“It’s a blaze of colour all summer” A collection of 350 hostas fills this stylish garden with tactile foliage
A collection of 350 hostas fills this stylish garden with tactile foliage and dainty summer flowers. Owners Sue and Richard Proctor show us around
We experiment to find out how they’ll grow in hostile conditions
This small but colourful garden is a haven for hosta fans. “We have around 350 different hostas in the garden,” says owner Sue, who tends the plot with her husband Richard. “We’ve grown them for more than 50 years and love them so much that the garden has become a showcase for our hosta nursery. We specialise in miniature hostas – the smallest being 10cm (4in) tall. “The garden also acts as a hosta test bed,” says Sue. “Here we can experiment with particular cultivars to find out how they’ll grow in hostile conditions – such as sunny sites and poorly drained soils.” The couple have about 8,000 plants to care for in total. “I do the miniatures and Richard looks after the bigger ones,” says
HOSTA HAVEN (clockwise from above) These sloping beds are ablaze with phlox, achilleas, crocosmia and monardas in summer; 350 different hostas offer contrasts of size, shape and colour; pink achillea ‘Cerise Queen’; white-flowered hosta ‘Pocketful of Sunshine’; Japanese maples make perfect planting partners for hostas ‘Empress Wu’, ‘Andorian’ and ‘First Frost’ in the shaded gravel garden Sue. “I also create hosta hybrids by crosspollinating plants and sowing the resulting seeds the next February.” The garden wasn’t always so lush and colourful. “When we moved in, it was mostly laid to grass and the soil was mainly builders’ rubble underpinned by clay,” says Richard. “Even today our digging tool of choice is a mattock!” To compound matters, the garden lies on a north-facing slope but faces due south. “This reduces the amount of sun we get to virtually nil in winter, then full scorching sun in summer,” says Sue. “To make the most of the slope, we’ve created
a series of garden rooms linked by wide, crazy-paving steps that rise between the rockery and our ‘perennial hill’. “It’s a blaze of colour all summer, from the delphiniums in June to Michaelmas daisies in September,” says Sue. “The steps lead up to our top patio – a seating area full of palms, gingers, olive and lemon trees. This is backed by exotic, halfhardy climbers, such as eccremocarpus, maurandya, bomarea and rhodochiton.” A greenhouse at the top of perennial hill is surrounded by Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland Gold’, Nandina domestica, Japanese hollies, Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Lady in Red’ and Echium candicans ‘Blue Dwarf’, grown from seed and flowering this year. “The echiums provide shelter for green-flowered Mathiasella bupleuroides, which is one of our favourite plants and borderline hardy,” says Sue. “The garden reflects our interest in plants from the southern hemisphere. Many have been grown from seed, so you’ll find exotics such as Lobelia tupa, Dietes bicolor (butterfly flag), palms, Salvia confertiflora, orange-flowered isoplexis (Canary Island foxglove) and numerous crocosmias. We had 35 different ones at one point – ‘Harlequin’ and ‘Jackanapes’ are our favourites.” Colour and interest radiate out across the garden to create a show that begins in January. “Beside the house is a long, narrow spring border full of winter aconites, snowdrops, species crocuses, miniature irises, tulips, muscari and anemones,” says Sue. “We adore spring bulbs of all kinds and love the excitement when the first ones appear in February. Small tulips such as delightful openpetalled, yellow Tulipa turkestanica end the display.” As spring segues into summer, it’s the hostas’ turn to shine, many of them planted under Japanese maples for shade and shelter. “Just off the drive we have our woodland walk,” says Sue. “This is a covered path shaded by a wooden pergola that supports a variety of climbers such as clematis, passion f lowers, honeysuckle and climbing roses. “The walk features woodland plants, hostas, mature acers, Euphorbia pasteurii and Photinia davidiana ‘Palette’.” COLOURFUL CORNERS (clockwise from above left) Potted hostas include ‘Christmas Tree’ and ‘Queen of the Seas’; Lysimachia punctata ‘Alexander’; paths wind among hostas and other perennials; Achillea ptarmica ‘Ballerina’; the greenhouses are packed with hostas large and small; a slate water feature among hostas, ferns and grasses INSET Miniature hostas with a tiny Howea forsteriana palm in a box frame With all her hosta-growing experience, Sue has some interesting news about pests. “Sadly no hosta is entirely molluscproof,” she says. “When they’re hungry enough, slugs and snails will munch any hosta. However, some are less attractive to them than others – especially blue hostas, which have thicker leaves. Also, it’s worth noting that hostas growing into an upright vase shape can remain untouched longer than those with a more cascading habit.” Sue is adamant these luscious leaves are worth the effort. “No other hardy perennial offers such a wonderful variety of foliage in so many colours, shapes and sizes,” she says. “Whether you’ve got a window box, a single pot or several acres of garden, there’s a hosta for you!”
As spring segues into summer, it’s the hostas’ turn to shine