Hosta Fortunei Var. Albopicta

Position: partial or full shade Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: July to August Hardiness: fully hardy

Slender, heart-shaped, creamy-yellow leaves with dark green margins emerge in spring, but as the leaves develop they lose their variegations and become plain green. These are topped in midsummer with spikes of funnel-shaped, mauve summer flowers. Best in full sun with shade at midday and protection from cold winds, it makes a great groundcover plant for a moist, well-drained border.

Garden care: Add a generous amount of well-rotted garden compost or leaf-mould when planting. Protect the young foliage from slugs, deadhead the faded blooms and apply a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the base of the plant each spring.