Hosta times are here again!

I absolutely adore hostas. I think most people with an interest in plants have a particular fondness for one or two types and hostas are mine. I'm just popping out to deal with some slugs, I'll be right back...

OK, that's done, here are some of the very early shoots emerging:

This looks like a gourmet feast to a slug so they just have to be discouraged and unfortunately there is no nice way of doing that. Rabbits take the same view, which is why they're strictly limited to the front garden, which is a rabbit-free zone (barring someone leaving the gate open, that is).

At last count I had 18 plants in pots and another 20+ in the ground. The potted ones go in the garage or shed for protection in winter, and their return to the outdoors once the worst frosts have passed is another sign for me that Spring is on the way.

They vary in height from under 10 cm to about 50 cm, with leaf sizes from perhaps 5 cm to 30 cm across. The range of shapes and shades of green, yellow and cream is what really appeals to me, and as the leaves develop I'll show you some of my favourites. They do have flowers but that's not really why I grown them. I know I won't be able to resist the specialist hosta growers' stalls at the RHS Summer shows so there will be even more later in the year...