Hosta La Vista

Hostas are first choice for all damp or shady parts of the garden, says Charlie Wilkins

Gardening must not become too prescribed. There must not be too many edicts or specified rules which we may somehow feel obliged to follow. We want to be successful gardeners of course and to know our materials better, but don’t let us all have the same plants or imposed groupings.

In reality I suppose we don’t, and that is why there are clubs and societies which cater for specific plant interests; alpines, fuchsias, rhododendrons, delphiniums, and many more. But some say that collecting specific plants can lead to specialisation and one-upmanship, so perhaps a better idea would be to gather a small number of plants that you like and tend to these with a new enthusiasm.