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 BOOK
REVIEWS
The
Gardener's Guide to Growing Hostas
By Diana Grenfell
Published by Florilegium
Press, 1996
Reviewed by Penelope
Bunny, Abbotsford Gardens and Nursery, Masterton
Hostas are highly
prized for their clean sculptural leaves in an extraordinary range
of colours. They have become one of the most popular of all foliage
plants. Leaf colour varies from matt/blue grey to glossy apple green
with many shades and variations in between. Size varies from those
with leaves as large as dinner plates to others no bigger than a
thumb nail. There is a hosta for almost every shady/part shady situation
and effect.
Of interest to
me upon reading this book was Graham Stuart Thomas's comment in
his foreword that "the genus Hosta is a comparative newcomer to
the annals of horticulture." As a gardener I couldn't imagine working
without hostas in my plans or viewing them in my garden. At the
time of writing they are unfolding their loveliness for a new season.
Their foliage effect is calming and the clumps are bigger and better
every year. Slugs and snails are the only real harm and easily disposed
of. In Diana Grenfell's book, the history of hostas is informative,
nomenclature and classification professional enough for those interested
in serious hosta growing and collecting, and also straight-forward
enough for a keen gardener/small nursery proprietor like myself.
Cultivation notes
are easy to follow and thorough. The only comment I would make is
her recommendation that hostas with yellow foliage be given some
direct sunlight. Here in the Wairarapa where I live I have to put
yellow foliaged hosta in quite deep shade. They get sun-burnt!
The suggestions
about creating artificial shade as built at Applecourt (a nursery
display garden of the genus hosta) and illustrated in the book,
is an exciting option for those of us with little natural shade,
but a yearning for those wonderful leaves now, not in ten years
time when trees have grown! Hellebores could also be planted in
this situation.
The book is punctuated
with clear, effective, photographic illustrations. These cover ideas
for using various cultivars, ideas for design and groupings and
plates for easy identification purposes. A chapter on hostas in
Australasia is contributed by well known, New Zealand plantsman
and gardener Gordon Collier. The book is completed with a section
titled "Selection of the Best Hosta List" in which hostas are divided
into groups such as Flower Arrangement, Distinctive Leaves, Container
Growing and Splashed Variegation groups.
I found the book
very readable, written by someone who really knows her topic, well
illustrated and a satisfying general information, or reference read.
It is a very useful book that helps gardeners like myself work through
many of the new cultivars available. An A-Z of hostas in cultivation
is included. A great informative read.
New
Zealand Garden Journal: Journal of the Royal New Zealand Institute
of Horticulture 1996 1(4): 23-24
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