Hosta Fragrant Bouquet - Funkia, Lis plantain

The Hosta ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ combines bright variegated foliage with a truly fragrant flowering, two qualities rarely found together in a hosta. Its large apple-green leaves, broadly edged with cream, form a generous, decorative clump from spring onwards. In summer, near-white flowers rise well above the foliage and release a pleasant fragrance in mild weather. Vigorous, very hardy and award-winning, this cultivar has many assets. Plant it in partially shaded areas of the garden or in a large pot on the patio.

Belonging to the Asparagaceae family, the hosta is a herbaceous perennial: its leaves die back after the first frosts, then new shoots emerge from the crown in spring. The genus Hosta is native to East Asia, where its species typically occupy light woodland, edges and cool meadows. 'Fragrant Bouquet' is an American horticultural creation. This seedling, selected by Kevin C. Vaughn, was registered by Paul Aden in 1982. This variety has received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society and was chosen Hosta of the Year in 1998 by the American Hosta Growers Association. Its crown forms a rounded, spreading clump of 40-45 cm in height and 80 to 90 cm in width within a few years. The leaves, broadly ovate and heart-shaped, measure 15 to 20 cm in length. Their apple-green centre is surrounded by an irregular cream-yellow margin as they unfurl, becoming paler in summer. Their deeply veined, slightly puckered and undulate surface gives volume to the clump. A fairly thick texture limits slug damage on mature leaves. From July to August, flower stems emerge that can reach 80 cm in height, and nearly a metre in favourable conditions. They bear loose clusters of large, trumpet-shaped flowers, measuring up to 7-8 cm in length. The buds, washed with lilac, open into cream-white to very pale lavender flowers. They exude a sweet scent reminiscent of orange blossom and attract bees and bumblebees. 'Fragrant Bouquet' withstands cold below -20 °C. It prefers light partial shade; a little morning sun encourages flowering, but scorching sun damages its leaves.

This woodland plant thrives in oceanic or montane climates, in soil that does not dry out in summer. Plant 'Fragrant Bouquet' in groups of three in a shaded border or at the edge, giving it enough space to spread. It pairs well with the Hosta ‘Halcyon’ with its matt blue foliage, the Hosta ‘Guacamole’ also fragrant, the Astilbe ‘Chocolate Shogun’, with its shiny dark brown foliage, and the fern Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Prolifica’, which unfurls young coppery fronds. A large pot placed near a pathway or seating area also allows you to enjoy its fragrant flowers; choose a wide container, as the clump expands over the years.