Orange is one of the most exciting and possibly the most challenging colors in the garden. It calls out for a color companion to show itself off. Orange flowers with red or white is pretty, but imagine orange poppies with purple salvia and or blue cornflowers and you have drama and energy. Orange and pink is a vibrant combination, ideal for lighting up a shaded area when matched with the softening effect of green foliage.
This year with purple as my 'main' color, orange was always nearby to provide contrast. My favorite side-by-side companions were orange California poppies and Lavendula stoechas 'James Compton' and on the other side of my deck, stunning orange canna 'Wyoming' surrounded by a cloud of Caryopteris x clandonensis.
If you find your container garden lacks sparkle, find an orange flower suitable for your growing conditions and you'll be sure to have the effect you'll be pleased with.
Orange flowers for light shade or sun:
- Alstromoemeria aurea, Peruvian lily
- Hedychium coccineum, Ginger lily
- Tropaeolum majus, Nasturtium
- Calendula officinalis, Pot marigold
- Crocosimia x crocosmiiflora 'Solfatare', Montbretia
Sun-loving orange:
- Canna 'Wyoming'
- Kniphofia uvaria 'Nobilis', Red hot poker
- Tithonia rotundifolia 'Torch', Mexican sunflower
- Dahlia 'David Howard'
- Osteospermum hyoseroides
A Host of Hostas
Hostas can turn any shady location into a gardener's paradise.
Hostas are extremely popular, hardy herbaceous perennials grown primarily for their beautiful foliage. They are easy to grow, shade-tolerant plants. Leaves come in a wide range of shapes, colors, sizes, and textures and may be solid in color or variegated in different combinations of blue, green, white, and gold. Hostas are hardy in growing zones three through ten. The plants tend to grow larger and produce more intense, bluer, and greener coloration in colder climates.
The miniature Hosta 'Baby Bunting' grows to only a few inches in diameter, while other cultivars reach eight feet wide and even larger. Hosta 'Blue Angel' and 'Sum and Substance' are examples of very large plants that need to be given ample room to grow. Hostas can create a stunning display for many years when grown in large garden planters.
All hostas bloom in summer with spikes of lavender to white, lily-like flowers, which can be quite showy. New cultivars of hosta plants are also being bred to produce larger and even more attractive flowers. Some newer plants may have 50-75 blooms on each flower scape. All fragrant hosta flowers are hybridized from Hosta plantaginea, which has 6-inch long, beautiful, white fragrant flowers.
Hostas originally came from Japan, China, and Korea. They were first introduced to Europe in the late 1700s and came to the United States in the mid 1800s.
What Conditions Do Hostas Need . . . . . .
Soils that retain both air and mosture are ideal for Hostas. You can work in organic matter such as peat moss, manure or compost with the soil before planting. A shady or partially shady location such as an exposure with morning sun and afternoon shade will reward you with the best results. Each variety of Hosta may have a slightly different light requirement, so you can plant them in almost any light situation. Blues prefer more shade, golds including Francee, August Moon, Birchwood Parky's Gold, and Undlata Albomarginata wilol tolerate some sun. Paul's Glory will tolerate sun better. Fragrant hostas grow best with 5–6 hours of daily sun. Hostas do like water in the hot summer months.
Avoid saturating the soil to the point where it appears to be wet. (no standing water) Clay-type soil will work fine as long as the soil is not allowed to dry out. Fertilize once in the spring and again in the fall. It should be noted that most long-time hosta growers agree that adding fertilizer to soil is not that important.
Buying Hostas . . . . . .
You may get Hosta plants as bare root plants that are dormant from nurseries, or in container pots while they are growing, or as crowns and roots that have been seperated from your friend's garden stock. Planting from the container pots is the easiest since you simply take the entire root mass and plant it so that the clump is level with the ground. For bare root plants, the hole is shallow and the roots are like an octopus. You spread them flat to the ground and make sure the center crown is just below the ground surface. When you have seperated some stock from your friend's garden, just dig the hole and make sure the leaves are above the ground. Water it well.
Growing Hostas from Seed . . . . . .
Hosta seed pods can be gathered in the fall. They will not be killed by frost. Once you have taken the seeds from the pods, mix them with a little dampened peat moss and put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for three months. At the end of that time you can plant them in flats and cover the seeds with about 1/8 to 1/4 inches of soil. They germinate at about 70 degrees in a couple of weeks. You will not get Hybrid Hostas from the seed, but it is fun to grow them. Once the plants are set out it seems to take about five years for them to reach their growth height and width.
Pest Control . . . . . .
The pests that seem to go after the hostas are the slugs and snails. Since they feed mostly at night they usually escape your eye until you see the holes chewed in the leaves. I use a regular slug and snail bait that you just sprinkle around the base of the plant. Other people have luck with beer in caps. You can purchase slug and snail bait at most garden stores. Be careful to purchase pet-safe products if you have pets.
Companion Plants . . . . . .
Companion plants enhance the appearance of a planting of hostas. Early blooming bulbs and perennials are especially nice with emerging hosta leaves. Spring bulb foliage can be hidden after blooming by the larger hosta leaves. Recommended companions include snowdrops, crocus, tulips, daffodils, trillium, anemones, and forget-me-nots. Ferns, hellebores, pulmonarias, and wild gingers are also nice companion plants. In summer months, bright annuals such as impatiens, begonia, and coleus make attractive companion plants.
Welcome to the Fall edition of Seasons. 
election of fall flowering plants will thrive in many parts of the country at least until the first hard frost, and perhaps longer if you live in a temperate area. By planting now, you give these late bloomers a couple of months to establish themselves before the days shorten and winter chill sets in.
