Complete Gardening
Hostas are the undisputed champions of shade gardens with their lush, sculptural leaves. But even stars need supporting actors! Pairing these reliable perennials with complementary plants creates garden magic through contrasting textures, colors, and bloom times. The right companions enhance hostas’ natural beauty while filling seasonal gaps and creating a more dynamic garden space.
1. Heuchera (Coral Bells) 🍂
Mounds of colorful foliage make heuchera the perfect hosta sidekick. Available in a stunning palette from lime green to deep purple-black, these evergreen perennials hold their color even when hostas have gone dormant for winter.
Tiny bell-shaped flowers dance above the leaves on slender stems, attracting hummingbirds while adding delicate movement. Their compact size fits perfectly at the edges of hosta beds or tucked between larger specimens.
Newer varieties like ‘Caramel’ and ‘Obsidian’ offer exceptional cold hardiness and heat tolerance, making them reliable companions in challenging garden spots.
2. Brunnera macrophylla (Siberian Bugloss) 💙
Heart-shaped leaves adorned with silver veining make Brunnera a striking textural complement to hostas. Come spring, these woodland beauties produce clouds of tiny blue flowers resembling forget-me-nots, offering early-season color before hostas fully emerge.
Prized varieties like ‘Jack Frost’ and ‘Silver Heart’ bring luminous brightness to shady corners, seeming to glow in low light. Their frost-resistant foliage maintains good looks from spring through fall.
Plant them where morning sun can highlight the silver leaf patterns while afternoon shade protects their delicate leaves from scorching—the same conditions that make hostas happy.
3. Ferns 🌿
Nature’s original shade plants, ferns bring ancient elegance alongside hostas with their intricate fronds unfurling in spring. Japanese painted ferns offer silver-brushed foliage with burgundy stems, while ostrich ferns contribute dramatic height with their vase-shaped growth.
The feathery texture of ferns creates the perfect counterpoint to hostas’ smooth, broad leaves. This classic pairing mimics natural woodland plantings where both thrive in dappled light.
Autumn ferns add multi-season interest with new growth emerging coppery-red before maturing to deep green, providing color when hostas are dormant and completing this perfect partnership.
4. Tiarella (Foamflower) 🎀
Maple-shaped leaves form tidy mounds that perfectly complement hostas’ broader foliage. Tiarella earns its common name from the frothy, cream-colored flower spikes that appear in spring—just when gardens need a visual boost.
Many varieties develop burgundy leaf markings that intensify in fall, extending seasonal interest. These native woodland plants naturally grow alongside hostas in similar conditions, making them ecologically appropriate companions.
Low-growing and well-behaved, foamflowers work beautifully as ground covers beneath taller hostas or as front-of-border accents. Their drought tolerance once established gives them an edge over hostas in drier shade locations.
5. Pulmonaria (Lungwort) 🌱
Speckled, spotted or silver-washed leaves make pulmonaria a standout even without its early spring flowers. These tough perennials bloom when the garden is just waking up, producing clusters of pink buds that open to blue, purple, or white.
The spotted foliage resembles lungs (hence the name) and creates textural interest against the smooth surfaces of hosta leaves. Varieties like ‘Trevi Fountain’ and ‘Raspberry Splash’ offer improved mildew resistance and more vibrant flowers.
Lungwort’s early bloom time provides crucial nectar for emerging pollinators when few other plants are flowering, adding ecological value to your shade garden partnership.
6. Astilbe 🌸
Standing tall like feathery fireworks, astilbes bring vertical drama to hosta beds when those broad leaves need a textural counterpoint. Their plume-like flower spikes rise above ferny foliage in shades from soft pink to deep crimson and pure white.
Both plants thrive in similar conditions—rich, moist soil and protection from harsh afternoon sun. The delicate appearance of astilbe creates a magical contrast against hostas’ bold presence.
Plant them behind smaller hosta varieties or interspersed among larger types for a layered effect that extends the garden’s visual interest into midsummer.
7. Ligularia 🟠
Bold and architectural, ligularia makes a dramatic statement with its large, toothed or rounded leaves that can reach dinner-plate size. Varieties like ‘The Rocket’ send up tall spikes of yellow daisy-like flowers, while ‘Britt Marie Crawford’ offers mahogany-purple foliage.
Both ligularia and hostas share a love of consistent moisture and rich soil. Their complementary leaf shapes—hostas typically smooth and ligularia often serrated—create compelling textural contrasts in the shade garden.
Place these moisture-lovers near water features or in naturally damp areas where their impressive size can create focal points among more subdued hostas.
8. Dicentra spectabilis (Bleeding Heart) ❤️
Romantic and nostalgic, bleeding hearts bear perfectly heart-shaped flowers dangling from arching stems in spring. Their blue-green, fern-like foliage emerges early, providing interest while hostas are just poking through the soil.
Traditional varieties display pink hearts with white tips, while ‘Alba’ offers pure white blooms. The newer ‘Valentine’ features deeper red flowers against darker foliage for more drama.
Though bleeding hearts may go dormant in summer heat, their spring performance pairs perfectly with hostas’ season-long presence. Plant forget-me-nots or annual impatiens to fill any gaps left by their midsummer retreat.
9. Hakonechloa macra (Japanese Forest Grass) ✨
Graceful cascades of slender leaves make Japanese forest grass the perfect textural foil for hostas’ bold statements. This slow-growing ornamental grass forms elegant mounds that spill over edges and soften garden lines.
The golden variety ‘Aureola’ glows like captured sunshine in shady spots, while ‘All Gold’ offers even brighter color. Their gentle movement in the slightest breeze brings kinetic energy to otherwise static shade plantings.
Unlike many ornamental grasses, Hakonechloa thrives in partial shade and moist soil—exactly where hostas are happiest. The combination creates a contemporary Asian-inspired aesthetic perfect for meditation gardens.
10. Primula japonica (Japanese Primrose) 🌺
Candelabras of vibrant blooms make Japanese primroses spring superstars in the shade garden. Their tiered whorls of flowers in magenta, pink, white, or red rise from rosettes of crinkled green leaves.
These moisture-lovers thrive in the same rich, humusy soil that hostas prefer. Their early-to-mid spring bloom time provides color when many hostas are just unfurling.
Plant them near the front of borders where their diminutive size won’t be overshadowed by hostas’ expanding summer presence. For a stunning combination, pair magenta primroses with blue-leaved hostas for a complementary color scheme that makes both plants pop.
11. Epimedium (Barrenwort) 🍃
Heart-shaped leaves with spiny edges give epimedium year-round textural interest alongside hostas. New growth often emerges bronze or red before maturing to green, with some varieties holding red leaf margins throughout the season.
Delicate, spider-like flowers in yellow, white, pink, or purple dance above the foliage in spring on wiry stems. These tough groundcovers tolerate dry shade once established—a valuable trait where hostas might struggle.
Their spreading habit makes them excellent for suppressing weeds between larger hostas without becoming invasive. Look for varieties like ‘Frohnleiten’ for exceptional drought tolerance or ‘Rubrum’ for red-tinged foliage and flowers.
12. Iris sibirica (Siberian Iris) 🦋
Elegant blue-violet blooms atop slender stems give Siberian iris a graceful presence among hostas. Their narrow, grass-like foliage creates striking vertical lines against hostas’ horizontal spread, remaining attractive long after flowering ends.
Unlike their bearded cousins, Siberian irises tolerate partial shade and consistent moisture, making them compatible with hostas’ needs. Their late spring to early summer bloom time bridges the gap between spring bulbs and summer perennials.
Modern varieties offer expanded color options from pure white to wine purple and even yellow. Plant them where they can receive morning sun for best flowering while sharing afternoon shade with neighboring hostas.