Tuesday, January 20, 2015

February 2015 Newsletter

Note from the President-   Spring, is by the calendar only seven more weeks away.  It is definitely something to look forward to as EMHS will be the host for the Michigan Hosta Society’s Garden Walk on June 13th, 2015 and there is planning to be done so that we can host a garden walk that is different than MHS has seen before.  We will discuss the Garden Walk at the meeting.  We are planning to have five or six sites featured as well as scheduled demonstrations at each of the sites throughout the day so visitors can learn besides viewing some beautiful gardens.  Some Michigan artists have been invited to set-up and sell their garden-related products at each of the sites to give visitors the opportunity to by some unique garden art.  EMHS is opening the tour to the public so that we can promote EMHS in our own community.  The Board is excited about doing something different in our club and is encouraging the membership to get involved with the planning and process of the tour.

One of the big Hosta News items for this spring is the introduction of the reddest leafed Hosta I have ever seen.  Bob and Nancy Solberg have produced Hosta “First Blush” and here is what they have to say: “'First Blush' not only has red petioles that extend into the leaf blade but also a thin red margin around the leaf, similar but much more dramatic than its parent 'Beet Salad'. However, the most exciting thing about 'First Blush' is that in spring the leaf between the veins will start to "blush" red from the tip of the leaf down toward the base. The leaves remain red here until temperatures surpass 92 degrees, usually into June. The color should persist longer in Northern gardens.

Again this year EMHS and SVHS will share a meeting with the featured speaker being Gene Bush of the late Munchkin Gardens in DePauw, IN.  This meeting will be on October 8th at the Mayfield Twp. Hall in Lapeer.  Please check the Calendar of Events and mark your personal calendars to attend this year’s meetings and events.

The speaker for the February meeting is Jan Everson.  Jan has been our February speaker for as long as I have been involved in EMHS and her pictorial presentations are always a way to see Hostas you want to purchase for your own gardens, learn different ways of gardening by seeing the pictures of other’s gardens, and the perfect way to get excited about spring.  The topic of Jan’s presentation will be the 2014 Michigan Hosta Tour Garden Walk and the 2014 Hosta Tailgate hosted by the GLRHS.

See you at the February 12th meeting,
Glen Pace
EMHS President

Next Meeting- will be held on February 12th, 2015 at the Mayfield Twp. Hall, 1900 N. Saginaw, Lapeer, MI 48446.  This is our regular meeting place located just south of the point of M-24 and N. Saginaw, (the driveway just north of the Cemetery).  The doors will open at 5:00 PM for Networking,  Dinner at 6:00 PM, Presentation at 7:00 PM,  short break at 8:00, and the Business Meeting at 8:15 PM. 

Review- the October 09, 2014 and December 11, 2014 Meeting Minutes on the blog.  We will vote to accept the minutes at the February 12, 2015 meeting.

2015  Calendar of Events     
            *denotes need for topic, speaker, or place
            Jan- no meeting
            Feb 12- Jan Everson at Mayfield Twp. Hall
            March 20&21- Hosta College, Piqua, OH
            April 09- Mayfield Twp. Hall, Speaker-Mike Grenya
            *May 14- Mayfield Twp. Hall, 
                           Speaker____, Topic____
            June 11- no meeting, members will 

                           work Garden Walk on June 13th.
            June 13- MHS Garden Walk hosted by EMHS
            June 18/20- AHS Convention at the Solberg’s in 
                           North Carolina
            June 27- MHS Leaf Show/Sale at MSU
            July 09- Member Garden Tour, at Melva Bond’s 
                            in Bridgeport, MI
            August 13- Member Garden Tour,
                                Dyane Moore's in Vassar
            *September 10- Annual Plant Exchange, Place__
            *Oct 08- Mayfield Twp. Hall, EMHS/SVHS
                                          Speaker Gene Bush from Depauw, IN
            Nov 12- Annual Board Meeting
            December 10- Christmas Party at Mayfield Twp. Hall

Consider Hosting an EMHS Meeting- We are in need of a host for our September 10th, 2015 meeting.  Please tell Glen if you are willing to open your gardens to our group for an evening of EMHS Plant Exchange fun.

MHS Garden Walk- EMHS will be hosting the 2015 MHS Garden Walk on June 13th.  We will be responsible for coordinating the garden tour for the Michigan Hosta Society.  Gardens in our area can be nominated to the EMHS Board for consideration of becoming part of the tour.  Nominations can be emailed to Glen or any other EMHS Board Member.  EMHS Members will be needed to work the tour sites as well as to provide refreshments at the sites.  The EMHS Board has been working on this project throughout the winter and more will be announced as plans are finalized.
 
Name Badges- If you need one of the new EMHS name badges, please put your printed name on the sign-up sheet at any meeting or you can email Glen with your request.  Glen will try to have your name badge at the next meeting. 

The EMHS T-shirts featuring Joseph Tychonievich's Hosta Addiction self-test are $18.00 each for an EMHS Member and $20.00 each for a non-member.  Sizes available are XXL and XXXL.  
The proceeds from the sale of this shirt go to promote our “Purpose” which is, to promote the interest of hostas and shade gardening; to extend horticultural education and activities to its members and the community.

Last of the Hosta Stones- available are 3 Iron colored 2013 Hosta Stones featuring “Indiana Bob" Balitewicz’s Hosta “Krugerrand” and 2 Brown 2012 Hosta Stones featuring Ron Livingston’s H. “Alakazaam” available.  All of the aforementioned stones are for sale on a first come first served basis.  If interested please call Cathy Hodgson.

Messages in Stone- Cathy Hodgson’s sister does stone engraving and has a way to put your desired message in stone.  Gene Arms had his newly made stone at the Christmas Party as an example of Cheryl Baldwin’s work.


To view examples of the possibilities just go to Cheryl’s web address, www.amessageinstone.com

EMHS Business Cards- are still available for members to take for promoting the club.  Ask any Board Member for details. 

Comments to the EMHS blog:  I am mentioning blog posting to let you know that your comments to the blog can be published too.  All you have to do is go to the EMHS blog at http://easternmichiganhostasociety.blogspot.com/   and comment to a blog posting which will alert me that you have made a comment.  Once I deem the comment valid for publishing I will okay and it will automatically be posted.  Please note that I cannot edit or spell check your comments, all I can do is to publish, ignore, or delete your comments.  All comments will be screened by me to deter any vulgarity or inappropriate comments being published to the EMHS blog.    Glen

Club Members selling Hosta or related products;
Please call or email to set an appointment before visiting
Daniels, Marlene- Bottle wind chimes. 810-664-8317, gardenfairy50@aol.com
Hanner, Mark/Becky- Pottery.  810-631-4292, mhanner@aol.com
Hunter, Barb- Hosta, Daylilies, Pond supplies. 810-664-7531, baha@chartermi.net
Lisik, Phil/Ginger-Hosta, Daylilies, other plants.  989-642-5772, lisik46@yahoo.com
Mitchell, Dyanna- Internet Rep. for Garden Inspired Products. gardenuity.com/dyanna 
Pickard, Carolyn- Daylilies, Hosta.   989-871-2873, robfamily5 @yahoo.com
Salk, Pat/Bill Kapustka- Daylilies.  810-678-3519, daylilyabode@msn.com
Smith, Stan/Mary Lou- Concrete leaves.  989-845-3455 smlsmith@chartermi.net

Websites of Interest:
American Hosta Society- http://www.americanhostasociety.org/
American Hosta Society Convention Website- http://www.hosta2012.com/
AHS Hosta Library Website- http://www.hostalibrary.org/
Michigan Hosta Society Website- http://www.hostahappenings.com/
Eastern Michigan Hosta Society blog- 
http://easternmichiganhostasociety.blogspot.com/
Hosta College Website- http://ihostohio.com/portal/glhc/

Hosta Society Membership info-
American Hosta Society
,  $30 individual, $57/2 years, $34 family, $62/2 years
Send dues to: Sandie Markland, AHS Membership Secretary, Post Office Box 7539, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

Michigan Hosta Society, 
Dues are $15 per household for up to two people, good for 2 years. Make checks payable to: The Michigan Hosta Society and send to; Michigan Hosta Society, 2509 Wembly Lane, Troy, MI 48084-1280

Eastern Michigan Hosta Society, Dues $5 per year per household, Make check payable to EMHS and mail to: Barb Hunter, EMHS Treasurer, 316 Davis Lake Rd. Lapeer, MI 48746

Saginaw Valley Hosta Society, Dues $5 per year per household, Make check payable to SVHS and mail to: Marge Greskowiak, SVHS Treasurer, 10025 Lakewood Dr., Saginaw, MI 48609

EMHS Board of Officers:
President                     Glen Pace      
pacegardens@charter.net      989-244-4029
Vice-President             Pam Walmsley     
no email                         810-964-2311
Treasurer                     Barb Hunter     
baha@chartermi.net              810-664-7531
Secretary                     Marlene Daniels     
gardenfairy50@aol.com        810-664-8317
Past President              Mark Hanner     
mhanner@aol.com                810-631-4292
Fund-                          Mick and                    
Raising                        Cathy Hodgson     
cehodgso@hotmail.com        810-664-8985

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Meeting Minutes December 11, 2014


The Meeting - was held at the Mayfield Twp. Hall on December 11, 2014

Doors Opened - at 5:00 for decorating the hall for Christmas Party.

The Meeting - was called to order by President Glen Pace at 6:20 pm followed by potluck dinner.

Business Meeting – started at 7:08 pm by President Glen Pace

Thanks – to all board members and Ken & Jan Zawisa for all they do for EMHS,  also thanks to the membership for their support.

Calendar of Events for 2015:
January- no meeting
February 12 – Jan Everson
March – Hosta College
April 9th – Mayfield Twp. Hall, Speaker Mike Grenya 
May 14th - ?
June – no meeting   Michigan Hosta Society Garden Tour June 13th
July – Melva Bond’s home
August – Dyane Moore’s home
September – Annual Plant Exchange (no destination as of now)
October –Mayfield Twp. Hall, Speaker Gene Bush
November – No membership meeting, Board meeting November 12th
December 10th – Mayfield Twp. Hall, Christmas Party

Michigan Hosta Society Garden Tour- EMHS will be hosting the garden tour this year. This is a one day tour. Gardens so far- Hanners, Hunter, Hodgson, Pace, Lapeer County Display Garden. If you would like to volunteer your garden for the tour please give pictures and map to Glen Pace.  Garden items will be for sale at each garden. Also we will have scheduled 15 minute demonstrations (garden related) at the gardens. EMHS will publicize that it is open to the public. We will be making trifolds for EMHS . Many volunteers will be needed for this to be a success. 

Name badges – if any member needs a badge please let one of the board members know.  If you need a replacement badge make sure you save the magnet from the back and cost to replace will be $2.00

2014 Plant exchange- was a success this year. Members were asked if they had any questions or suggestions, none were given.

Hosta Stones – EMHS will no longer be selling hosta stones.  Rice’s the manufacturer of our stones has gone out of business.

EMHS plant sales – Q & Z has gone out of business. Mark Zelis and his son have gone into business with the Solbergs. Made in the Shade – has offered hosta plants to our club at wholesale prices – which were still quite high. We need to step this up because this will be one of our main fundraisers, since we no longer have the hosta stones to sell. Cathy Hodgson reported we have (3) iron 2012, (2) brown 2012, (2) natural 2011 stones still available then that will be the end of our inventory.

Treasurer’s report – Barb Hunter, treasurer, November 2014 end of the month balance was $---.--. We had to return money to 4 people who had pre ordered hosta stones.

Cathy Hodgson – had brought a stone with EMHS engraved on to show the membership.  Her sister sells these. Glen will post to the blog and put in the newsletter information for the purchase of these stones.

Gift Exchange – Participation for those that brought a gift to be exchanged.

Adjournment – 8:15pm

Respectfully submitted,

Marlene Daniels, EMHS Secretary