Dubuque Arboretum
Stars of the shade and the sun shine at the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in northeast Iowa. Besides viewing the largest public-garden collection of hostas in the U.S., you can revel in a galaxy of roses and other plants at the only public garden in the nation operated solely by volunteers and planted only with donated materials.
Scattered in shady arrangements around the 55-acre grounds on the northwest side of Dubuque, about 13,000 hostas represent more than 700 varieties. In the main hosta garden, you can relax on benches and admire a serene glen. Plants range in hues from blue, green and yellow to white and variegations. Some hostas grow thigh-high and as wide as a millstone. Others stand only as tall as your hand, with leaves as slim as pencils.
Planting suggestions:
Hostas spread their leaves beneath cano-pies of oaks and maples. No shade? Build a structure that provides dappled light.
Montana Aureomarginata hosta has dark-green leaves with yellow margins. It grows up to 28 inches tall and 3 feet wide. Sunpower is a bright-yellow hosta.
To keep all your hostas looking great, water at least an inch a week. Hostas need a dormant period of 6 weeks at below-40-degree temperatures. You never need to divide hostas, but if the varieties you plant grow larger than you want or expect, you can keep dividing them.
3800 Arboretum Drive, Dubuque, IA 52001 (563/556-2100)
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