There are over 70 different hosta species and many hundreds of varieties, and with one or two exceptions, they grow very well in British gardens as they are best suited to a temperate climate with a high rainfall. Whilst the foliage is much more luxuriant when grown in semi-shade and moist conditions, their water-retaining root system enables them to withstand drought and strong sunlight. Some of the gold leafed varieties will tend to scorch if grown in direct sunlight but others with gold leaves actually need sunlight in order to achieve the best colouring.

Hostas will grow in virtually any good soil but do best in neutral to acid loam, treated with humus and well mulched with leaf mould every autumn. To attain the most spectacular foliage effects a regular foliar feed throughout the growing season is recommended. Hostas should be planted with their roots teased gently apart and spread over a mound of earth and the hole filled in with compost and leaf mould Newly planted Hostas should be carefully watered with a fine spray every day for at least two weeks; the best time for planting being early spring just as the tips of the crowns are showing.

Hostas are easily increased by division of the clump in early spring but ideally new plants should be left undisturbed for about 5 years. Hostas can be grown from seed, but as the male parent is often unknown, the naming of the resulting seedlings is unreliable. For this reason, vegetative propagation is always advised for true offspring of the parent.

Hostas are not prone to many diseases, their worst enemies are slugs and snails which proliferate in dark corners, shady areas and moist soil conditions. There are many proprietary brands of slug and snail repellent on the market and a watchful eye should be kept on emerging plants as damaged 1eaves will ruin the appearance of the plant for the whole growing season.

Information supplied by the British Hosta And Hemerocalis Society

For the Mini Hostas they require additional care if pot growing then use a John Innes based compost No3 mixed 50:50 compost:horticultural grit make sure not to use too big a container when re potting your "minis". You can plant more than one hosta in an apline trough allowing at least 4-5 inches between each plant depending on growth rate of hostas chosen. If in doubt please feel free to email me for advice.

Growing hostas from seed can be real fun to bring on your own unique plant as every seedling will be different.
Before starting be sure to use well sterilised seed trays make sure the container is dry before filling with a good seed compost use fresh seed compost or make your own. To each 10 litres of peat add one teaspoon of phostogen powder fertiliser then add 1 litre of fine vermiculite and mix well add water to make the mix moist lift a handfull of compost in your hand and squeeze no water should come out. Overfill the seed tray, tap the tray once on the bench to settle the compost, then take a piece of flat timber on its side and with a sawing action across the tray level the compost of. Use a flat piece of timber and firm the compost down level gently. Sow the hosta seed evenly over the tray and sieve some peat over the seed just enough to cover the seed. Water the tray in with luke warm water using a fine rose on your watering can. Place the seed tray cover over the tray or use newspaper. This will help keep the heat in the compost. The seeds need 20 degrees celsius to germinate and 10 degrees c. at night air temperature. After two weeks the seeds will start to germinate remove the newspaper and water well each day during warm spells. Prick out your seedlings into 7cm pots and grow on using a half strength potting compost. Hosta seeds are best sown from March to mid July but you can winter sow and provide extra light by fluorescent lamps at a height of 1 metre over the seedlings for 16 hours per day.
Hosta seed is available by request at £1.65 for 20 seeds to UK £2.00 to Europe and £2.50 to USA prices include postage. Email

Hostas in particular suffer greatly from attacks by slugs and snails; hemerocallis (daylilies) are less susceptible, but can still be damaged. Consequently many methods have been devised to prevent or minimise such damage. There is no one guaranteed method, but most have something to offer. They fall into several categories.

Garden Husbandry Slugs and snails love to shelter in untidy corners, and under stones, flowerpots, etc. Keep such hiding-places to a minimum; alternatively, check them regularly and destroy any slugs and snails you find there. They usually venture forth at night, so go round the garden with a torch, and pick off and kill any that you find; check the undersides of plants especially.

Natural Predators Thrushes love to eat snails, so encourage them by providing shelter, nesting places and food. Make sure also that there are hard flat surfaces on which the thrushes can break the snail shells. Discourage cats, as these will scare away the birds. Frogs and toads will eat slugs, and a pond (however small) will encourage these amphibians to take up residence. Hedgehogs also eat slugs, so encourage them by putting out food such as dog or cat food (but bear in mind that this might also attract dogs, cats and foxes). Hens, ducks and geese will eat slugs; unfortunately they sometimes eat everything else in the garden, and are noisy ? not ideal for the small urban garden!

Physical Deterrents Slugs and snails do not like crawling over rough, sharp surfaces, or over material that clings tenaciously to the slime on their foot. Such material as gravel, coarse sand, clinker, soot, chipped bark, crushed eggshells, hair-clippings from the barber's and cocoa-shell mulch have all been recommended; they seem to work for some people but not for others. You can put sections of plastic bottles round young plants, and use longer strips of plastic or metal (copper and aluminium seem particularly effective), wire mesh or plywood around larger plants. Some people use thorny twigs such as pyracantha or berberis, or holly leaves, but these are potentially painful barriers. Putting hostas in pots also deters slugs and snails, especially if the pots are placed well away from places where the beasts congregate; it helps if you smear vaseline around the tops of the pots.

Chemical Attack Most commercial slug and snail killers are based on metaldehyde, which, contrary to popular belief, is not very toxic to other species; Gardening from Which? reported in August 1988 that a hedgehog would have to eat 2000 slugs poisoned with metaldehyde in one night to be killed. The blue colour of the pellets is also claimed to deter birds from eating them. If you are still worried, then there are slug-pellet containers that children and animals cannot reach into, or you can use a liquid formulation. Liquids penetrate to slugs underground, but they are shorterlasting than the pellets. A number of products contain aluminium sulphate, and these are usually claimed to be harmless to other species; however, aluminium sulphate does not seem to be quite so effective as metaldehyde. A third chemical, methiocarb, is, according to Gardening from Which? (August 1988), " a more effective slug killer than metaldehyde, but it is also more poisonous to pets and wildlife ". Alcohol must be included in the list of chemicals; a saucer of beer placed in the garden will cause slugs to become intoxicated and drown. However, milk seems to work as well! There are one or two new products on the market which work by absorbing the molluscs' slime; one such is Snail-Ban, an Australian product based on kaolinite and opal, and another is Molbar: yet another is Sluggo, which is claimed to work by stopping the molluscs from feeding, and is based on iron phosphate. Other chemicals that can be used are salt (sprinkled on the ground or directly on the slugs) ammonia (a 1 in 4 dilution of household ammonia sprayed on the plants or directly on the slugs), vinegar (diluted 1:1 and sprayed on) and potassium permanganate (1 teaspoonful per gallon, watered on). Some plant-based deterrents that are claimed to work are: a hot pepper spray (blend hot chilli peppers with water and a few drops of washing-up liquid), interplanting with prostrate rosemary or Artemesia absinthium, and spreading powdered ginger or short lengths of fresh-cut fennel or hyssop. Extracts of Phytolacca americana, garlic and ragwort are also believed to have a deterrent effect. Very recently, ground-up horse-chestnuts have been claimed to deter slugs effectively.

Nematodes Biological control is increasing in popularity, and one company (Defenders) markets nematodes which are claimed to be effective against slugs and young snails. They have to be ordered by post (you should be able to pick up an order form at garden centres) as they have a limited shelf-life. They are watered on, and should last for at least six weeks. They are expensive, but are reported to work well, especially in warm, moist weather.

Slug- and Snail-Resistant Hostas Hostas with thicker, more leathery leaves tend to suffer less slug and snail damage. One British hosta nursery's catalogue lists 20 less susceptible hostas. Diana Grenfell in her book Hosta: The Flowering Foliage Plant (Batsford 1990) lists both vulnerable and resistant hostas, and Sandra Bond in her book Hostas (Ward Lock 1992) also has an extensive list of hostas least damaged by slugs and snails. There is even a hosta called Silvery Slugproof!

Information supplied by the British Hosta And Hemerocalis Society

There are about 30 hemerocallis species, and about 40,000 registered cultivars! Hemerocallis is fortunately extremely accommodating and will perform satisfactorily under almost all conditions. Preferring well drained, well mulched and sunny positions, it will tolerate extreme damp to very dry sandy soil, but flowers more prolifically the better the tilth. Day-lilies flower best in full sun, preferably six hours a day for the paler shades, less for the darker reds and purples. Day-lilies should be planted on a well-drained site near water, in a raised bed rather than allowing plants to stand actually in water. They prefer well dug soil with a pH of neutral or slightly above average. They should not be planted too close to the roots of broad-leafed or evergreen trees, but they can provide a fine sight in grass around the bole of a tree if planted about 12-18 inches away.

Hemerocallis should be planted in spring or autumn, but container grown plants may be moved at any time. Periods of drought should of course be avoided. Although extremely tolerant of abuse, day-lilies respond much better to careful treatment. However, if they do become dried out, soak well before planting. They require a hole larger than the root mass with compost worked in before planting. The band of white on the foliage is the indicator for depth as this should be just on the surface. Firm in, but avoid treading as it is easy to damage the roots.

Day-lilies should be mulched well with peat or bracken compost in spring but over feeding is to be avoided as this is conducive to large quantities of foliage and less flower. Do not fertilise until after the plant is established. When fertilising, try to avoid high nitrogen mixtures. If the foliage turns yellow this can be an indication that too much nitrogen has been applied.

Only very few pests and diseases trouble the Hemerocallis, slugs and snails being the major hazard. Sometimes aphids can cause failure of the flower buds to open and plants grown indoors can be affected by red spider. Daylilies are not troubled by lily beetle or any other problems of bulbous lilies.

Hemerocallis are ideal in the herbaceous border, the smaller stemmed varieties which are becoming more popular are also excellent grown around patios or used as edging. Mass planting along streams can be very impressive and many owners of small gardens are growing them in tubs and containers on terraces. They will in fact grow almost anywhere except in deep shade Companion planting is a matter for personal taste although underplanting with daffodils is particularly effective If you want to find out more about Hostas and Hemerocallis join the British Hosta and Hemerocallis Society. The annual subscription is £15, Please make enquiries to BHHS Membership Secretary, Chapelmere, Rodley, Westbury-on-Severn, GL14 1QZ.

Information supplied by the British Hosta And Hemerocalis Society

Flax - A native of New Zealand, the Maoris have used it for centuries for rope, baskets and clothing. It was also the basis of a substantial linen industry in the early 1900's. New and exciting hybrids are extending the colour range from green / yellow through bronze to pink, red and white combinations.

About twenty hybrid forms are currently grown within New Zealand, with the nectar filled flowers produced by some varieties being an important source of food for New Zealand native birds such as the Tui.

It is now highly prized by floral designers for its versatility in arrangements. Its form can be changed from whole to ribbons and slits. Very long lasting; stem lengths up to 120 cm.

Store in buckets of fresh clean water to maintain flexibility for floral work.

Potting: These plants can only be grown outdoors where winters are mild; otherwise, they may be grown in containers and brought in during the winter months. When growing outdoors, they need deep, fertile, humus-rich, moist soil and a warm, sheltered, sunny location. Provide dry winter mulch if the winters get too cool. When cultivating in containers, they should be planted in two-thirds loam and one-third peat moss and decayed manure, with a bit of horticultural grit added. Rooted pieces should be placed in 8-inch pots in the spring, just before the plants begin growing. Keep them in a frost-free greenhouse or frame and when they are well rooted in these pots, transfer them to larger pots or tubs. They may be set outside during the summer and brought in before frost. They need plenty of water during the summer.

Propagation: These plants may be divided in the spring. It would be beneficial to plant the rooted pieces in large containers of loamy soil and keep them in a cold frame for a few weeks before planting them outdoors. Seeds may also be sown in sandy, peaty soil in a temperature of 60 degrees in January or February. They will grow to a decent size the first year.

Please open your parcel right away and soak the roots in water for at least 15 mins. then depending on plant either pot into a suitable sized container or straight into the ground. You can pot plants right away all year round to help build up the root system again and then plant out when the soil and weather conditions allow. A good general multi-purpose compost is fine provided you add at least 10 to 20% sharp grit. This helps the drainage and keeps the container from getting blown over. When planting into the ground prepare your soil well in advance by forking it over to get plenty air into the soil. Add a good helping of leaf mould, garden compost or a general fertiliser and mix it in well and let it settle for at least two weeks before planting. Then when planting just scrape back a hole in the ground enough to cover the roots and firm in gently. It is a good idea to leave a small indent in the soil around the plant to act as a well to hold the water so as it gets to the plants roots right away and does not run over the soil. Water in well for the first two to three days even if it is raining to give the plant the best chance. Depending on weather conditions then water at least once a week with a dilute feed during active growth (late Spring to Mid Summer) this will help your plant get established better.

All of our plants are posted out bare root, however we can post them in their containers if you wish but it costs more to do this. The plant roots are wrapped in plastic bags and then the whole root and foliage wrapped in newspaper for extra protection and insulation in transit. The packages are then boxed or rolled depending on size of plants. The box has your address in an envelope with the Invoice in it for your receipt. I use a large first class sticker to ensure packages are treated with priority. The following photos shows you the different stages.