Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Paradigm Hosta: Quilted Gold Leaves for the Shade Garden
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Paradigm hosta has broad, rounded, heart-shaped leaves in gold, edged with irregular streaks of blue-green. The leaves are thick and deeply corrugated, with a quilted texture, and the contrast between gold and blue grows stronger as spring turns to summer. It has earned an RHS Award of Garden Merit and was named Hosta of the Year in 2007.
Those heavy leaves come with a practical perk: slugs find them harder going than most hostas.
Paradigm at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hosta 'Paradigm' |
| Foliage | Thick, puckered gold leaves with streaked blue-green margins |
| Size | About 20 inches tall, 36 inches wide |
| Flowers | Very pale lavender, nearly white trumpets on 24 inch scapes |
| Bloom | Early to mid-July |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Part to full shade; tolerates some morning sun |
| Recognition | RHS Award of Garden Merit; Hosta of the Year 2007 |
Lavender in the sun, Paradigm in the shade
There is no sugarcoating it: hostas and lavender want opposite things. Lavender wants hot, dry, lean ground; Paradigm wants shade and humus-rich soil that stays moist. The way to grow both is to give each its side of the garden. A sunny lavender bed out front and a shaded bed under the maples or along the north side of the house, anchored by a big gold Paradigm, makes a whole-property plan that looks cared for in every corner.
Gold foliage is especially useful in shade because it glows where flowers struggle. Pair it with ferns and astilbe, and use the Companion Plant Planner to sort your sun and shade zones.
Planting and care
- Light: the gold centers tolerate some morning sun, but give afternoon shade to prevent scorch.
- Soil: rich and humus-heavy, evenly moist but well drained.
- Water: deeply during dry spells, especially the first summer while roots establish.
- After bloom: cut spent scapes.
- Dividing: split crowded clumps in early spring as the shoots emerge.
Fall cleanup and winter
Paradigm is fully hardy in Michigan. After a hard frost, cut the foliage down to remove slug eggs and debris, and make sure the crown is not sitting in wet soil over winter. Watch for Hosta Virus X, which shows up as mottled, streaked leaves, and discard any infected plant.
Specimens and containers
At 3 feet wide, a single Paradigm can anchor a shade bed on its own. It also holds up well in large containers on a shaded patio. Hosta foliage is listed as toxic to dogs and cats, so keep that in mind where pets roam. The 72-cell plug tray suits larger shade plantings; see the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Does Paradigm really resist slugs?
Its thick, heavy leaves resist slug damage better than most hostas, though no hosta is completely slug-proof.
Will deer eat it?
Yes, deer like hostas. Protect plantings in deer country.
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