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With the increasing number of hosta cultivars being introduced each year it is increasingly difficult for nurserymen and gardeners to choose just the right hostas for their sales areas and gardens. To this end the American Hosta Growers Association established the AHGA Hosta of the Year in 1996. It is selected by a vote of AHGA members. Award winners are hostas that are good garden plants in all a regions of the country, are widely available and in sufficient supply and retail for about $15.00 in the year of selection. |
Published Books |
In addition to the American Hosta Society publications listed on this AHS Web site, the following independently published books and other publications may be of interest to the reader/gardener. |
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The HOSTA Book
The HOSTA Book second edition, Paul Aden, 1988, 1990. hardbound & paperback
Timber Press, 133 S. W. Second Avenue, Portland, OR 97204, USA
133 pp.
The distinguished contributors to this book point out an abundance of virtues that make hostas some of the most valuable of garden plants. The genus is dealt with in a larger context of developing an enjoyable garden that will be a source of pride. As well as their versatility in the garden - they can be excellent, weed free groundcovers; huge, lush background plantings; or bright accent foliage to lighten up dark corners in the garden - hostas offer spectacular leaf and flower forms for floral arrangements. |
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The Genus HOSTA
The Genus HOSTA, W. George Schmid,1991, hardbound
Timber Press, 133 S. W. Second Avenue, Portland, OR 97204, USA
428pp.
A truly comprehensive scientific and horticultural study of the genus hosta. The largest part of the book is devoted to detailed descriptions of all species, varieties, forms, and registered/non-registered cultivars. Professional horticulturists and hosts enthusiasts will appreciate this first-ever comprehensive classification system listing approximately 3500 names and synonyms including 300 Japanese names printed in kana. Also included is information on care and cultivation, propagation and hybridization, landscape uses, and pests and diseases. This book is a definite reference work. |
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HOSTA - The Flowering Foliage Plant
HOSTA - The Flowering Foliage Plant, Diana Grenfell, 1990, hardbound
Timber Press, 133 S. W. Second Avenue, Portland, OR 97204, USA
208 pp.
This study of the genus Hosta begins with a historical perspective, looking at hostas in the wild, the early collectors, and the nineteenth and twentieth-century botanists who have worked on the genus. The largest chapter concerns the species consigned to their various sub-genera and sections. The cultivar chapter describes hostas which make good garden plants, those of notable historic interest and some that have recently arisen in tissue culture. Other chapters are devoted to uses of hostas in gardens from large woodland settings to small courtyards, and of course Hosta Reference Collections. |
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The Gardener's Guide to Growing HOSTAS
The Gardener's Guide to Growing HOSTAS, Diana Grenfell,1996, hardbound
Timber Press, 133 S. W. Second Avenue, Portland, OR 97204, USA
160pp.
A practical guide for gardeners and collectors. The book features a wealth of essential advice on cultivation, propagation and garden uses with an extensive A-to-Z plant directory listing over 400 cultivars and forms. Information on exhibiting and showing hostas completes the comprehensive and up-to-date account of this fascinating plant |
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The Hosta Handbook
The Hosta Handbook, Mark Zilis, 2000, spiral bound, Q&Z Nursery, Rochelle, IL, USA, ISBN 0-9679440-0-7
The Hosta Handbook can be thought of as a field guide to hostas and is meant to be carried around in the garden. The 4 1/4" wide by 9" long format lends itself to this purpose. This spiral bound, 600 page reference, lists virtually every hosta in the trade in the year 2000, with their foliage pattern, flower, genetic history, and often their mature size. For the beginner to the most serious hosta grower, this will become your bible.
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Hostas
Sandra Bond, ISBN 0 7063 7060 0 Ward Lock, London, England.
Sandra Bond is the owner of Goldbrook Plants a specialist hosta nursery in Suffolk, England. She is a garden designer and has won fourteen consecutive gold medals for her hostas displays at the famous Chelsea Flower Show. It is not surprising therefore that this beautiful little book concentrates not on a catalogue of the various hosta cultivars that were available when it was published in 1992 but on the use of hostas in garden design and their versatility as garden plants. There are also chapters on colour in the garden, the cultivation of the genus and their use as container plants.
Many designs for gardens and small flowerbeds featuring hostas are included and excellently illustrated and the chapter on cultivation contains a wealth of Sandra’s experience and horticultural knowledge. There is the obligatory chapter listing well known hosta cultivars where the reader will be pleased to find not a simple description taken from the registration papers but the observations of someone who has actually grown the plant in a variety of situations.
Sadly this little gem is not longer in print, but fear not. It was republished in 1997 as part of a larger compendium “The Complete Guide to Foliage Planting” (ISBN 0 7063 7581 5) which includes the other books in the original series covering Grasses, Bamboos, Hardy Ferns and large leaved Perennials. |
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The Color Encyclopedia of Hostas
The Color Encyclopedia of Hostas, Diana Grenfell and Michael Shadrack, Foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales, 2004, Timber Press, Inc., Portland, OR, USA 408 pp, 800 color photos, 2 maps, 8 1/2 x 11", hardcover, ISBN 0-88192-618-3
This resource provides a full description and color photograph for more than 750 plants capturing the qualities of each hosta that make it distinctive and uniquely desirable. Contains sections on hosta classification and botany, cultivation, gardening ideas, advice on pests and diseases and a quick-reference list of the best hostas for different purposes. |
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Hostas by Andrew Mikolajski
ISBN 1 8421 5515 6 Southwater Publishing,.London, England. Republished in 2001
Although this book is only 64 pages it has been found to be very useful to beginners |
Links |
The Hosta Library www.hostalibrary.org
The Hosta Library is an independent site operated by fellow hosta enthusiasts. It can be used as a means of identifying hostas, seeing new hosta that you may be interested in obtaining, or for general information on hostas. It is a resource for the beginner to the most serious hosta grower.
As noted on the opening page of the Hosta Library it is comprised of photos, which are donated and a few could possibly be wrong. |
Fraternal Order of the Seedy Fellows www.foosf.com
The FOoSF is a group of hybridizers seeking to improve the genus Hosta by creating new combination of genes, bringing together recessive qualities that were once hidden in the gene pools, producing plants with unique architecture, and modern color combinations; truly visionary quest. This well designed site offers insight on the hybridizer's life and interests; photographs, and recent awards in beautiful and easily navigated page. |
USDA Hardiness Map
Latest USDA Hardiness Map |
The American Hosta Growers Association http://www.hostagrowers.org/
The American Hosta Growers Association is a trade organization for nurseries that specialize in the growing and sale of hostas. Its members include producers of hosta liners, wholesale landscape nurseries, wholesale and retail mail-order hosta nurseries, and hosta specialty nurseries that feature garden displays and local retail sales. A few of its purposes are to foster interest in hostas through marketing and educational programs, disseminate information on cultural practices and pest problems of hostas, and help to standardize hosta nomenclature.
Mini Hosta Forum
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/minihosta/
To work with this group, you must sign up for a membership in Yahoo
Our mission is to assist in determining which hostas, based on growers’ experiences, meet The American Hosta Society criteria for a mini hosta, to maintain a listing of AHS Mini Hostas to be used for the annual AHS Mini Hosta Popularity Poll and to provide a forum for exchange of information on growing mini hostas. Help from all hosta gardeners is needed. Your input is solicited. Please participate.
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