August 2019 Newsletter

Note from the President- From a wet spring to a heat wave in in July, welcome to Mid-Michigan’s unpredictable weather patterns.   The rains of spring made our Hosta gardens grow phenomenally and produce some of the best Hosta growth we have seen in recent years.   Then, during the heat wave some gardeners got the spotty rains that popped up and they didn’t even have to water their gardens to get them through the heat and dry while other gardeners endured Mother Nature’s wrath of not even a sprinkle of rain.  

In my gardens there are non-ephemeral plants that are already going dormant because of the dry conditions and the heat.    Some but not all varieties of Polygonatum have lost most all of their stems even before they could produce any seed.   Most of the Trillium that did not have seed pods have already disappeared, but the ones with seed pods are still up and ripening their seeds.    For the second time in the 32 years that Pace Gardens has been in existence, deer have found their way over my fences and browsed through the gardens eating Hosta leaves, Trillium, Lilium canadense, and for the first time they have decimated the Asarum canadense (wild Ginger) and the mini trailing Pink flowered Violet.   First Nations people used the wild ginger to treat stomach upset so maybe the deer needed something to settle their stomach after eating everything else in my gardens.   Just a bit of further information; please do not use wild ginger to treat your own gastric ailments as this plant can cause liver failure. 

Our last meeting at Rob and Susie Trott’s was a wonderful experience.    Their gardens are beautiful, the Koi are amazing, and Rob and Susie’s mounts from their hunting excursions were a collection of amazement.   Thank you, Rob and Susie for being fantastic hosts.

Our next meeting is at the Marttila’s in Lapeer.   Nancy and Marvin have hosted our meetings in the past and this will surely be a fun meeting.   Be sure to bring your own chair for this meeting as well as your favorite dish to pass for the potluck.  

There are still a few plants left over from the Annual Plant Sale that the Fund-Raising Committee will be selling at the meeting.  

I want to thank the Board for their commitment to EMHS and all they do to keep the club running smoothly, all the people that donate to the door prize drawings and raffles, and all our members for their support of EMHS. 

Sincerely,
Glen Pace
EMHS President

Next Meeting- August 8^th, 2019, at the home of Marvin and Nancy Marttila; 1920 Callis Rd., Lapeer, MI 48446, phone 810-664-7589.  Tour of the gardens and networking will start at 5:00 PM.   Please bring your favorite dish to pass and don’t forget to bring your lawn chairs and bug spray.

Directions- Multiple roads remain closed in downtown Lapeer.  If you are coming from the South, East, or West be sure to take I-69 to M-24.

-From I-69 take exit 155, M-24, Lapeer Road.   Turn to the North and drive 3.5 miles to David Lake Road.  Turn left (west) on Davis Lake Rd and drive 0.7 miles to Callis Rd.  Turn Right (North) and drive 0.5 miles to the destination on the right.  Drive 6/10ths of a mile to Callis Rd. and turn left (North) and drive 7/10^ths of a mile to the house on the right. 

            -From I-75- Take I-75 to I- 69 East.  Drive 24 miles to Exit 155 M-24, Lapeer Road and then follow the directions above.

            -From Saginaw Area- take I-75 south and follow the directions above or take M-46 East to M-24.  Turn right (South) and drive 25.8 miles to Davis Lake Road.  Turn right (West) and drive 7/10^ths of a mile to Callis Rd.  Turn right (North) and drive 5/10^ths of a mile to the house on the right. 
            **Note- Barb Hunter lives at 316 Davis Lake Road (the 3^rd house off M-24) and will open for business (Hosta, water gardening, Koi, daylilies) at 3:00 PM for anybody that would like to come by on their way to the meeting.  When I spoke with her today, she had just made another couple raised beds to accommodate all the new sale plants.  Barb will close at 4:30 so everybody can make it to the meeting on time.

Please remember to bring your favorite dish to pass for the potluck and plan to have a great time.                               

The time schedule for the evening is;
1700-   Networking
1800-   Potluck
1900-   Business Meeting
1915-   View Gardens

EMHS Calendar of Events 2019
Aug 8- Garden Tour at The Marttila’s in Lapeer
Sept 12- EMHS Plant Exchange, at Sun Crest in Lapeer
Oct 10- Chris & Connie Green at Mayfield Twp. Hall Lapeer
Nov 14- Board Meeting at Whitey’s in Davison
Dec 12- Annual Christmas Party, Mayfield Twp. Hall Lapeer, MI

A Hosta Lovers Additional Dates of Interest:
Aug 18^th – Hidden Lake Gardens Workday

Review the July 11^th, 2019 Meeting Minutes on the blog.  We will vote to accept the minutes at the August 8^th, 2019 meeting.

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. 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
Brown, Deb- Aeroponic Tower Garden.
     505-379-9100, www.debbrown.towergarden.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
Pickard, Carolyn- Hosta.  
     989-871-2873, robfamily5 @yahoo.com

Websites of Interest:
American Hosta Society- http://www.americanhostasociety.org/
American Hosta Society Convention Website-            http://www.americanhostasociety.org/Activities/Conventions.htm
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 $20 per year per household, Make check payable to SVHS and mail to: Gordon Burnside, 11640 W Freeland Rd. Freeland, MI 48623

EMHS Board of Officers:
President                   Glen Pace
  pacegardens@charter.net    989-244-4029
Vice-President             Becky Hanner
  BGHanner@aol.com             810-631-4292
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-Raising        Mick and Cathy Hodgson
  cehodgso@hotmail.com       810-664-8985