How to Pair Hydrangeas & Hostas
The growing requirements of hydrangeas and hostas are similar enough that the plants may be paired and grown as companions in the flower garden. Both plants originate in the temperate regions of China, Japan and Korea. Hydrangea plants bloom with showy flowers starting in the early spring. They continue to produce flowers until late autumn. Hydrangeas are grown for their ornamental leaves and flower in the summer. With advance planning, the tall, shrublike hydrangea and the smaller, shorter hosta plant can be grown in a harmonious arrangement. Hydrangeas are the center of attention, with the hostas providing a foliage accent. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Flower catalogs
- Hydrangea plants
- Hosta plants
- Lime
- Aluminum sulfate
- Compost
- Manure
- Grass clippings
- Shovel
- Water
- Pruning shears
Instructions
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Visit a plant nursery or greenhouse to see which species and cultivars of hydrangea and hosta are available. Check flower catalogs and Internet flower vendors. Research the physical dimensions and colors of the plants so you can coordinate your planting by color and size. Plan your flower garden to accommodate the much larger hydrangea planted alonside its shorter hosta companion.
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Prepare a garden plot with hydrangeas in the center, surrounded by the hostas. Plant the shorter hostas in the foreground of the arrangement so they'll fill in the space below the hydrangea blooms. Border your garden by planting a row of hydrangeas flanked by a row of hostas on either side. Allow plenty of room between plants, as both have wide lateral growth patterns.
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Coordinate the colors of the hydrangea-hosta pairing. Most hydrangeas are a shade of pink, blue or white. Encourage bright pink blooms by conditioning the soil. Raise the pH level to 6.2 by adding lime to the soil throughout the growing season. Add aluminum sulfate for intense blue blooms. Mix one-half ounce of aluminum sulfate with a gallon of water and apply all season. Pair a blue hydrangea with blue-leaved hostas for a harmonious effect. Use hostas with solid-color or yellow variegated leaves.
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Pick well-drained soil that receives ample morning sun and some afternoon shade. Add compost, manure, grass clippings or other organic material to a heavy soil, such as clay. Use a shovel to dig holes for the plants. Allow plenty of room around the rootball for backfill. Remove the plants from their pots and spread the roots if they are root-bound.
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Place the rootball on solid ground at the bottom of the hole. Fill the hole so the plant stem is at the same level it was in the pot. Tamp the soil down around the plants until it's firm. Water the dirt around the root zones to collapse air pockets. Mulch around the plants. Prune the lower hydrangea branches with pruning shears through the season to prevent overgrowing the hostas.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid full shade or full sun for hostas and hydrangeas.
Do not raise the pH above 6.4 for hydrangeas.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
