H. ‘Flemish Design’

Overview

A sport of *Hosta* 'Designer Genes', 'Flemish Design' was registered in 2014. This small hosta is distinguished by its blue-green leaves with broad, flat gold margins, a color pattern that reverses the typical gold-centered, blue-green margined appearance of its parent. The leaves are unusually thick and rubbery in texture, with a dull upper surface and a glaucous bloom beneath.

In the Garden

'Flemish Design' forms a compact, mound-like clump reaching 13.25 inches (33.7 cm) in height and 20 inches (50.8 cm) in diameter. It performs best in partial to full shade, where the gold margins remain brightest. Its small size makes it suitable for rock gardens, troughs, or the front of shaded borders, where it pairs well with small ferns, tiarella, or miniature bulbs. It also adapts to container culture.

Care Notes

Provide consistent moisture and apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as growth emerges. The thick foliage offers moderate resistance to slugs, though standard slug control measures are advisable in damp conditions. Deer may browse young shoots in typical hosta-growing zones.