Hosta 'Lakeside Paisley Print'

Hosta 'Lakeside Paisley Print': Paisley Swirls You'll Want at Eye Level

Rippled, heart-shaped leaves with dark green edges and a skinny creamy centre, like a vintage scarf your aunt swore was coming back in style. 'Lakeside Paisley Print' PROVES SHE WAS RIGHT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Hosta 'Lakeside Paisley Print'
• Common Name: Plantain Lily, Hosta
• Height: 20–25 cm (8–10 in)
• Spread: 45–50 cm (18–20 in)
• Flowers: Pale lavender bells on slender scapes
• Bloom Time: Midsummer (July to August)
• Foliage: Thick, heart-shaped, rippled leaves with dark green margins and a narrow creamy white centre
• Features: Compact, 2019 Hosta of the Year

Where to Plant: Its size suits the front of a shade border, path edges, small beds and containers. Plant three or five in a row for a crisp edging, or give one a spot at eye level or along a walkway where its markings can be seen up close.

Companion Plants: This small hosta looks best with height behind it, and Cimicifuga 'Atropurpurea' delivers, with white spires up to 180 cm from August to October. Pulmonaria 'Raspberry Splash' sits beside it at 30 to 35 cm, with pink flowers in April and May before the hosta blooms. Asarum europaeum forms a low, glossy groundcover at 10 to 15 cm that fills gaps without competing. It's a tidy shade grouping with something in flower from spring to fall.

Plant Care: Plant in part sun to full shade, in moist, fertile, well-drained soil with plenty of compost. Water regularly in the first season and during dry spells. A bit of morning sun is fine; afternoon sun can burn the cream centres. Remove the flower stems after bloom if you prefer a tidy look, and clear the leaves after a hard frost. Divide in spring if the clump gets crowded. Deer and rabbits like hostas, so protect it if they visit.

History: Mary Chastain of Lakeside Acres in Tennessee hybridized 'Lakeside Paisley Print' from a cross of two unnamed seedlings and registered it in 2006. The American Hosta Growers Association named it Hosta of the Year for 2019, an award meant to highlight hostas that grow well across a wide range of gardens.

Final Thoughts: Compact enough for a pot on the step, easy enough for anybody. RETRO NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD.