GNS_03_GOTW 4PP

This garden is the
home of happy hostas
The perfect
spot for an
evening drink
The sunken garden is home to
a stately tree fern and Catalpa
bignonioides ‘Aurea’ with a
tranquil corten steel pool
Garden owners: John
& Daphne Plant
Location: Rewela Cottage,
Main Street, Skewsby,
York, YO61 4SG
Size: Third of an acre
Soil: Improved loam
Been in garden: Since 1997
Open: For groups
by appointment
April–September for
the National Garden
Scheme (ngs.org.uk)
John offers 450
different hostas for sale
Contact: rewelahostas.com
A hankering
for hostas
A grassy paddock became a new business
opportunity for the aptly named John Plant
Words Marina Jordan-Rugg
Photos Ray Cox
Creating a shady garden
was a must for John
Plant when he moved
to Rewela Cottage in
North Yorkshire with his partner
Daphne in 1997. “I’ve always
loved hostas, so I needed to
transform the bare open paddock
into a suitable garden where I
could nurture them,” he says.
He started by digging a large
pond and creating a rockery out
of the spoil before laying a patio
next to the house with steps
leading up to the pond. “We
mixed 20 tonnes of concrete
by hand for the patio and
positioned 40 tonnes of local
stone in the rockery,” he says.
During the second year he
created the lawn borders and
planted a range of trees, shrubs
and perennials and improved
the turf. “I was mowing it
John dug and
built the sunken
garden and banks
of plants himself
four times a week – it was
bowling green standard,” he
recalls. Then in the third year
he created the veg garden.
However, over time his plans
changed as the garden was so
high maintenance. John
started by ditching the
immaculate lawn for a
shady sunken garden,
hiring a mini digger to
create the banks, then
adding plants before
building the walls. “I laid
the stone early in the
morning before work and
continued until it was dark,”
he says. “It was really hard
work but so rewarding.”
In the sunken garden,
evergreen and deciduous
trees and larger shrubs
provide the upper canopy,
followed by a layer of smaller
shrubs with scented climbers
weaving among them, and
at ground level his beloved
hostas are artfully combined
with other foliage plants such
as ferns, heuchera and dwarf
conifers. “This shady garden
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The nursery sales
benches are pure
hosta heaven
The nursery garden
is a showcase of
all the wonderful
hostas they grow
6 Garden News / January 20 2026 January 20 2026 / Garden News 7

Dappled shade is cast
by a wonderful canopy
of mature trees, which
helps the hostas thrive
is much less of a headache for
me to manage,” says John. “I
can just tend it once a week if I
want. The main work is raising
up the trees to ensure the hostas
have enough dappled light.”
John built the large
patio area and
outdoor kitchen
beside their home
Focal point tree ferns, Catalpa
bignonioides ‘Aurea’ (golden
Indian bean tree), Ginkgo biloba
and Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip
tree) give an otherworldly feel,
and honeysuckle and scented
shrubs fill the space with their
perfume. “Daphne and I love
sitting with a drink here of
an evening,” John notes.
As the garden matured, in
around 2008 they opened for
the National Garden
Scheme (NGS). Visitors
were particularly drawn
to John’s healthy-looking
hostas and emptied
his plant sales bench.
“We realised hostas
and heucheras were a
niche market with a
big following, so when
I retired in 2020, we
built a website and
began selling hostas
online. We focused on
offering a wide range
of healthy plants and
the business grew
and grew. In fact I was
busier than when
I was at work!”
After otters stole the 300 fish
in his pond, John decided to fill
it in, which took six months to
do, and create a paved seating
area. He also built a nursery
on the former veg garden.
After 12 years of general NGS
openings, they decided to
limit opening to groups of 10
and over, such as garden clubs
and U3A by appointment.
John now grows an astonishing
950 different hostas in his garden
and offers 450 different ones for
sale. He’s always generous with
his advice to customers to help
them get the most from their
plants. The reviews left on
rewelahostas.com are testament
to John’s high standards and
dedication, with comments
such as “lovely fresh plants in
peak condition”, “exceptional
quality and perfectly packed”,
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January 20 2026 / Garden News 9

John’s key plants...
Hosta ‘Stained Glass’
has lovely lime leaves
and lilac flowers
“top drawer hosta seller”,
“absolutely fabulous service”
and “these plants are grown
with expertise and love”.
“We’re gradually embracing
social media, which is a new
venture for us, but it’s a joy to
receive such positive comments
about our plants,” says John.
Hosta ‘Liberty’
An almost bulletproof, upright
blue-green leaved hosta with wide
yellow margins. A good grower with
tall lavender flowers, it tolerates
sun and slugs. H: 60cm, S: 1m.
Ginkgo biloba
Creating a canopy of trees was important
for us, especially with eye-catching
leaves like the fan-shaped ones of the
ginkgo, which turn butter-yellow in
autumn. H: up to 12m, S: up to 8m.
... and his
hosta tips
1
Keep plants healthy
by growing them in
the right position,
with some early morning
or late afternoon but
not midday sun, and
watering in dry periods.
2
We sprinkle a few
organic slug pellets
around the emerging
shoot tips, use nematodes
against slugs and vine
weevils and spray the
leaves regularly with a
homemade garlic spray (the
recipe can be found at
rewelahostas.com).
3
Make sure hosta
plants are kept
clean – pick off dead
leaves and debris – to limit
hiding places for slugs.
4
In
a wet year, sow
plenty of ‘sacrificial’
lettuces around
the garden, which are
easier for slugs to eat.
Rhododendron luteum
This yellow azalea is one of the
flowering shrubs that add interest
throughout the year. It has very
fragrant late spring flowers and
autumn leaf colour. H&S: 2.5-4m.
Matteuccia struthiopteris
Although shuttlecock ferns do die
down in winter, the unfurling of
their fresh new fronds is a lovely
sight in spring and they partner so
well with the hostas. H&S: 1.5m.
PHOTOS: RAY COX
January 20 2026 / Garden News 11