472 pages of hostas

When you live in an oak forest like me, hostas are one of the plants that become a big part of the landscape. Hostas are indestructible and come in thousands of different shapes and color combinations. The New Encyclopedia of Hostas is the second edition of the bible for hosta growers. It's been recently updated with many of the latest introductions. I've spent hours with this book looking for just the right plant for the right spot.  Some hostas need complete shade and others do better with more sun, the book is filled with the cultural information about each variety so you can plant favorites in the best spot. But there's even more to it than that, the authors explain how certain hostas need a special site line for best presentation. They've worked with the plants so you don't have to spend years discovering the nuances of planting each variety. This book changed the way I thought of hostas and in turn transformed my garden. I can't wait to get started again this spring and I'll be looking for many new hostas for the garden.

Sometimes it can be hard to find some of the varieties detailed in the book, but there is a specialty nursery in Butler County run by Chuck Oleseycki called Hooked on Hostas. I wanted one called 'Designer Genes' as a gift for my radio partner Jessica Walliser. I called Chuck and he had a few in stock. He can be reached at 724-538-5584.

Tomorrow, I'm writing about something I wished I invented. If you move large pots and struggle with the job, check out tomorrow's blog.

I've fallen in love with 'Fire Island' after seeing it in the book. What do you think? To see the red stems 'Fire Island' needs to be planted at eye level, that's important info culled from the book.