A new Mother’s Day tradition seems to have been established in my household. Last year I received a new Hosta from each of my sons on Mother’s Day. This year I received five lovely specimens from the garden centre, ready to plant!

It is still cool here in Southern Ontario, but last year’s plantings are beginning to emerge. I check on them daily, to see which ones have survived and which ones have been washed away by our local dusty hillside erosion.

When I first began to garden, I didn’t understand why people loved hostas so much. They were just big old leafy green things that grew in the shade. I just wanted flowers, and hosta flowers didn’t count at all to me.

What I’ve learned to appreciate about hostas, is that I can plant them in the sun (within reason), and that they are generally hardy in my yard. I tend to plant them among other plants, where they provide a different leaf shape, sometimes a different leaf colour, and they nicely fill in the gaps – helping to crowd out other aggressive plants, and when densely planted with my other perennials – preserve the moisture in the soil during dry times.

The best thing about hostas is that they are so darn easy to divide (and even share with friends and neighbours).

Last year’s hostas aren’t looking beautiful yet, but they will spread out in the next few weeks and define certain areas of my garden.

Happy spring and Hosta La Vista!