Lily of the valley and hostas are two classic shade loving plants that pair beautifully together. With some planning, these perennials can be combined to create an enchanting woodland garden vignette.
An Overview of Lily of the Valley
Lily of the valley, or Convallaria majalis, is a perennial flowering plant with bright green leaves that looks like a carpet. It blooms in the spring. It has pretty white bell-shaped flowers that nod in the spring on straight stems. The flowers smell lovely and sweet. The flowers appear above the foliage.
Underground rhizomes make it easy for this plant to spread, and it grows in thick, happy colonies. When fully grown, plants are between 6 and 12 inches tall and wide. If you want lily of the valley to grow well, put it in a woodland garden where it will get some shade and lots of organic matter.
Growing Conditions for Lily of the Valley
When selecting a site to plant lily of the valley, look for the following characteristics
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Part to full shade – Dappled sunlight or morning sun is tolerated but avoid hot afternoon sun.
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Organic, humusy soil – Loamy soil amended with compost or leaf mold is ideal
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Consistent moisture – Likes evenly moist, well-drained soil. Not suited for dry areas.
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Cool conditions – Performs best in zones 2-7. Tolerates partial shade further south.
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Neutral pH – Does well in acid to neutral soil that’s not overly alkaline.
Lily of the valley won’t thrive in very dense shade, hot climates, or soggy wet areas. Proper site selection is key to success.
The Best Hostas for Shade Gardens
Hostas are beloved shade tolerant perennials that are grown primarily for their attractive foliage. There are hundreds of hosta varieties to choose from in a wide range of sizes, leaf colors, and textures. Here are some top picks for woodland gardens:
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Hosta ‘Blue Angel’ – Massive blue leaves up to 18 inches long. Stunning specimen plant.
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Hosta ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ – Heavily textured, medium green leaves with fragrant white flowers.
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Hosta ‘Patriot’ – White-edged leaves with vibrant green centers. Adds bold contrast.
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Hosta ‘Stained Glass’ – Bright gold leaves with wide, dark green edges.
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Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’ – Huge chartreuse leaves make a big impact. Tolerates some sun.
For the most choices, look for small and miniature hosta cultivars under 1 foot tall. They will combine the best with lily of the valley.
Companion Planting Lily of the Valley and Hostas
Planting lily of the valley and hostas together in the right way makes them look great together:
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Plant hostas first, spacing them 18-36 inches apart depending on mature size. They will act as anchor plants.
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Place lily of the valley 8 to 12 inches apart between and around the hostas.
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Allow 2-3 years for the lily of the valley to establish and fill out the area thickly between hostas.
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Use taller hostas toward the back and shorter, miniature varieties near the front.
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Underplant both with shade tolerant groundcovers like ajuga, sweet woodruff, or lamium.
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For 3 seasons of interest, add spring bulbs like snowdrops or winter aconite.
Caring for Lily of the Valley and Hostas
Once established, both lily of the valley and hostas have relatively easy care needs:
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Water regularly during the first year as plants establish. Afterward, weekly watering is sufficient unless soils are very sandy.
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Apply a balanced organic fertilizer to hostas in early spring. Lily of the valley benefits from occasional light feeding.
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Remove spent hosta flower stems and lily of the valley flower stalks after blooming finishes.
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Hostas may require division every 3-5 years if they outgrow their space in the garden.
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Monitor for slugs and snails. Use organic bait if pests become problematic.
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Add a fresh layer of organic mulch around plants each spring.
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Cut back lily of the valley foliage in fall once it dies back. Leave hosta leaves over winter to insulate crowns.
The Appeal of This Classic Shade Garden Combo
Pairing sweetly-scented lily of the valley with diverse hostas makes for an unbeatable shade garden duo. Both spread readily when content, covering the ground attractively beneath trees and shrubs where little else thrives. The white blooms of lily of the valley appear like drifts of snow under the bold foliage of hostas.
This traditional woodland garden combination has been loved for generations thanks to the neat mounding habit of hostas contrasting wonderfully with lily of the valley’s flowing carpet-like form. Together they provide varied textures, colors, and fragrances sure to enchant any shade garden.
Perfect in the shade, as ground cover and in pots
Hosta is a great plant for shade beds, under trees, along paths or as ground cover. As hosta grows, it spreads out in the bed. This keeps weeds away and helps the bed stay moist for longer.
Many people ask us if they can plant hosta in outdoor pots, and you absolutely can. Filling outdoor pots with perennials is something more and more people swear by. Choose a large pot, fill it with good soil and plant away. The plant will die back in the fall, just like in the bed, but will come back in the spring.
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Hosta can be planted from early spring to late autumn. They establish quickly but grow relatively slowly. If you want a lush bed in a short time, you can plant quite densely. When the plants grow, you can divide them.
Most types of hosta do best in partial shade to full shade. The types of leaves that are green do best in the shade, while the types that have yellow or white edges do better in the sun. Many of the bluish, yellow, and thick-leaved varieties also do well in full sun. Hosta is generally quite adaptable to sun conditions.
Hosta likes moist, well-drained soil. They thrive in soil that is rich in organic matter, so feel free to mix in some cow manure compost when planting. But when it comes to soil, hosta can also adapt to a great extent.
Care tips for hosta
There are only a few simple tricks needed to keep a hosta looking good for a long time.
- Watering Hosta prefers even moisture. Water the plant regularly, especially during dry periods. It can get root rot if it stands in water for too long.
- Fertilization Hosta needs nutrition to grow big and beautiful. Feed the plant in early spring and, if possible, again in the summer. Like, you can use compost made from cow manure, regular garden fertilizer, or Trim Blue. On top of that, you can add new soil to the plant every spring.
- Pruning Hosta requires minimal pruning. After flowering, the flower stalks can be cut off. You can leave the wilted leaves on the plant in the fall to protect it from the cold. In the early spring, cut off all the old and dead leaves. But if it’s clear that fungus is attacking the leaves in the fall, you should take them off before winter.
- Slugs and other pests: Slugs, including brown slugs, are the worst thing that can happen to hostas. Snake spray, snail traps, or copper tape around the plant will keep them away. Keep the area around the plant clean to reduce infestation.
You can split a hosta plant to get more plants, keep it from getting too big for its pot, or just to give it a new look; the plants get dense when they’re split. If you want to divide plants for the first time, you should wait until they are 4 to 5 years old. It is best to do this in early spring, before the leaves appear, but the plant can also be divided in autumn.
- Dig up the plant. Hosta has strong roots, so don’t be afraid to hit it hard. The plant will be fine even if some leaves and roots get hurt.
- Use a sharp spade or knife to cut the root ball into two parts. Make sure that each piece has enough roots to live on its own.
- Put the pieces where you want them, but make sure they will do well there.
- Make sure to water the plants well, and keep doing so as they get established.
If you are going to plant hosta with other plants in a bed that is in shade to partial shade, it is important to choose plants that thrive in the same light and moisture conditions. Here are some suggestions:
- Astilbe needs shade to some shade and likes soil that is damp. The flowers provide a nice contrast to the hostas foliage.
- Heuchera, also known as “Alumroot,” comes in many colors and can look good next to hosta. Thrives in shade to partial shade.
- Ferns do well in shady spots and add a nice texture to the hosta.
- The forget-me-not plant, or Brunnera macrophylla, has pretty leaves and small blue flowers that make the shade more pleasant.
- Foamflower (Tiarella) Has beautiful leaves and white to pink flowers. Thrives in moist, shady soil.
- Sedge (Carex) is a decorative grass that goes well with big hosta leaves because it has a different texture.
Although hosta is primarily grown for its decorative foliage, young shoots of hosta can actually be eaten. In Japan, there is a long tradition of collecting “sansai” (mountain vegetables), including hosta. All types of hosta can be eaten, but there is a great deal of variation in taste. Hosta grandiflora is said to be one of the most used and tasty varieties.
If you want to try hosta in food, spring is the time to be ready. When the shoots come up from the ground, like pointed, green spears, you can cut them down and prepare them, as if they were asparagus (the shoots actually look a bit like asparagus too). Make sure you only cut off a few shoots from each plant, so that they grow big and nice in the bed too.
Best Plants for Shaded Areas in the garden | Shade loving plants & flowers for Home Garden
FAQ
Can hostas and lily of the valley be planted together?
Plant it with ferns, hostas, or variegated Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum ‘Variegatum’), which will hide lily-of-the-valley’s foliage if it begins to turn drab later in the season.
Do lily of the valley choke out other plants?
Lily of the valley is a shade-loving groundcover with a dense root system. As the plants grow, the roots spread and will eventually crowd out weeds and most other nearby plants.
What not to plant near hostas?
Plants NOT to Plant With HostasBlack Walnut Trees. Aggressive Ground Covers like English Ivy. Bamboo. Shallow-Rooted Trees (Maples, Birches) . Large Ornamental Grasses. Plants That Require Dry Soil (Lavender, Rosemary)Full-Sun Perennials (Echinacea, Rudbeckia) . Thirsty Shrubs (Hydrangeas).
What pairs well with lily of the valley?
… in floral fragrances, lily-of the-valley blends well with woody notes like sandalwood, patchouli, and vetiver as well as green notes such as herbs and foliageSep 28, 2020.