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Hosta on the driveway edge

User
9 years ago

Note I do not say "ON the driveway." Just along the edge.
I have a trial bed of hosta in the ground. Made this last year because S&S was outgrowing its pot and I wanted to turn it loose to be all that it could be. And it needed companions.

The bed is along the south boundary of my property. The large trees in the space are on the neighboring property, so I have no control over their presence. One is a trash camphor tree, which is an invasive alien species. It drops twigs and berries which sprout as readily as acorns. But this bed was raised up to avoid the possible root rot of wet winter dormancy. I placed a sub layer of pine bark nuggets to help with any drainage issues. Then it was cow manure and good garden soil and more pine bark to grow in.

Our driveway is cement, and it gets very hot in the summer, since the front yard is to the west. The pavement will radiate more heat to the roots of the plants near the edge, although I have liriope in a thick line growing as a boundary between the bed plantings and the paving.

So here are some of the hosta pioneering this planted bed.
I may set some hosta in pots among them to add interest, but what the heck, I do not want to chance some plant thief finding them irresistable. Hosta are rare treasures in Mobile.

Here is several Grand Tiara from 3 sources. They seem to be flourishing so far. Taken 4/9/14

Millie's Memoirs placed between Empress Wu and S&S is much more advanced than they are.

Patriot....looks rather scrawny to me. I much prefer Minuteman for performance here

Love Pat, a blue that will become fairly rugose I think, might lose her blue, but she might be strong enough to survive the soil.

Old reliable Undulata Albomarginata is getting its white groove back now that it is out of a pot. It sure went for 2012-2013 without its white in the pot.

Fragrant Queen. Let's see if she can deal with the conditions.

Alabama Gold sort of chartreuse but with some of its gold leaf trying to appear. Looking nice over all.

Two Sugar Daddy hosta are planted side by side here. Not bad for now, but it sort of loses its edges as the season wears on.

Wheaton Blue was a bonus plant, not chosen. It looks better here than it has since it arrived. We'll see if it continues to thrive as the sun becomes fierce and the humidity stays high.

And this is what the bed looked like Aug 25, 2013 about a month after I planted it. Blue Angel is in the far corner shade.

and here is the S&S taken that same day, with Wheaton Blue in the foreground with the begonia.

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