Hostas are the undisputed genius of spectre gardens with their profuse , modeled leaf . But even stars need supporting actor ! pair these true perennials with complementary plants create garden illusion through counterpoint textures , colors , and bloom times . The right companions enhance hostas ’ natural beauty while satiate seasonal gaps and creating a more dynamic garden space .
1. Heuchera (Coral Bells) 🍂
mound of colored foliage make heuchera the perfect hosta sidekick . Available in a sensational pallette from lime green to cryptic purple - black , these evergreen perennial hold their coloration even when hostas have gone dormant for wintertime .
Tiny bell - form flower dancing above the leave-taking on svelte stem turn , attracting hummingbird while adding delicate motion . Their compact size of it correspond perfectly at the edge of hosta bed or tucked between larger specimen .
Newer varieties like ‘ Caramel ’ and ‘ Obsidian ’ offer surpassing cold hardiness and heat tolerance , making them reliable comrade in challenging garden spots .
2. Brunnera macrophylla (Siberian Bugloss) 💙
nitty-gritty - regulate leaves adorned with silver veining make Brunnera a striking textural complement to Hosta . Come spring , these woodland smasher develop clouds of tiny blue-blooded bloom resembling block - me - nots , offering early - time of year coloration before hostas fully emerge .
prise variety like ‘ Jack Frost ’ and ‘ Silver Heart ’ bring luminous luminosity to shady corner , seeming to glow in dispirited light . Their Robert Frost - resistant foliage defend in effect feel from spring through drop .
Plant them where morning sun can spotlight the silverish foliage pattern while afternoon shade protect their delicate foliage from scorching — the same conditions that make Hosta well-chosen .
© Better Homes & Gardens
3. Ferns 🌿
Nature ’s original shade plants , ferns bring ancient elegance alongside genus Funka with their intricate fronds unfurling in leap . Japanese painted ferns extend silver - brushed leaf with Burgundy wine stems , while ostrich fern put up dramatic superlative with their vase - shaped emergence .
The feathery texture of ferns creates the perfect counterpoint to hostas ’ smooth , broad farewell . This definitive pairing mimic natural woodland plantings where both prosper in mottled lighting .
Autumn ferns add multi - time of year interest with new growth emerging coppery - red before maturing to deep green , providing color when hostas are dormant and completing this consummate partnership .
© Monrovia
4. Tiarella (Foamflower) 🎀
Maple - shaped leaves form sizable cumulus that perfectly complement genus Funka ’ broader leaf . Tiarella earns its common name from the frothy , cream - colored heyday capitulum that look in bound — just when gardens necessitate a optical rise .
Many variety develop burgundy leaf markings that intensify in fall , extend seasonal pursuit . These native timberland plant naturally grow alongside Hosta in similar conditions , making them ecologically appropriate fellow traveller .
Low - growing and well - behaved , Tiarella cordifolia work attractively as ground covers beneath tall hostas or as front - of - border accents . Their drought tolerance once show gives them an edge over Funka in drier shade locations .
© Daily Herald
5. Pulmonaria (Lungwort) 🌱
stipple , spotted or silver - washed leave of absence make pulmonaria a standout even without its early springtime flowers . These tough perennials bloom when the garden is just waking up , producing clump of pinkish bud that open to aristocratic , royal , or bloodless .
The spotted leafage resembles lung ( hence the name ) and produce textural interest against the suave surface of hosta leaves . diversity like ‘ Trevi Fountain ’ and ‘ Raspberry Splash ’ offer improve mould underground and more vibrant flowers .
Lungwort ’s early heyday time provide crucial ambrosia for come forth pollinators when few other plants are flowering , adding ecological value to your shade garden partnership .
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6. Astilbe 🌸
fend tall like feathery fireworks , astilbe play vertical drama to hosta layer when those broad leave need a textural counterpoint . Their plume - like flower spikes climb above ferny leaf in refinement from soft pink to rich deep red and gross white .
Both plants thrive in similar condition — plentiful , damp territory and protective covering from harsh afternoon Dominicus . The delicate appearance of astilbe creates a magic contrast against hostas ’ bluff presence .
establish them behind diminished hosta varieties or interspersed among big type for a layered effect that widen the garden ’s visual interest into midsummer .
© NH Hostas
7. Ligularia 🟠
sheer and architectural , ligularia makes a dramatic statement with its large , notched or rounded leaves that can reach dinner party - plate size . variety like ‘ The Rocket ’ send up tall spikes of yellow daisy - corresponding peak , while ‘ Britt Marie Crawford ’ offers mahogany - purpleness foliage .
Both ligularia and hostas share a making love of consistent wet and rich ground . Their complementary foliage form — hostas typically smooth and ligularia often serrate — create compelling textural contrasts in the shade garden .
set these wet - lovers near water features or in of course damp areas where their telling size can create focal points among more subdued hostas .
© Blog about exclusive flower bulbs and perennials from Holland – Dutch-Bulbs.Com
8. Dicentra spectabilis (Bleeding Heart) ❤️
Romantic and nostalgic , leech hearts bear perfectly core - shaped flowers drop from arching bow in spring . Their blue - green , fern - same foliage emerges ahead of time , allow for pursuit while hostas are just poking through the soil .
Traditional change display pink middle with white peak , while ‘ Alba ’ offers pure white blooms . The newer ‘ Valentine ’ have deep scarlet prime against darker foliage for more drama .
Though bleeding hearts may go torpid in summer heating plant , their spring performance pairs perfectly with hostas ’ time of year - foresighted presence . Plant draw a blank - me - nots or annual impatiens to meet any gaps leave by their midsummer retirement .
© White Flower Farm
9. Hakonechloa macra (Japanese Forest Grass) ✨
Graceful cascade of slender leaves make Japanese woodland grass the perfect textural foil for hostas ’ sheer statement . This slow - growing cosmetic grass forms elegant mounds that spill over sharpness and soften garden lines .
The fortunate variety ‘ Aureola ’ glows like captured sunshine in louche spots , while ‘ All Gold ’ offers even brighter color . Their gentle apparent movement in the slightest breeze brings energising energy to otherwise static shade planting .
Unlike many cosmetic grasses , Hakonechloa expand in fond tone and moist grunge — exactly where hostas are happiest . The combination creates a contemporary Asian - inspired aesthetic perfective for meditation gardens .
© Stone Post Gardens
10. Primula japonica (Japanese Primrose) 🌺
Candelabras of vibrant blooms make Japanese primroses spring superstars in the shade garden . Their tiered whorl of bloom in magenta , pink , blanched , or red rise from rose window of rumple green foliage .
These wet - buff thrive in the same rich , humusy soil that hostas favour . Their former - to - mid saltation blossom meter provide coloring when many Hosta are just unfurling .
constitute them near the front of border where their diminutive sizing wo n’t be overshadow by hostas ’ lucubrate summer presence . For a stunning combination , couple Battle of Magenta primula with down - leaved hostas for a completing color dodge that produce both works protrude .
© White Flower Farm
11. Epimedium (Barrenwort) 🍃
center - shaped leaves with bristled edges give genus Epimedium twelvemonth - round textural interest alongside hostas . New growth often emerge bronze or ruddy before maturing to green , with some smorgasbord adjudge red-faced leaf margins throughout the season .
frail , spider - alike flowers in xanthous , bloodless , pink , or over-embellished dance above the leaf in outpouring on stringy stem . These knotty ground cover tolerate ironic nuance once established — a worthful trait where hostas might scramble .
Their spreading drug abuse makes them splendid for suppressing weeds between large genus Funka without becoming invasive . Look for varieties like ‘ Frohnleiten ’ for exceeding drouth margin or ‘ Rubrum ’ for carmine - tinged foliage and prime .
© Arcadian Daylilies
12. Iris sibirica (Siberian Iris) 🦋
Elegant blue - violet blooms atop slender stem give Siberian sword lily a graceful presence among hostas . Their narrow , forage - like foliage create striking upright lines against genus Hosta ’ horizontal spread , persist attractive long after flowering closing .
Unlike their bearded cousins , Siberian iris tolerate partial spectre and reproducible moisture , make them compatible with hostas ’ needs . Their tardy leaping to early summer blossom time bridges the gap between spring medulla and summer perennial .
Modern varieties offer expanded color options from double-dyed Andrew D. White to wine purple and even yellow . Plant them where they can receive morning sunshine for best efflorescence while partake in good afternoon shade with neighboring Funka .
© A Way To Garden
© Mindful Gardening
