I will reconsider my plans and that little bed generally.... Believe me, though, moisture is not and will never be a problem there! It would be the roots that might be a hindrance, I guess.

The only photo of the whole area I could find was from 2014:

This is a corner spot in the yard as you come around back from the north side of the house. And BTW - those little green things coming up all over are not weeds, they're the Leptinella creeping through that area - a cute little ground cover that I like, but which had a set-back when I sprayed with my %10 ammonia last year.

The epimediums have grown and done fine there, as have the 3 RS, so far....
sherrygirl zone5 N il
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Windy, your tree is still small, you can plant under it successfully now. I am in your zone and have a 20' tall Bloodgood with a lush garden beneath. The garden was planted when the tree was small and has been in place for at least 15 years. I say go for it, don't succumb to those that say you can't , I did and it's the best garden area I have.
The first picture is from 2 years ago. The second was from last spring, if you look closely you can see the tree trunk with the fence. I love this space in my yard!

One thing in my favor here is the Bloodgood is planted on the north side of my home, I rarely need to water this area.

Sherry
windymess z6a KC, Ks thanked sherrygirl zone5 N il
windymess z6a KC, Ks
Original Author
8 years ago
Lovely Sherry! You have a beautiful combination of hostas and companion plants!

So I think we definitely have a similarity with the exposure and moisture. My little bed faces ENE and (it's probably impossible to tell in my photo above) is somewhat sloped. Our house is a walkout, so the backyard is generally lower and moister, some places more moist than others - due to neighbors' properties, and the "lay of the land" generally. But it definitely also has drainage and there is never ever any standing water. I have soaker hoses running through this bed and some others - in case of hot/dry spells, and we run the sprinklers over the whole yard during summer, but have directed them away from this bed because it usually has more than enough moisture, and I don't want the overhead sprinkling on the hostas.

Well, I'll check to see how the digging is in that bed... and if so, I'll try another hosta. What the heck, I can always move it later if it's unhappy, right?

All the new bed areas that I created in the fall are staring at me too, just waiting to be planted. I can hardly wait!

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