Although I grow HOSTA for their beautiful leaves of every color of green and hundreds of leaf variations, an added bonus is their BEAUTIFUL, FRAGRANT BLOOMS in late summer/early fall. They come in colors of white, light purple, and a medium purple. I've used them in flower arrangements, and they add a nice touch. They smell similar to lily of the valley--very fragrant! They grow on tall stems, reaching about a foot, or more on some, above the luxurious leaves. The blooms on the Royal Standard hosta bloom in profusion, and are about 36' tall! Remember to use slug bait on your hostas during the spring and summer, so that when their flowers are blooming, your leaves will be in good shape, not riddled with damage from slugs and snails. I think it's the prettiest time of the year for them, and I'm always glad when I see beautiful, healthy leaves. When they are done blooming, just snip the stem off close to the base. I also cut down my hosta in late fall, making spring clean up much easier. I've never had any problems with winter kill or anything from doing this--they are plenty hardy in zone 5. I enjoy their beautiful fall color first, then after the first killing frost, I cut back the leaves to about 3 inches. Spring clean up is so easy doing this! Hosta are definitely among my top 25 favorite perennials! If you don't have any, and have a shady spot, I highly recommend hosta--the only problem is that their are so many, you'll find it hard to choose a favorite to plant!
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