This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.

• Position: partial or full shade
• Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: July to August
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  The rounded blue-green leaves of this miniature hosta are small, but they are quite chunky in texture, and they form a neat and compact clump, which in midsummer is topped with sprays of soft purple bell-shaped blooms. It's a little gem, and works well in pots, shadier rockeries, or can be used to line the edges of a woodland path.
  
  
• Garden care: You'll get thicker, lusher leaves if you give your hostas a really good feed. An annual mulch in spring or autumn will help to keep the weeds down and is an easy way to improve soil and boost nutrient levels. Add a generous mulch of about 5-10cm (2-4in) deep of garden compost or leaf mould around the plant. Spraying the leaves regularly with a high nitrogen fertiliser during the growing season will also help to boost leaf size. Slugs and snails love hostas, so you will need to protect against them. Use an organic nematode treatment in early spring to ward off slugs. Or simply stick to planting it in a container.
  
  Water your hosta well as soon as you plant it and from then on water regularly during their first growing season. Give them a water about once or twice a week around the base of the plant, avoiding the leaves. Little and often can be disastrous as it encourages the plant to produce roots closer to the surface in a desperate quest for moisture.