{"product_id":"hosta-guacamole","title":"Hosta 'Guacamole'","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHosta 'Guacamole'\u003c\/strong\u003e is a large, glossy plantain lily grown as much for its perfume as its foliage. Big, shining leaves emerge a warm golden chartreuse edged with darker blue-green, brightening the shadiest corner, and in late summer it produces tall spikes of large, near-white, sweetly fragrant flowers. Named Hosta of the Year in 2002, it is one of the most rewarding and adaptable hostas you can grow.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is fully hardy, rated RHS H7, and comes through hard British winters with ease. As a deciduous, herbaceous perennial it dies back to a dormant crown each autumn and returns every spring, the seasonal rhythm we explain in our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/hardy-exotics-what-to-expect\"\u003ehardy exotics guide\u003c\/a\u003e. Unusually for a hosta it is quite sun-tolerant, and a little more light deepens the golden tones of the leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow and where to grow\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e full sun to partial shade with reliable moisture; more sun brightens the gold, deep shade turns it greener.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e fertile, humus-rich and moisture-retentive but well-drained; add leaf mould or compost before planting.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e a large hosta, reaching around 50 to 65cm tall and 80 to 100cm across.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e fully hardy across the UK (RHS H7), with no winter protection needed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater well through the first two summers, and never let it dry out in a sunnier spot, then mulch each spring. Guacamole is glorious massed with other \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-shade\"\u003eplants for shade\u003c\/a\u003e, as a luminous highlight in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/exotic-border-plants\"\u003eexotic border plants\u003c\/a\u003e, or in a large pot from our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003epots and containers\u003c\/a\u003e range near a path where the scent can be enjoyed. The fragrant late-summer flowers are a magnet for bees, adding it to the best \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pollinators\"\u003eplants for pollinators\u003c\/a\u003e. As with all hostas, it is toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten, and slugs and snails will find it, so protect the new shoots in spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePair its gold with the cool blue of \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hosta-abiqua-drinking-gourd\"\u003eHosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd'\u003c\/a\u003e, or browse the whole \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hardy-exotics\"\u003ehardy exotics\u003c\/a\u003e range. Every plant is nursery-grown, hand-selected for a strong crown and healthy roots, and carefully packed to arrive in superb condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GROW TROPICALS","offers":[{"title":"11cm \/ 0.75L","offer_id":58089241182591,"sku":"HOSTGUAC11","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0361\/9645\/0348\/files\/guacamole.jpg?v=1785939169","url":"https:\/\/growtropicals.com\/products\/hosta-guacamole","provider":"GrowTropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}