Hostas: A Garden Essential

Even after more than 30 years of growing Hosta I am still awed at the versatility of these amazing and adaptable perennials. 

No garden is complete nor can do without these essential foliage plants.  They are one of the few plants that can adapt, survive and yes thrive in our west coast environment.

 Hosta’s add a needed foliar element as either backing for other plants, contrast or interest on their own.  As container plants they are indispensible as one can shift and move them around where and as needed. 

Hosta’s are very hardy, even in containers and tolerate our wet and highly fluctuating winters with relative ease.

They are not just your grandmother’s shade plants anymore, with the staggering amount of new varieties being offered there is something for everyone from more sun tolerant varieties to those that resist predation by slugs and other leaf-munching pests.  Many of the newer Hosta’s have improved colouring that holds through the season and there are even some that have nice fall colouring as well (see picture).

Fragrance is not often something we think about when planting a Hosta but we should as there are a few select forms (see below) that have wonderfully fragrant lily-like blooms.  So come out and take a second look at the Hosta, I am sure there is at least one that will find its way into your garden…

More Sun Tolerant	Slug/Pest Resistant	Fragrant
Canadian Shield Dream Queen Guacamole Harkaways Mini Gold June Patriot Stained Glass	Barbara Ann Blue Mouse Ears Captain Kirk Dream Queen Elegans El Nino Fire and Ice Fire Island First Frost Fragrant Bouquet Harkaways Mini Gold June Pauls Glory	Diana Remembered Fragrant Bouquet Guacamole Stained Glass

A Few Of My Favourite Hostas:

Hosta ‘El Nino’
One of my absolute favorite Hosta’s, a sport of ‘Halcyon’ it retains the thick, ribbed chalky blue leaves but with an added pure white margin.  This “must have” Hosta is simply stunning and forms an elegant mound with scapes of lavender blue flowers in midsummer, very slug resistant.
Height:  40-50cm  Spread:  60cm  Zone:  3






Hosta "Fire and Ice"
Striking reverse sport of the ever popular 'Patriot', the leaves of 'Fire and Ice' have a heavy substance and a slight twist, your eyes are drawn to their pure white centers surrounded by a dark green edging.  Attractive midsize Hosta that makes a great specimen, tall scapes of lavender flowers in midsummer.  Slug resistant.   Height:  50cm  Spread:  75cm  Zone:  3







Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’
PLANTAIN LILY – Adorable miniature Hosta with slightly cupped, round blue-green leaves resembling little mouse ears.  Lavender flowers in midsummer.  Plants have good substance and form perfect, tight little mounds.  ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ makes an excellent container or rockery specimen. Height:  15-20cm  Spread:  30cm  Zone:  3
Photo courtesy of Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society



Hosta Canadian Shield




Hosta ‘Canadian Shield’
This medium sized Hosta forms a sturdy mound of thick, waxy, deep green leaves, scapes of pale lavender flowers in August.  This selection has good slug resistance and is more sun tolerant.
Height:  40-50cm  Spread:  90cm  Zone:  3




Hosta Harkaways Mini Gold






Hosta ‘HarkAway’s Mini Gold’
A selection by HarkAway Botanicals this vigorous groundcover Hosta makes a wonderful accent with its narrow leaves of golden yellow and scapes of dainty lavender flowers in early summer; an excellent Hosta for mass planting or in containers; sun tolerant.
Height:  10-15cm  Spread:  30cm  Zone:  3




Art's Nursery carries an amazing variety of Hostas as well as many other shade loving perennials. Call 604.82.1201 for availability or drop by and browse anytime. We look forward to serving you!

*Photos Courtesy of Harkaway Botanicals

 Lyle Courtice, A.H.

 Lyle is a certified Horticultural Technician (Niagara College), Landscape Designer, Nurseryman and the proprietor of HarkAway Botanicals. He is a guest blogger for Art's Nursery and his plants are available through us.

Since 1980 Lyle has worked in both the retail and wholesale sectors of the horticultural trade; he operates his own wholesale nursery, which focuses on an eclectic mix of rare and choice plant material from Asia, Europe and North America.

Lyle has appeared on The Canadian Gardener and is a contributing author to A Grower’s Choice (Raincoast books 2001).  His horticultural expertise makes him sought after as a consultant, lecturer, photographer, instructor and writer.  An industry veteran, Lyle is esteemed within the horticultural community for his passionate and often humorous enthusiasm for plants.

June 2011 In Your Garden

Thus far this spring weather can be compared to game 3,4 and 6 and 4 of the Stanley Cup playoffs or an embarrassing noise.
Let’s just pretend it didn’t happen and move on!!  Here’s the garden to-do list for June 2011.
Mow!  Once the warm weather hits…and it will, raise your mowing height.  Your grass will be less stressed, more vigorous and require less repairs come fall.
Gardens – Weed, fertilize, pinch back and trim as needed.  With all the rain plants will tend to be leggier and may require support.  You may be feeling overwhelmed at this point with weeding.  Just keep chugging away a bit each day or so.  Things will slow once the heat hits.  You can still add to your garden as things have been so delayed, but save the moving of existing perennials and shrubs for fall.
Keep an eagle eye out for pests and disease.  Those pesky aphids are here.  A sharp stream of water from the hose will do the trick and no, they won’t climb back up.  Powdery mildew, oh yeah, if caught soon enough, remove affected leaves and don’t put them in the compost.  Black spot, do the same.  If you have plants that are consistently affected by pest and disease, its tough love time, there are so many other spectacular pest and  disease resistant ones out there that would be great replacements.  Don’t expect perfection this year and have patience if your usually trouble free specimens are affected.

Water gardeners with ponds in full sun, stave off an algae bloom by ensuring about 75 percent coverage with lilies and oxygenators such as frog bit, water hyacinth and water lettuce.
Veggie gardens can still be added to.  If you have planted sunflowers or corn already, take a peek at a seed or two to make sure they haven’t rotted in the rain and cold.  You can still replant.  Continue to sow greens at two week interval.
You can do the same with corn, peas, and some carrots and beans so you will have an extended picking rather than one huge glut!  Keep hoeing out the weeds.  If you’ve lost some to the weather or the slugs, don’t despair, there is a great selection of veggies in the nursery.
Container gardens, water at least once a day.
Check hanging baskets regularly.
If they are allowed to get dry, make sure you bring them down and set them in a shallow tray of water to soak for an hour or so to ensure they will retain moisture with the next watering.
The water will run right through a dry hanging basket without retaining any for the plants!!
Some of your house plants can go out for a summer vacation in a shady place for the first few days and for those that can take sun, gradually acclimatize them.


Fruit trees, if you have a particularly heavy set of apples or pears, remove some of them to keep limbs from breaking or bending.  Remove any of the misshapen pink tinged midge affected leaves from apple trees.  Watch for and prune out any black knot in plums.  Remove blighted leaves from peach trees.
Berries – watch for the different pollinators for raspberries, blueberries and tayberries among others, they are interesting to observe and a good test of the health of your garden.
Remember to stretch during the commercials on game days and to vary your pacing from clockwise to counterclockwise to avoid getting stiff and tired on one side of your body.  Go Vancouver Hockey Team Go!!!

New & Interesting Perennial Varieties Seminar: Sunday May 15th

Interesting & Unique Perennials Seminar: May 15th

Join us Sunday, May 15th for a chat with Danielle Young of Skagit Gardens, an eminent perennial grower from Washington State, as she introduces new, interesting and unique perennial varieties for 2011.

Start Time: 1:00pm - Free Admission, Everone welcome

This Post Was Written By:

Art's Nursery Ltd.

Learn to Plant Hanging Baskets Seminar: May 15, 2011

Learn To Make Your Own Moss Hanging Baskets

Please join us Sunday, May 15th for a Moss Basket Making Seminar.

You'll learn the ins and outs of designing, preparing and planting your very own moss baskets with our talented designer Marge.

Please call 604.882.1201 for more information or to sign up. Please register in advance as space may be limited. A $10 sign-up fee per person applies, but will be credited towards the plants and materials used in your basket.


This Post Was Written By:

Art's Nursery Ltd.

How To Grow Great Tomatoes

Tomato growers unite! Perhaps one of the most popular plants at this time of year is the plain old tomato. No other vegetable/fruit gets the masses excited more than these tasty little gems.
Growing tomatoes is actually quite easy. Just plant and follow these 10 great tips:

• Choose healthy plants suited for your space.  Plant when ground is warm, above 15 degrees Celsius, and with at least 6-8 hours of sun per day is best.
• Use fertile rich soil, mix in compost or consider amending earth with Sea Soil  to improve nutrient value. We sell it by the bag and the tractor scoop.
• Mix an organic well balanced fertilizer into soil, prior to planting.  It is known to increase yield. Bonemeal added when planting, can also reduce the chances of blossom end rot - a common problem where the bottom of the tomatoe goes brown.
• Plant tomatoes deep.  Strip lower leaves and plant the stem up to the uppermost top cluster of leaves.  Tomatoes have the ability to form roots along their stem.  Doing this will create extra roots  to help anchor the plant and provide more opportunity for water and nutrient uptake.
• Water regularly and evenly.  Even moisture will create a healthier plant and tomatoes. This too will help prevent blossom end rot.
• Stake or cage plants early (depending on variety) to avoid damaging roots.  Keeping the tomatoes off the ground helps prevent fruit rot and makes plant more productive.
• When flowers appear, continue to fertilize and consider spraying with blossom set.  Use an organic fertilizer and consider a kelp foliar spray.  It will increase health & prevent disease.
• Pick tomatoes when they are firm, full size, and fully coloured.  If it gets very hot, pick some fruit early (green) and let it ripen off the vine.  Too much sun can cause sun scorch and turn tomatoes soft.
• If in pots, keep tomatoes sheltered from too much rain to avoid blight.  If in the open, pick ripened or nearly ripened fruit prior to heavy rains as these tomatoes are more prone to splitting / cracking.
• Take note of varieties that worked well, and if desired save seed for next year!

Visit Art's Nursery today  for a fantastic selection of contemporary as well as heirloom tomato varieties.