Hosta 'Pilgrim'

Hosta 'Pilgrim': Small Hosta, Big Creamy Edges

Small, heart-shaped grey-green leaves edged in yellow that fades to cream. This little hosta is proof you don't need to be big to steal the show at THE GARDEN PARTY.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Hosta 'Pilgrim'
• Common Name: Plantain Lily, Hosta
• Height: 20–25 cm (8–10 in)
• Spread: 55–60 cm (21–23 in)
• Flowers: Small, lavender, on stems above the leaves
• Bloom Time: Midsummer (July)
• Foliage: Heart-shaped, grey-green leaves with wide margins that shift from yellow to creamy white
• Features: Compact size

Where to Plant: Use it to edge a shady path, fill the front of a border, or plant a row along a north-facing walkway. It's small enough for a rock garden, a window box in the shade or a mixed container, and it shows off its margins best at the front of a bed.

Companion Plants: Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' arches to 60 cm behind this small hosta, with white bells in May and June. Astilbe 'Diamond' adds white plumes to 80 cm from June to August, a feathery contrast to the hosta's neat mound. Mertensia virginica brings blue flowers in April and May, before the hosta flowers in July. It's a crisp, cool combination for full shade to part sun.

Plant Care: Plant in part sun to full shade, in moist, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Morning sun is fine and helps the yellow margins stand out early in the season. Water regularly through its first summer and during dry spells after that. Deer and rabbits will eat hostas, so use a repellent or fencing if they visit. Small hostas sit close to the ground, so keep an eye out for slugs. Cut off the flower stems after bloom and clean up the foliage after a hard frost. Divide in spring if you want more plants for edging.

History: George Rasmussen and Alex Malloy of New York registered 'Pilgrim' in 1997, and the American Hosta Society lists it as a hybrid of Hosta 'Flamboyant'. It has become a popular choice wherever gardeners want variegation in a small space.

Final Thoughts: Compact, easy care and perfect for edging. Line a path with it and pretend it was a lot of work. YOUR SECRET IS SAFE.