Keyword: Hosta

Books for hosta lovers:

• Hostas by Rosemary Barrett (Firefly Books, $24.95) is a new book (Feb. 2004) with an emphasis on landscaping with hostas and the best companion plants. Color photographs by Derek Hughes will whet your appetite.
• The Hosta Handbook by Mark Zilis (Q & Z Nursery, $34.95) describes, in detail, 278 hostas, with over 1,000 receiving mention. Most entries have a color photo. This database-like book also gives cultural requirements and a problem-solving guide.
• The Gardener’s Guide to Growing Hostas by Diana Grenfell (Timber Press, $19.95) reveals everything a gardener needs to know about growing hostas well, including how to propagate. There is a chapter on the best hostas which groups the plants into categories such as ‘sun-tolerant’, ‘blue leaves’, and ‘fragrant flowers’.
  

Hosta spears are emerging now, promising lush mounds of foliage. According to a poll from the American Hosta Society the top three favorite hosta cultivars are \’Sum and Substance,\’ \’Sagae,\’ and \’Great Expectations.\’ Members pay $25 per year and receive the glossy Hosta Journal filled with color photos, a regular question and answer column and articles on hosta companion plants. To join the society, you can send a check to Sandie Markland, AHS Membership Secretary, 8702 Pinnacle Rock Court, Lorton, VA 22079-3029, or join online at www.hosta.org