Hostas is the definitive guide to the popular hardy perennial that gardeners have come to rely upon and enjoy. Favored for their beauty and longevity, these shade-loving, low-maintenance plants bear foliage in all manner of shape, size and texture and in colors ranging from steel blue, tonal greens and yellows to multi-colored. Their long-blooming, aromatic flowers come in variations of white, pale lavender and blue-purple.

The growing season for hostas stretches from early spring to late fall, and they flourish in Zone 3 -- most of the continental United States as well as populated areas of Canada and Alaska.

Rosemary Barrett provides expert advice on these outstanding plants. Following a brief section on the history of hostas, she covers the various cultivars in fine detail, with topics that include:

• Cultivation
• Enhancing a garden
• Propagation
• Container-growing
• Landscaping
• Plant and tree companions
• Borders and beds
• A catalog of hostas
• Garden settings.

Featuring lush color photographs throughout, Hostas is ideal for gardeners at all levels of expertise.