the garden of
Ken & Jodi Hosale
W elcome to our hosta garden surrounding our century old farm house purchased in 1987 and located in Mequon, Wisconsin.  In addition to providing space for the garden, the property also serves as the workshop and gallery for the family-owned carpentry, fine woodworking, and furniture making business.  The garden first took root in 1988 after we lined both sides of the newly laid sidewalk with perennial beds containing six different hosta varieties.  While initially only serving as a decorative accent along the sidewalk, the small garden inevitably grew to engulf about 25% of the one-acre property, and given all of the mature trees that already inhabited the property, the six original varieties quickly grew to over 400.  When visiting the garden, one will find hosta clumps ranging in age from recently planted to over 23 years old.  Approximately 90% of the beds contain clumps which have grown in the garden for five years or more, however the garden also has one bed dedicated to sports and seedlings.  The garden areas consist of raised beds with fieldstone borders and have never contained any chemicals or mulch.  Jodi and I always enjoy working in our garden and sharing it with others, and we look forward to seeing you in 2013. 

Sincerely,

Ken and Jodi Hosale
 

Garden Tour Photos



H. 'Atlantis' H. 'Blazing Saddles' H. 'Blue Monday' H. 'Colossal'
 




Ferns in the Front H. 'Ginsu Knife' H. 'Krugerrand' H. montana 'Aureomarginata'
 


H. 'Moonstruck' H. 'My Fine Feathered Friend' Seedling Bed Side Yard
 

 
My Visit: Jean Meyer
Pine Island, MN
 
The gardens, surrounding the handsome century-old farmhouse, which is used as a home and business for Ken and Jodi Hosale, create a beautiful and satisfying setting while providing a rare retreat from the busy street.  Hostas are the stars in the Hosale gardens.  Whatever your preference in hostas, you will find superb examples in the Hosale gardens. 

Majestic trees provide a high light shade canopy for the gardens.  The high canopies allow morning sun and dappled light to shine on the gardens, and the hostas are thriving. 

Carefully laid field stone lined garden beds fill the front and side yard and frame a parking area for the home business and gallery.  The only grass in the front yard is in the wide, meandering paths that lead you around the beds, the house, and the yard.  Whether strolling the garden paths or along the front sidewalk, you are liable to get whiplash just trying to take in all the gorgeous hosta specimens. 

Hosta ‘Victory’ grabs the eye of anyone sauntering down the sidewalk.  It is a magnificent clump and is given enough room to show itself off.   

The hostas throughout this garden are displayed well, so their form can be appreciated.  A top dressing of compost creates a nice background canvas.  

Further along, a young clump of ‘Wintergreen’ is framed by ‘Praying Hands’.  Situated in a morning sunny spot is a very nice ‘Ginsu Knife’, with its flowing wavy leaves adding a softer feel to the garden.  

Approaching the front entry, large clumps of martagon lilies add color, texture, and vertical lines to the bed. The always eye catching H. montana ‘Aureomarginata’ is just beyond, near the front steps, and then, an even bigger clump is just around the corner!  

Iris, variegated iris, and phlox added a note of color.  Actea (aka Cimicifuga) and conifer standards in sunnier spots are also used to add interest and texture to the beds.  Interesting and whimsical artwork is added in various beds, but the showcase art is the hostas.

The side yard is also filled with beds, and the lawn path draws you along.  With hostas to the right and hostas to the left, it is hard to know where to look.  There are outstanding mature hostas, some over 20 years old, and lots of new additions throughout.  H. ‘Stingray’, one of the newer additions, is just starting to flout its long, pointed, rippled, and noticeably veined leaves.

H. 'Victory'
Charlie Seaver provided a very interesting guest plant, ‘My Fine Feathered Friend’.  This hosta has a feather of gold through the center and gold feathery margins on the large slightly wavy leaves. Close by was an impressive ‘Earth Angel’.  I can’t wait for my own to look this good.  Also, along the bright side yard was a very nice ‘Silk Kimono’.  On the smaller side, there was an outstanding ‘Restless Sea’, with its riot of undulating and serrated leaves that occasionally show white backs reminding you of, well, a restless sea.

Sitting in a sunny spotlight, a ‘Krugerrand’ commanded attention further along the side yard.  An upright bright gold, it lit up the garden.  With blue hostas in the foreground, it was very showy.  There were many blue-toned hostas throughout this area, creating a calming oasis. 

The south and west exposure of the back yard gets a lot more sun, but foundation beds, with mature trees, provide ample space for more hostas.  H. ‘Atlantis’ and ‘Colossal’ were treats to behold.  H. ‘Paradise Power’ jumped out of a group of green-toned hostas, with its longish, slightly wavy, green-margined gold leaves, and upright form.  

The high filtered shade seems to be perfect for growing a striking ‘Moonstruck’, a low mound of white-centered leaves. 

H. ‘Tutu’, with ruffled leaves and upright form, which does indeed look like a tutu, contrasts with the straight-laced ‘Unchained Melody’ and ‘Sum Total’.  Peonies scattered throughout also add texture and color.

Hosta beds were used to frame and soften the parking area for the gallery, workshop, and business area of the home.  A large ‘Blazing Saddles’ softened the corner.  A bed that wrapped from the driveway to the front yard held numerous outstanding hostas.  In the morning sun, an ‘American Sweetheart’ was stunning as was ‘Touch of Class’.  H. ‘Queen Josephine’ was even shinier in this sunlit area. 

A swath of Ostrich fern framed the driveway and provided a pleasant contrast in texture to the hostas.  A bed of sports and seedlings is also in this area.  This is a bed to watch. 

Past the entrance walk to the house, and closer to the business entrance, was a ‘Jade Cascade’, showing off its long legs and long leaves.  I love the lines of this plant.  Thank goodness it was close to the refreshments, or I might have missed it.  It is easy to miss something, as there is so much too see. 

The Hosales have a fine carpentry/furniture and gallery business on their one-acre lot.  The attention paid to the detailed trim work shown on their home is carried through to their gardens.  Filled with 400 plus hostas, carefully grown and beautifully maintained, it was a pleasure to stroll through the hostas.
 

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