Hosta 'Golden Tiara'

Hosta 'Golden Tiara': A Crown of Colour for the Shade

Charming and cheerful, Hosta 'Golden Tiara' forms a compact, fast-growing mound of heart-shaped leaves with golden margins and rich green centres. This tidy hosta is prized for its reliable variegation, vigorous habit, and ability to brighten even the smallest shaded corners. In midsummer, dainty lavender flowers appear just above the foliage, adding a light, airy touch to its golden crown.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 25–30 cm
• Spread: 50–60 cm, forming a dense, low mound
• Flower Colour: Lavender
• Flowering Period: Midsummer
• Foliage: Small, rounded green leaves with bright golden margins; smooth and lightly cupped
• Sunlight Requirements: Partial shade to dappled sun
• Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil

Uses and Benefits: Hosta 'Golden Tiara' is a versatile edging plant that adds vivid contrast to shady pathways, containers, and woodland plantings. Its compact size makes it perfect for small gardens or massed in larger borders for a ribbon of golden colour. Easy to grow and quick to establish, it’s an excellent choice for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike looking to brighten the lower layer of their shade garden.

Companion Plants: Pair Hosta 'Golden Tiara' with Heuchera 'Wildberry', whose deeply ruffled, purple-toned leaves provide striking contrast and year-round interest. Add Dryopteris 'Golden Scaled Fern' for a touch of texture and a nod to the hosta’s golden edges. Introduce movement and soft structure with Sesleria 'Blue-Green Moor Grass', a compact ornamental grass that echoes the hosta’s form while offering cool, fine-textured foliage.

Care Instructions: Plant in partial shade with moist, well-drained soil. Morning sun can enhance colour, but protect from strong afternoon light. Water regularly during dry periods and remove old foliage in spring. Divide every 3–4 years to maintain density and rejuvenate the clump.

History: Hosta 'Golden Tiara' was introduced by Paul Aden in the 1970s and became one of the first small hostas with golden variegation. Its compact habit, vigour, and bright colouring made it a favourite for edging and mass planting—setting the standard for modern miniature hostas.

Final Thoughts: Delightfully bright and reliably easy, Hosta 'Golden Tiara' wears its golden trim with cheerful confidence. A small hosta with big impact, it brings timeless charm and a splash of sunshine to the quietest corners of the shade garden.