Ok, I will admit it, I am a snob, a plant snob that is! Some plants I find just too common and boring. For example, “Look at that beautiful hosta!” said no one ever. Or spirea either for that matter, unless you are talking one of the bridal wreath variety, then you may just hear or think that, but only if it is pruned correctly.
An Aversion to Hostas if You’re a Plant Snob
I appear to have developed an aversion to hostas, probably because people have overused them in their gardens. The only time I enjoy them is in the very early spring when their green spikes are one of the first signs of new growth to emerge from the soil as it thaws out here in the Ottawa area. In the summer they get eaten by slugs and earwigs, and in the fall they turn mushy and slimy…
Alternatives to Hostas for this Plant Snob
So, what perennials do I prefer to hostas for the edges of my gardens? Here are my choices:
Perennial Geraniums
For shady areas, I like perennial geraniums. They are one of the first perennials to green up in the spring, require no maintenance whatsoever, and maintain their neat, non-sprawling (most varieties) mounded shape. They do spread throughout the garden, but are very shallow-rooted, so easy to remove from places you do not want them to spread to. These geraniums are great for planting under trees, even evergreen trees where nothing else will thrive.
In fact, I planted lots of these versatile plants as ground cover under the evergreens we limbed up at the hospice I volunteer at. They look beautiful!
Lamium
Another good choice for an edging plant in shady areas is lamium. Its variegated leaves, reblooming pale flowers, and tidy habit make it one of my favourites..
Heucheras
For part shade to part sun locations in the garden, I am loving heucheras these days. Some varieties tolerate more sun than others, so be sure to read the tags.
Heucheras come in a variety of colors from palest green to bright chartreuse to orangy-brown to reddish-brown to deep wine red. Leaf shapes vary too from smooth and rounded, to almost maple-leaf-like, to curly, lettuce-leaf-like.
They look good all summer, need no fall cleanup or protection, and survive our cold winters with no problem. A simple tug to remove any crispy leaves in the spring and they are good to go.
By the way, heuchera is pronounced with a hard c. I will never forget that after I was chastised for mispronouncing it by a 93-year-old client.
heuchera
Sedum or Stonecrop
My first choice for full sun edging or container plants is those in the sedum or stonecrop families. As succulents, sedums and stonecrops are all drought-tolerant, thriving in hot, dry areas, especially next to stone walkways where not much else will grow.
They too come in a variety of colors and shapes, in fact, look especially nice (I think) when varieties are mixed together randomly.
So, this season think outside of your comfort zone, and become a plant snob by replacing those boring hostas with a little more pizazz!
It is funny that people here can get so snobby about their Japanese maples, but Japanese maples are so common, perhaps because snobs are so common. I consider myself to be a snob because I do not like Japanese maples. They are too common and too misused for my taste. I do however like hostas because they are uncommon here.
Well, they are not that hardy here either. That is half of what I dislike about them. The other half is their popularity. I mean I would not mind if they were popular and hardy, or neither popular nor hardy. We should not make something that does not like the climate her so popular here.