February 2010 Newsletter

Eastern Michigan Hosta Society
February 2010 Newsletter
Note from the President:
It has been a long cold winter and we still have a couple more months of winter to endure. If we think back to last year we have a lot to be proud of; The 2009 EMHS Hosta Stones commemorating the 2009 AHS Convention were unveiled at Hosta College in Piqua, Ohio and were a great success as always. Michigan was the site for the American Hosta Society's Convention and Tour. Five EMHS member's Gardens were chosen to be tour sites on the AHS Convention Tour. EMHS members gathered at the gardens of tour sites to help those owners prepare for the AHS Convention Tour. The Convention and Tour were a thrill to take part in. Mark Hanner finally got to step away from being the EMHS long standing President (he started EMHS and thankfully still gives a lot of guidance). We had wonderful gardens as meeting sites with gracious hospitality during the summer. The annual EMHS Plant Exchange was a huge success. We had new members join EMHS and we ended the year with a Christmas Party that was very well attended.

Now it is time to start thinking about spring and what EMHS has planned for the year. In this newsletter you will find a number of things that need immediate attention as well as dates to mark on your calendar. At the February 18^th meeting there will be sign-up sheets for providing refreshments at the monthly meetings, helpers for the Hodgson's at Hosta College, the grafting class in April, Hosta Stones, the bus trip to Van Wade's, and possibly a few other things. Please help as much as you can.
I look forward to seeing you throughout the year.
Glen

February 18^th Meeting:
The February meeting will be a slide presentation of the 2009 AHS Convention and Tour. This presentation by Jan Everson is an annual event for EMHS. Jan is the current Editor of the MHS Newsletter, Past President of MHS, Past Board member of MHS, and has won many Hosta Awards. Jan goes to the Convention every year, takes photos of all the gardens on the tour, then puts them into a slide presentation that is a sight to behold. Be sure to bring a piece of paper and pen or pencil so you can write down the names of Hosta and other plants you will see on the slides that you will want for your own garden.

The meeting will be held at the Mayfield Twp. Hall at 1900 (7:00pm). This is our usual indoor meeting place located at 1900 N. Saginaw in Lapeer. It is the first building north of the cemetery and is just south of the point of Saginaw and M-24.

Hosta Stones and Hosta College:
Mick and Cathy Hodgson have been working to get the 2010 Hosta Stones into production. I was sent a photo of the prototype this morning and it looks great! There are three leaves of Hosta “Seducer” depicted on the stone and all that has to be added is the plant's name and the name of the hybridizer, Stuart Asch. Once the prototype has been approved by Mick and Cathy the stone will go into production.

Since the Hosta Stones will be unveiled at Hosta College in Piqua, OH on March 19^th, we would like to remind members planning to go help Mick and Cathy that they will have to register for Hosta College. Registration begins for MHS members, on Feb 6, 12:01 AM. EMHS members who haven't joined MHS can do so right away and still take advantage of the date and rate break for members. You can email Mark at mhanner@aol.com for details.

Cathy stated that she had a partial list of those members that had stated they would help at Hosta College, but we ask that you please verify with Cathy by emailing her at cehodgso@hotmail.com .

Grafting Class:
The April meeting is a Japanese Maple Grafting Class. Glen has ordered 100 rootstock and grafting supplies for 100 trees for this class. There will be a sign-up sheet at the February meeting for those planning on grafting their own tree. The cost for the rootstock and supplies will be approximately $5.00 per tree (Glen is going to supply the scion wood free of charge). Glen asks that you sign up on the sheet at the meeting or email him at pacegardens@charter.net so he has time to cut sufficient scion wood to accommodate all people planning on buying the kit.

2010 Calendar of Events:

February 18- EMHS Meeting, 2009 Convention/Tour Slide Presentation. Speaker Jan Everson. At Mayfield Twp Hall in Lapeer.

March 19/20- Hosta College in Piqua,OH. Hosta Stone unveiling and sales. EMHS' primary fundraiser

April 8- EMHS Meeting, Japanese Maple Grafting Presentation and Grafting Session. Speaker Glen Pace. Kits for grafting your own tree provided at cost. Glen and Mark will assist you with grafting your own tree. At Mayfield Twp. Hall in Lapeer.

May 13- EMHS Meeting, Photographing Your Hosta and Garden. Speaker William Dwyer. At Mayfield Twp Hall in Lapeer.

May 15- EMHS follow-up meeting, Photography Practice Session with William Dwyer at the Hanner's garden in Otisville.

May 23- Spring cleanup at Hidden Lake Gardens

June 3- EMHS Meeting at Joanna Kovalcsik's in Vassar

June 19- MHS Garden Walks Tour in Marshall, MI

June 23-26 – AHS National Convention in MN

July 10- MHS Hosta Cut Leaf Show and Plant Sale at MSU

July 15- EMHS Meeting at Pat Salk and Bill Kapustka's in Metamora

July 17/18- EMHS Bus Tour to Ohio (Van Wade's and another nursery)

August 5- EMHS Meeting at Carol Leonard's in Leonard, MI

August 22- Fall workday and auction at Hidden Lake Gardens

September 2- EMHS Meeting, Annual Plant Exchange at Pace Gardens in Clio

October and November- No scheduled meetings unless we can arrange a speaker for these months.

December- EMHS Annual Christmas Party. Date and place to be announced.

EMHS Annual Club Plant Sale:
This year's Club plants from Bob Solberg will be; Awakening Angel, Cup of Grace, Holy Mouse Ears, Paradise Island, Spartacus, and Summer Lovin'. For those that receive the newsletter by email there is a page of pictures included. An order blank is attached to this newsletter and will also be available at the Feb. meeting. Plants must be paid for at the time they are ordered. Make checks out to EMHS.

Bus Tour to Central Ohio:
Mark Hanner is finalizing the plans for the bus tour to Ohio. Stops will include Van Wade's and another nursery. There will be a sign-up sheet at the Feb meeting for those planning to take this trip. The planned dates are July 17 and 18. Any questions can be emailed to Mark Hanner at mhanner@aol.com . Mark will give updates at the monthly meetings.

Name Tags:
Since we have new members since the last time we ordered name tags we will be placing an order soon. There will be a sign-up sheet at the Feb meeting for those members that need a name tag. We will be using a new supplier for the name tags and Glen wants to have all tags made at one time.

EMHS Membership Directory:
We have had requests for a membership directory. Our last directory was made available in 2007. Since this involves privacy issues we will discuss this further at the Feb meeting.

Membership Dues:
It is the time of year to pay your membership dues. Dues must be paid by March 31^st. We will be leaving the cost at the nominal fee of $5.00 per couple/garden per year. Please bear in mind that this entitles the couple to only one chance at our monthly door prize drawings. If both people of a couple want to have chances in any given drawing they must pay separate dues. Dues can be paid at the Feb meeting or can be mailed to EMHS Treasurer Mary Smith, 3431 Swaffer, Millington, MI 48746. Mary keeps an updated list of current members as some have paid their dues in advance. If you are unsure of your status please ask Mary.

This year we will ask every member to make out a new membership application. This will be done to verify the information we have on file as well as there being a new question on the application, “Do you want your information published in a membership directory?”. There will be an “opt out” check box on the application for those wishing to keep their personal information private.

Newsletter Additions?:
If you have information to be put into the EMHS Newsletter please forward that information to Glen at pacegardens@charter.net . No personal or business ads please. At this time we do not place ads in the EMHS Newsletter.

EMHS Officers:

President Glen Pace
pacegardens@charter.net

Vice-President Carolyn Pickard
(no email)

Treasurer Mary Smith
brooktrout@tds.net

Secretary Marlene Daniels
gardenfairy50@aol.com

Past President Mark Hanner
mhanner@aol.com

Garden Stone Organizers Mick and Cathy Hodgson
cehodgso@hotmail.com

EMHS Hosta Sale 2010

____ $12 Awakening Angel (F. Nyikos 2005) (‘Mikawa-no-yuki’ X ‘Uncle John’) - Large, (15” X 60”) This very waxy, blue hosta has flat, spear-shaped leaves fortified with the strength of many deeply impressed veins. The clump is perfectly laid out in a large, very flat, flowing rosette. It has pale purple flowers in July and August. It makes a large, low spreading mound, perfect next to a rock or at the end of the hosta bed.

____ $17 Cup of Grace (Beilstein 2009) (‘Halcyon’ X ‘Breeder’s Choice’ op. seedling) Medium, (21" X 36") What do hosta folks want in a "dream hosta"? Frequently, they want it to be very dark green with white flowers. Add a very upright habit and highly cupped leaves and you have ‘Cup of Grace’. This hosta is very well proportioned and exhibits classic grace. Striking as the focal point in a mixed container.

____ $12 Holy Mouse Ears (M. Zilis, E. & J. Deckert 2006) (‘Royal Mouse Ears’ sport) - Small, (6” X 16”) Of all the ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ forms, this one is my favorite. The cute round leaves have a blue margin and an unique bluish yellow center that becomes creamy white in part sun. Lavender flowers top its short, stocky scapes in June. It is the baby of the family.

____ $14 Paradise Island (M. Fransen) (Sport of ‘Fire Island’) - Small-medium, (14” X 24”) This is a spectacular hosta in early spring with glowing yellow leaves bordered in green and rich purple petioles with color often up into the leaf. The leaves do become chartreuse in summer when topped by nice lavender flowers in July and August. A great container plant!

____ $14 Spartacus (Shady Oaks Nursery/H. Hansen 2007) (Sport of ‘Sea Gulf Stream’) - Large, (17”X36”) I do not know if it is the wonderfully ruffled yellow margin or the striking color contrast of it and the dark green leaf center, (bluish in spring), but this hosta makes you look twice. Pale lavender flowers in June. Easier to grow than its parent.

____ $12 Summer Lovin' (Q & Z Nursery 2004) (Sport of ‘Summer Breeze’) - Medium, (18” X 36” or larger) This hosta has a strange attraction for me, it has a certain glow about it. The rich gold margins contrast well with the almost round, dark green centers of leaves that have substance and shine. Lavender flowers appear in July. As attractive in spring as it is in summer.

Photos of these can be seen at Green Hill Farm’s website, hosthosta.com . We have added a small surcharge to the club price to cover shipping and handling and generate funds toward club expenses.

PLANTS MAY BE ORDERED AT THE FEB 18TH MEETING. PAYMENT WILL BE DUE WITH ORDER. NO ORDERS ACCEPTED AFTER FEB 28TH.

H. “Paradise Island”

H. “Awakening Angel”

H. “Spartacus”

H. “Cup of Grace”

H. “Summer Lovin”

H. “Holy Mouse Ears”