One of the best and easiest to take care of perennials in existence. According to the Perennial Plants Association, hosta have become the number one selling perennial. Called "Emperors of the Shade," they remain attractive from spring until frost with handsome foliage in addition to the flowering performance.

Hosta perform best in light to full shade, however, some are very sun tolerant. They like rich organic matter worked into the soil with some moisture and some shade. Attractive spikes of flowers appear in the summer months. Some flowers are very fragrant like the Royal Standard, Guacamole, So-Sweet, Honeybells, Fragrant Blue, and Stained Glass.

They are excellent in borders, may be used massed as a groundcover alternative, and larger varieties work well as background plants for the garden. You will achieve amazing landscape results from making use of various color combinations. Host are available in blue, green, yellow, gold, and variegated varieties.

Black Forest Nursery carries over 120 varieties of hosta starting at $4.99 and up, with many different sizes of plants. The selection is "huge" with over ten thousand hostas to choose from.

The following are "Hosta of the Year" as selected by the American Hosta Growers Association. Black Forest Nursery grows and carries all of them.

2008 HOSTA OF THE YEAR - BLUE MOUSE EARS