Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Hostas for wet places

DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
in Plants
Are there any hostas that can survive very wet conditions?We have a stream-edge to plant up and it's very wet! A Rodgersia has already succumbed and some ligularias are looking doubtful. Marsh Marigolds on the other hand love it.

But we would like some big leaved hostas to help fill the bed out a bit ...
«13

Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    if you make a little mound for them to keep the crowns above the really wet bit, they should be fine.
    Devon.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Not too sure how long any mounds would last, but we can certainly give it a try.

    Which, if any, are the most wet tolerant? We fancy Sum and Substance. And have a Big Daddy in a pot waiting to be "sacrificed". And maybe Empress Wu - we had that in our previous (drier) garden but it got massacred by slugs every year and never attained any real size.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I grow all 3 and they're all very happy here in very wet Devon.
    Devon.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Very wet Devon is just where we are :smile:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    @Freddies Dad I'd start propagating that Hosta! You might be sitting on a fortune :smile:
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I bought a hosta called Invincible, supposed to be resistant to slugs, from Diana Grenfell about 20 years ago.  Guess which one they headed for first!

    Have you thought of trying a gunnera manicata or a lobelia cardinalis or ligularia?  Hosta fortunei Moonlight or hosta Crispa are big plants and should cope.


    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I know it's not a hosta ... but Persicarium bistorta would be happy there, and it has biggish leaves and pinkish candle-like flowers ... a bit like a hosta  ;)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Obelixx said:
    Have you thought of trying a gunnera manicata or a lobelia cardinalis or ligularia?  Hosta fortunei Moonlight or hosta Crispa are big plants and should cope.

    Have thought about Gunnera manicata, but am worried about it chucking seeds into the stream and spreading out into the countryside. Am also not sure how invasive it is. But, yup, have thought about it!

    We planted Ligularia last year, but no sign of any returns yet.

    Hadn't thought of Lobelia cardinalis - will have a look see.

    We do have a hosta by the stream (forget its name) and are waiting to see if it comes back.

    We've also planted the Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) and that, pleasingly, is showing signs of life. And I planted an arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) last Sunday to see how that fares.

    Things doing the best are Marsh Marigolds and Lesser Spearwort, but of course they don't have the big-leaved impact that we want as a backdrop.

  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Dovefromabove said:
    I know it's not a hosta ... but Persicarium bistorta would be happy there, and it has biggish leaves and pinkish candle-like flowers ... a bit like a hosta  ;)
    Unfortunately neither OH nor I like Persicarias! A bit too like docks :smile:
Sign In or Register to comment.