Plant spacing

[boops]

Those of you who plant most of your Hosta in the ground, do you all plant your hosta far apart to allow room for the mature size it will reach? Or do you plant close together and then move them if they are too crowded? I measured for spacing to allow for full size mature Hosta and I think my gardens don't look half as nice as the ones I have seen here.

[Noreaster]

If I plant one in the ground, I try to make sure it's in it's permanent home, so yes, I take into account mature size. They are not fun to move as they get larger! I tend to keep newer hosta in pots...if that's an option for you you could always fill out the empty areas between your in ground hosta with potted ones as you wait for them to fill out. You can sink the pots into the ground so that they look "planted".

[stefan]

The problem is I have too many hostas and too little space and still wants new

[boops]

Thanks Noreaster-great Idea, I may try that this year.

Stefan- my problem is the opposite, too much area and not enough money for more plants.

[stefan]

Hostas need time must not to have everything
It takes many years

[boops]

Hostas need time must not to have everything
It takes many years

Thanks Stefan-I am filling in right now with other plants that can be moved easily and make the garden look a little fuller.

[kHT]

Boops it's really up to the number of plants, the size of each plant and your space or design as to what one should do? I know when we showed our photos of what we did, we were told we have to much space between them. I mixed the sizes for a reason. As they are filling in I have some huge ones that cover the smaller ones and I have added hellebors in with our hostas so we will see flowers in the early spring before the hostas come up. It's all about what you want to look at? I also have some space out there so if I go back to growing the warmer Brugmansia I can put a couple out there now that we have the new fence in for protection.

[boops]

Thanks KHT-I want to see flowers and my hosta, so I did interplant daylilies, helleborus, Amsonia, lamium, astilbe, bergenia, coral bells, ferns, azaleas and hydrangea. I'm sure they will fill in the spaces soon. I think I need more groundcover so I don't see so much soil.

[party_music50]

I don't have as much garden space as I really need, but regardless, I like to space all plants close enough so that there's no dead/empty space. I like everything to look natural and full and I especially love volunteer plants (I cold compost). I move plants later, as required, when they're overcrowded. It takes years for that to happen, and in the meanwhile I can determine whether a plant actually *likes* the location it's in. :p

I'd also like to add that many hostas and other perennials don't reach the expected size for me! some are smaller than I expect, some larger, some with a habit I don't expect... yet another reason to be prepared to move them!

[boops]

I hear you! I think maybe more ground cover plants by the bigger Hosta and I'll put some other part shade plants around as I would rather move those than my Hosta. I only started the hosta area in the larger garden last year. Used to be an elderberry shrub garden with elderberry plants that never berried even though I had their mates planted with them. Gave them 6 years-when no berries appeared last year, out they came and transplanted elsewhere. So it was like starting over again. Bought tons of Hosta and other plants. But still need more

[stefan]

Hostas need time in 3-4 years, most Hostas will be great.
Shrubs,Perennials and ferns belong to Hostagarten

[boops]

beautiful gardens, love the weeping japanese red maple. I'm looking to get a dwarf one called Red Dragon for my new little zen garden. Just today cleared another 30 foot x 30 foot area of ivy, so I have room for some different plants and some Hosta. What is that green lacey weeping type plant (or shrub) in the last picture. Your in a much warmer climate than I am, so yours come up sooner and probably stay longer before a freeze in the winter. Thanks for the photos Stefan.

[kaylyred]

Gorgeous gardens, boops and Stefan!

I'm probably doing the spacing thing all wrong. I started out allowing for mature size, but then found I was too impatient to deal with the empty space as the hosta matured. While I don't thoroughly crowd my hostas, I do tend to plant smaller varieties around the "feet" of the bigger guys. I figure that way, if they happen to work out as an underplantings...fine. But if they end up too close for comfort and need moving, at least the little guys are easier to move than the big ones.

[stefan]

. What is that green lacey weeping type plant (or shrub) .

Moin The plant in the middle is a Acer palmatum 'Dissectum

[boops]

Morning to you too! Thanks Stefan-I love it.

[Noreaster]

I think that is going to fill in in no time, boops. Then you're going to wish you had more space back, lol. That's where I'm at now- ripping out ground covers because, remember, they just want to keep on going.

I think we all have different taste as far as how dense we want things to look...also different levels of patience and energy to deal with the maintenance each "look" entails.

I love your avatar- too cute!

Nice garden too, Stefan.

[boops]

Thanks Noreaster-I think I'll let it alone for now-see how the gardens look by end of summer and then rethink any additions.

[Noreaster]

Thats true- you will see much filling out just over the course of this summer. I was looking at my progression of pics from last year early spring- late summer and things absolutely look more filled out by the end.

[boops]

Yes and considering most of my Hosta were new to me last year-and from Chris I figure a big growth spurt this year.

[boops]

I think that is going to fill in in no time, boops. Then you're going to wish you had more space back, lol. That's where I'm at now- ripping out ground covers because, remember, they just want to keep on going.

I think we all have different taste as far as how dense we want things to look...also different levels of patience and energy to deal with the maintenance each "look" entails.

I love your avatar- too cute!

Nice garden too, Stefan.

Thanks about the Avatar-those are my twin granddaughters at easter