Are Hostas the perfect plant?

I have discovered that my favorite plant to grow is a hosta. This may be primarily because I have not managed to kill it yet, but I think it has more to do with the simple beauty of the plant.

I have tried growing many types of flowers over the years. They have not all been failures, but they most definitely have not all flourished. I had rose bushes that were gorgeous for several years until they were invaded by beetles. I had butterfly bushes that were horribly damaged in a storm. Each year, I planted annuals out front hoping that they will thrive, only to have them blasted by the sun.

About 8 years ago, we moved into the home we are in now. There is a great mix of sun and shade. All I could think of was the great variety of flowers and plants that would be cascading everywhere. I was envisioning my yard as a Monet painting with color everywhere.

That first year, I bought flats and flats of flowers and plants. I was so happy digging in the dirt and finding homes for my colorful treasures. I lovingly watered, weeded, and waited for my kaleidoscope.

It didn’t end up as I had envisioned. Some areas that I thought were all sun, were actually blanketed in the shade come afternoon. Areas that I thought would get some sun, received almost none at all. I did get some pretty flowers that year, but not the amount I was hoping for. I had done a mix of annuals and perennials, so when fall came, I carefully trimmed back and prepared my gardens for the following Spring.

To my dismay, once warm weather rolled around, it did not appear that many of my plants had survived. It had been a hard tough winter, and the fragile blooms were just not able to weather it…or so I thought. Very soon, I started to see green leaves poking up through the ground. What a wonderful sight to behold! Over the weeks, I saw them continue to spread and multiply. The leaves were multi-shades of green, and eventually, I saw some flowers emerging from their depths. My hostas had survived!

That year, I really learned to enjoy the beauty and simplicity of hostas. It may not have been the riot of color I was originally envisioning, but the shades of green had so much depth and warmth. For a few weeks, I had some beautiful blooms, but the green leaves were there for months. I received so much tranquility, sitting in the shade, admiring my greenery.

Year after year, my hostas have not only grown, they have thrived. They continue to spread and bloom year after year. Over the years, we have had to do a little strategic replanting, but only when they have started to overtake certain areas of the yard. I don’t mind though; I just pick another area where I want to see them flourish.

I feel so thankful for this lush green plant and the beauty that it has brought into my life. I had never really thought of hostas as the perfect plant, but I have discovered that they are the perfect plant for me.