I am always on the lookout for perennials that are able to withstand summertime heat and humidity and still look great as the growing season wanes. This year one of the late-season standouts is hosta ‘Dick Ward’. Despite the drought this summer, coupled with neglectful watering, it remains attractive well into October.
Above. Hosta ‘Dick Ward’ in the third week of October. The clump is about 19 inches tall and 25 inches wide.
While the foliage color is certainly fading, and there are a couple of browned-out leaf edges, all-in-all ‘Dick Ward’ remains quite attractive. Earlier in the season, the leaves were bright green with darker green margins.
A sport of ‘Zounds’, ‘Dick Ward’ has handsomely corrugated leaves with a thick texture that makes this cultivar slug resistant. For readers who are wondering, I don’t do anything to control slugs in the garden. Welcoming Wildlife summarizes my approach. I have a large population of resident toads, frogs, beneficial insects, and other creatures that keep them well controlled for me.
Above: ‘Dick Ward’, on the right side of the path, earlier in the season exhibiting bright green leaves with darker margins. On the left, the chartreuse-leaved hosta is ‘Inniswood’. Next to it, with purple flowers, is Hosta ventricosa ‘Variegata’, a handsome, hard-to-find cultivar that I think should be grown more widely.
I don’t know if planting location contributes to how well ‘Dick Ward’ has lasted this season. Once I have a clump that is large enough I may divide it to see if it performs as well elsewhere in the garden. In the meantime, I am simply enjoying all it contributes to the October garden.
Above: ‘Dick Ward’ neighbors ‘Inniswood’ and H. ventricosa ‘Variegata’, directly across the path, look more like most hostas do toward the end of the season.
Barbara – thanks for introducing me to hostas so many years ago and for giving me the divided clumps from your garden to get me started. I continue to divide and share them, to keep it going. They aren’t dog-proof, unfortunately, and a rambunctious Labrador streaking around the yard after a squirrel can wreak havoc. But, the hostas come back and keep trying. Happy Fall!
joel
Hi Joel! I still have lots of my old favorites, plus I’ve added some new ones, like ‘Dick Ward’. Mine are in the front yard, mostly away from where the dogs roam, thankfully! Barbara
Barbara – Thanks for the sharing about your Dick Ward hosta! I can’t read this article without remembering fondly, the “garden in a car” you and Pete gave us as a housewarming back in the mid-90’s. You fully seeded a huge shade garden which was stunning and thoroughly enjoyed! The garden became a real beauty, one which was hard to leave when we began our trek West.
Bill!
Digging and then planting your “garden in a car” was such fun! I guess this last round of my plants to you guys could be termed “garden in a carry-on.” I hope all the transplants are doing well!
Barbara
Really attractive
Thanks Lynn!
Barbara
Having an opportunity to practice native gardening on the new homesite (although much of the front of the property is overrun with English Ivy, non-native honeysuckle and other stuff that I am beating back a year at a time) I haven’t wanted to plant the logical hostas in this shaded woodland setting. BUT, I admit to having snuck some on to the porches planted in containers, and they have overwintered beautifully. So if you wonder if you can container-plant hostas as perennials, the answer is YES!
Pat. Thanks for commenting! I have container-grown hostas as well, and have really enjoyed them. I have a couple alone, but also have combined them with heucheras and sedges. Barbara
I’ve been trying some hostas but fight a content battle with the deer. This year I finally won and they had a good show. Thanks.
Thanks Stephen! I keep my hostas up close to the house, which works for me since our dogs help keep them away from the garden for the most part. They are worth fighting for!
Barbara