Fully revised and updated with the best new cultivars The lush, sculptural hosta is loved by gardeners for its ability to both combine well with other plants and project a strong presence when planted alone. The New Encyclopedia of Hostas—the second edition of Diana Grenfell and Michael Shadrack's classic work—provides growth and cultivation information for seven hundred cultivated hostas. Detailed, easy-to-read descriptions include growing tips, recommendations for landscape use, and suggestions for companion plants. Clear cultivation advice is provided, including recommendations for hostas that succeed in challenging environments, such as the warmer regions of the United States. Captivating photographs show hostas up close and in a wide range of different garden situations.

Since the formation of the American Hosta Society in 1968, not only have the numbers of hostas increased but their quality and the widespread interest in them has reached unprecedented heights. Zilis describes every hosta that he has encountered over the past thirty years, providing a must for every collector, nurseryman, and gardener.

The core of this encyclopedia is a fully illustrated collection of the world's finest hostas, with a full description and color photo for each of 750 plants.

Back in print: Introductory guide to growing hostas, including hardiness zone information. Provides practical advice on how to plant, propagate, cultivate and landscape with hostas, including information on companion plants.

Hostas are irresistible. Their sculptural leaves and appealing textures make it difficult to stop at one, and it is easy to fill a garden with them. Help is at hand with this attractive guide to the popular new small hostas that take up less space and are ideally suited to container cultivation. They can be used on their own or with companion plants to make charming displays on the patio, porch, or even windowsill. Many small hostas are simply scaled-down versions of classic hostas, while others offer distinctly new attributes in terms of color, leaf shape, and patterning. Like full-size hostas, small hostas can be upright, flat, or cascading; there are varieties that are full of substance, and others that are fine and delicate; there are green ones, gold ones, blue ones, variegated ones, and splashed ones. Some are better garden plants than others, and a valuable function of this book is to showcase the very best of the new introductions. Photographs of the hostas in garden settings show how admirably they respond to imaginative display in a wide range of situations including waterside, woodland, and rock gardens. Beautifully illustrated and highly informative, this handpicked selection of diminutive hostas will inspire hobbyists and gardeners alike and provide inspiration for new planting schemes.

Boasting diverse leaf shape, size, color, and texture, it is no wonder that hostas continue to reign as the most popular perennial plants in North America. Not only are they the supreme plant for shade, but they also can be used in the landscape either as striking specimen plantings or as accommodating companion plants. Few pests bother them, and little maintenance is required, making hostas even more attractive to busy gardeners. Each year a staggering number of new hostas are introduced. To assist gardeners and landscapers in selecting the right hosta for a particular situation, veteran plantswoman Diana Grenfell has teamed up with distinguished photographer Mike Shadrack in selecting 280 of the best hostas. Ranging from tried and true favorites to cutting edge newcomers bursting with potential, each plant has been handpicked for its superb performance in the landscape. An additional 545 hostas are briefly mentioned.

An encyclopedic reference on shade perennials provides information on more than 7,000 species and cultivars in 184 genera, including practical growing tips and chapters on soils, watering, fertilizing, and types of shade.

Gift donated by Black Swamp Hosta & Daylily Society.

How to Live Your Best Gardening Life David Culp has spent more than 30 years creating Brandywine Cottage—a sensational year-round garden that provides an abundance of joy, both indoors and out. In his new book, he urges home gardeners everywhere to do the same in their own space. Organized by the garden’s six natural season, A Year at Brandywine Cottage is packed with fresh ideas and trusted advice, whether it’s choosing plants for twelve months of interest, weaving edibles into the mix, or bringing the bounty indoors with simple arrangements and homegrown recipes. Packed with glorious images and practical tips, A Year at Brandywine Cottage will inspire you to live a life enriched by nature every day of the year.

Describes the physical characteristics and hardiness of more than five thousand alphabetized perennials, provides guidance on their cultivation and propagation, and includes over a thousand color photos, sidebars on pests and other topics, and an index of common names.