Spring wildflowers emerge from the ground and bloom before tardy
hostas fully unfurl their leaves. Photo/Illustration: Mike Wanke
Hostas are slow to emerge in spring so the area surrounding the
plants tends to look bare until they’ve filled in. One way to
achieve a fuller look earlier in the season is to plant spring
wildflowers such as Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and
bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) around hostas. The
wildflowers come up early and flower before the hostas fill in,
then go dormant under the canopy of hosta leaves.