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A belated Happy New Year to you all!!!!! I hope you had
a joyous Holiday Season, as Mardy and I did. Visiting with our
grandsons, 19 and 5 months, as well as our daughters and
son-in-law made for very special times. With all of the yard
work done, the potted seedlings covered up tight and new
seedlings growing in the basement, you might think it's time
for a rest. But...........
The Winter Scientific Meeting near Chicago
was held in late January. What a great event! It was
a real treat to see so much enthusiasm deep in the heart of
winter. I was also excited to speak at the Black Swamp
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I would welcome
the opportunity to talk with your Club or Society. Just
drop me an email and we can set it up. It is one of my
goals to talk with as many locals as possible during the year.
No rest now. The AHS Online Auction just
concluded. Don Dean, our online auction specialist, got
primo plants and, as always, a fun time was had by all. By
now, I'm sure you have noticed that we have changed servers for
the AHS website with a few minor changeover pains. We thank Josh
Spece for his great effort in getting this done. What
valuable people to the AHS both Don and Josh are!
Sad
times, but also exciting opportunities, have come our way. Ken
Harris has resigned as VP of Publications. Our very own
Mike Shadrack has worked hard to cover the position in Ken's
absence until a replacement could be found. I want to
personally thank Mike for his dedication to the AHS. With this
newsletter I'm happy to announce that we now have Ken's
replacement! Barbara Schroeder from Champaign, Illinois has
stepped up to become our new VP Publications. I look forward
to working with Barb in the years ahead.
First a few good-byes: Richard Kimball has
tendered his resignation as Advertising Chair for the Journal.
Ken Harris has additionally resigned as our Photo Editor after
two spectacular Online Hosta Journals. Late
last week Jim Weidman also called and tendered his resignation
as VP of Member Services.
Now for the exciting opportunities that we
have going forward: Marlys Anderson (Pella, IA) has
accepted the combined function of Advertising Coordinator, so
all advertising will now go through her capable hands. Rick
Goodenough (Marshfield, MA) is the new VP of Member Services.
Rick Schroeder, husband of Barb, will be assuming the
responsibility of being our new Photo Editor.
Welcome aboard Marlys, Barb, Rick, and Rick!
On behalf of the membership, I want to thank you all for
stepping forward to help us keep the AHS a great society!
We now have only one position to fill - Auction
Chair. Our Onsite auctions at the yearly conventions are a
vital part of our society's finances. We desperately need
someone in this position to help us coordinate with our
host societies in running the auction. Please consider
joining us or forward to me any recommendations you have for
this office.
Wow! What a
fantastic online auction that just concluded online January
28th!
Kudos to Don Dean, Chair of the online auction, and
his helpers, Joanna Kovalcsik and Bill Meyer. Big thanks
to Bob Axmear for hosting the auction at the HostaLibrary site
again this year. And, of course, to all of the generous
donors and bidders!
As a result of all of these efforts, the AHS was
the biggest winner with total proceeds of $11,754.81!!!
Don reminds everyone to please check the auction
results page and to please settle your winnings with Don within
the next 2 weeks. Instructions on how to make payment for
winnings are HERE.
Thanks to everyone who had a hand in this!
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As you can
see, there are many opportunities to get involved in all
types of hosta activities so check out what the local club
in your area provides. As I write this, I'm already
getting excited about checking out our next Hosta Journal
due out in March. Bob Olson always has some rare treats
in there for us. I wonder how the seedlings under the white
co-poly are doing??? Never a dull moment..........
Time to transplant!
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“Hostas,
Friends, & Music” - The 2012 AHS National Convention -
June 13-16
In 2012, we venture into Mason Dixon
territory, where southern hospitality and genteel gardens
invite the imagination to wander while savoring the sweet
perfume of magnolia. The next registration deadline is April
14th – after that the registration fee increases
significantly. Make your plans now (and save some $$
for vending :-) ). We hope you will make a very special
attempt to attend this wonderful convention. This is a new
venue for AHS conventions and the Middle Tennessee Hosta
Society has worked hard to bring us local hospitality, new
and beautiful gardens and the sites and culture of the
Nashville area. |
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--SAVE THE DATE!--
June 12 – 16, 2013 is the AHS Convention in the Milwaukee,
Wisconsin area!! Come and experience a new twist on AHS
conventions with its slightly shorter format and ‘create
your own tour’ experience from the terrific garden options
co-chairs Jack Barta and Tom Micheletti have lined up for us!
We know what Lite Beer is about – now we’ll discover what
a Lite Convention is all about! Yes, it’s true - no
buses are planned. Worried about driving on your own?
Take some initiative and get a group of friends together.
Rent a shuttle of your own. Heck - rent a mini bus if
you have a lot of friends or want to make lots of new friends!
There will be help matching attendees needing rides with
others willing to provide rides as well. I, for one,
will not miss sitting in the back of a large bus next to the
bathroom or having to leave a gorgeous garden at the sound of
a whistle when I’ve not seen it all! If we focus more
on the positive aspects of trying something new, we will all
find it more enjoyable! Many of the familiar things we
love remain the same – Hosta Show, Vending, Live Auction,
and Hostatality. There’s no way I would miss this and
I hope you’ll plan to be there, too!
--Could your group be a
future AHS Convention Host??--
The AHS is excited about opening up discussions with any local
hosta group or society interested in learning more about
hosting a National Convention starting with 2016 and beyond.
There are more options than ever for AHS hosts. I look
forward to helping you craft a special convention for AHS
members. Please contact me
at
(507) 289-2614 and prestonplants@aol.com for more information
or to start a conversation. The excitement is
growing!
Cindy (Cindy
Tomashek - Executive Vice President)
Contact
Cindy Tomashek |
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Membership
If your AHS membership expired on December 31, 2011,
and you have not yet renewed, please remember that you must
now include a $5.00 late fee with your renewal.
Complete renewal information is available on the AHS
website.
Sandie Markland
(Membership Secretary)
Contact
Sandie Markland |
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Genus
Hosta
The AHS is considering at this time future research on
the problem of foliar nematodes. As we begin to
interview potential research candidates and organizations,
I’d like to ask for feedback and guidance from our
membership about what we can do that best serves all of us in
our battle against these pests.
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Would
you personally consider supporting nematode research?
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Would
your local/regional society consider supporting nematode
research?
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What
would you define as the key objectives of such nematode
research?
Please feel free to email me
your thoughts.
Rob Mortko (Vice
President Genus Hosta)
Contact
Rob Mortko |
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Judging and
Exhibitions
Several rule changes were made at the Board
meeting in November. They will go into effect as of March 1,
2012. I will talk more in depth about them in the forthcoming
Judge’s Newsletter. As always, if you need additional time
to come into compliance, let us know, and we will make the
necessary arrangements. |
First, all leaf show chairs must be an AHS judge. In the past
it was recommended, now it is required. Second, all Master
Judges, in order to maintain their master’s status, must
teach or attend a Judges Clinic I every three years. Third,
the Judge’s Chair for the leaf show must verify that the
judges who have signed up to judge the show are eligible to
judge. An updated judge’s list is posted on the AHS web site
on the first of March each year.
Which brings us to the project Judy Burns has
started: bringing everyone’s records up to date. As of the
writing of this article, only 75 of 244 judges have sent
updates or acknowledged that the records we have are accurate.
If I haven’t heard something from you by the time the March
list comes out, I can only assume you have decided not to
judge anymore and your names will not be included as eligible
to judge. If you need more time, please let me know.
This also brings us to the requirement that a
judge must be in good standing with the AHS. Pay your dues. If
they are not paid by March 1st, your name will not go onto the
judge’s list and you will not be eligible to judge.
Finally, a reminder to hosta originators/hybridizers,
your nominations for the Benedict Garden Performance Award are
due in writing to the Garden Performance chair by Feb 15th. |
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| Chuck Zdeb
(Vice President Judging and Exhibitions) |
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Chuck Zdeb
5803 Hearn Road
Ellenwood, GA 30294
Contact Chuck Zdeb
770-593-0895 |
Judy Burns
3070 Hudson Way
Decatur, GA 30033
Contact Judy Burns |
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Awards and
Honors
The most up-to-date list of contacts with local
societies that we have is the one maintained by Mary Bardens
of the Newsletter Editors. By now, all those on that list
should have received from me a letter which I have asked you
to bring to the attention of your Society’s President and
Board.
The President's Wall
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The American Hosta
Society would like to honor for their distinguished service
those members of local Hosta Societies who have for years been
the backbone of the local group. We all know these lovely
people. They are the folks who always turn up early,
volunteer even when it rains, make sure that the chairs are set
out and that the kettle is always on. The letter asks local
Societies to nominate two such people before the 1st of April
this year.
If anyone reading this is a member of The Daffodil
and Hosta Society of Western Pennsylvania, The Metro Detroit
Hosta Society, The Middle Tennessee Hosta Society, The Quebec
Hosta and Hemerocallis Association, The Saginaw Hosta Society,
The Southwest Michigan Hosta Society or the Upstate New York
Hosta Society, I would be delighted if you could put me in touch
with one of your current Board members.
Readers are also
reminded that nominations for the AHS Top Awards - The Alex J.
Summers Distinguished Merit Award and the Eunice Fisher
Distinguished Hybridizer Merit Award should reach me before
April 1st, 2012. Nomination forms can be found in the 2011
Online Journal or can be forwarded on request.
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Treasurer
AHS
Treasurer, Kim Larsen, would like to remind all
members that the AHS budget is online at the AHS
website.
Any
questions regarding the AHS budget may be addressed
with Kim.
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AHS
Website
If you have
visited the AHS website recently, it is possible that
you encountered some errors or broken links. Since
September, we have been preparing to move the website
to a new, faster server with plenty of space for the
website to grow. The move turned out to be a bigger,
more complicated process than anticipated, but the
switch on the new server was finally flipped just
before the New Year.
Unfortunately, but
not surprisingly, some unexpected bugs resulted. I
think we have squashed most of the bugs now, but
please let me know if you find something that is not
working correctly. It is just as frustrating for me as
it is for you, when the website is not functioning
properly. Your patience and understanding are always
appreciated.
Contact
Josh Spece
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Membership
Directory
There's
still time to get your updated contact info in to the
Membership Secretary for the upcoming Membership
Directory. If you've changed address, phone, or email,
let us know! Hurry though, because it's going to the
printer soon! |
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2011 AHS
Popularity Poll
It is time to cast your votes for the annual AHS
Hosta Popularity Poll! Take a "mental stroll" through your garden
to refresh your memory of your favorite hostas, then log on
and vote.
Popularity Poll voting is only open to AHS
members so once you are on the American Hosta Society website
(www.hosta.org) click the “Members” link along the left
side of the page. You will then need to enter the
members password. The password is published in The Hosta
Journal. If you do not have your Journal handy, you can
contact the AHS Membership Secretary for the password.
Once you enter the password, click “Submit.”
You are now logged into the Members Only
area of the website. You can access the Popularity Poll
voting page by clicking the “Popularity Poll” link on the
left side of the page.
Once you are on the Popularity Poll voting page
scroll down to the bold heading that says “Online Voting.”
Follow the instructions on the page to cast your votes.
It is very important to NOT press the Enter or
Return key on your keyboard after you begin entering your
votes! Doing so will submit your ballot before it is
complete.
Unfortunately, this is a “feature” of the
polling service the AHS uses and is beyond our control.
Anyone who has trouble voting is more than
welcome to contact me for help!
Contact
Josh Spece |
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Come
and experience "Hostas, Friends and Music"
2012 American Hosta Society Convention
June 13-16th Nashville (TN) Airport Marriott
www.Hosta2012.com
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The
Scientific Seminar will include seven hosta presentations...
original photographs taken by Eric Smith... the Keynote
address by George W. Schmid.... latest DNA studies by Ben
Zonnenveld of Leiden, the Netherlands... Plus... other topics
of interest - a talk on hydrangea, Japanese maples and
conifers... and two historical talks including the Emmy
winning "Rise of the Southern Biscuit".
A unique Photography Contest will offer attendees
the opportunity to show their skills in macro-photography,
hosta flower photography and humor in interpreting "Yard
Art". The Hosta Hat Contest will return on Saturday
evening with the Parade of Hats. (See the website for
rules on the above.)
Optional and Convention tours will feature
historic gardens and homes, unique plant materials and
collections, and the opportunity to see southeastern hosta
gardens.
There will be the traditional Hosta Show, Vendors
with some of the newest hosta registrations, Auctions, and Old
Friends to Greet and New Ones to Meet. |
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A special tour
rate has been obtained from Gray Line for the Grand Ole Opry
and we'll even have a bit of music at the hotel.
Early Registration $229 ------ postmarked by 1/31
Full Registration $249 ------- postmarked 2/01 through 4/14
Late Full Registration $280 ------ postmarked 4/15 through
5/15
Visa and Master Card accepted with a $10 convenience fee.
We'll be serving up Southern hospitality and sweet tea.
Y'all come!
Cornelia Holland and Virginia Gregory-Kocaj
Members of the Middle Tennessee Hosta Society
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The
Hosta Journal
The
next issue of the Journal is close to being finished. It should be
at the printer by Valentine’s Day. Shortly
thereafter it will be in the mail. This
issue has some unusual, interesting tidbits: George Schmid tells
about hostas and rainfall patterns in America and Asia, and why they
are important in hosta cultivation. |
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There are a few practical items: I tell about my
most-recent-favorite tool, and the Koopmans give a tip on using a
digital camera to keep track of your garden plants.
But the prize is an article by Barry Yinger. He recounts his
intrepid journey to remote islands off the coast of Korea that were
spared by the glacier and how he discovered two new species:
Hosta yingeri and H.
laevigata.
Another item that we need your help with is the Popularity
Poll for 2011. We are keeping it open for another few weeks. If you
haven’t already voted, go online to the AHS Website and do so now
- please! If you prefer, you may just mail me (or e-mail me) a list
of your favorite hostas. I’ll see they are entered into the poll.
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| Bob
Olson, 2840 Glenhurst Avenue, St.
Louis Park, MN 55416
Contact
Bob Olson |
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AHS Online
Auction Winners
Thanks for your
participation and donation to the AHS. Once payment is
received, I will send the donor information for the two of you to
make arrangements for delivery! See below for payment directions.
Payment this year may be made by check or money
order to the address below. Credit info and accounts are NOW set
up to be received through the AHS site. Go HERE and follow
the directions as you would for any online payment.
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You may use a PayPal
account OR credit card without having a Pay Pal account set up. PUT
YOUR ALIAS and items won in the memo space.
Winners will be posted as quickly as time stamps
can be visually checked following the closing of the last item.
Check the “Winner’s” page posted at this site to verify that
you have been declared the official winner. Do not initiate any
payment until after the final results are posted allowing us time to
verify the time stamp on the final bids.
Make every effort to mail payments within 10 days (one
would be glorious since we would like to put this to rest this year)
of the close of auction. Thanks for your support of the AHS through
this auction! (Copy and paste this to an email or word processing
file and print for reference to make payment.)
Make the check or
money order out to AHS. Write the ITEM and ONLINE ’12 on the
memo line. Send check to: AHS Online ’12, c/o
Don Dean, 5175 157th Lane NW, Ramsey, MN 55303-1086
Don Dean (AHS Online Auction
Coordinator)
Contact
Don Dean |
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Building a
Dream in AHS Country
Josh Spece is well known in the AHS community. Josh
has written articles for The Hosta Journal, and he has been
instrumental to the AHS website for a number of years. Josh and
his mom, Sue, and other family members often vend at AHS and MRHS
conventions.
Recently the Spece family of Independence, Iowa, was
one of two Iowa finalists of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
When the other family was selected for the show, the community of
Independence decided to do its best to make a new home a reality
for the Spece family.
Several fundraising events are being planned in
support of the Building a Dream in the Country project. A bank
account has been set up for the project, and donations to Building
a Dream in the Country can be made at any BankIowa location or
mailed to BankIowa, PO Box 229, Independence, Iowa 50644.
To learn more, please visit the website HERE
or join the Facebook page HERE.
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New Hosta Book
Larry Tucker’s Made
in the Shade book is back by popular demand! This second
edition of his adventures and advice, wit and wisdom will help you
nurture plants, recognize yourself and maintain your sanity.
It’s brimming with 24 more chapters, hosta tips, color covers and
pictures. Revenue again is destined for the Memphis Botanic
Garden’s Hosta Trail, an American Hosta Society National Display
Garden.
Here’s what a few of your hosta friends are saying:
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“Good
garden writers have a special talent, often combining rich
vocabulary with wit and solid information. Larry shows he knows
hostas and gardening, has a passion for life and a great marriage.
Read this smorgasbord one bite at a time or swallow it whole —
after the gardening is done!”
—Mary Arnberg, Bridgewater, MA, New England Hosta Society
“These stories
make me smile and chuckle because I can relate all too well to
Larry’s colorful antics. He weaves good horticultural advice into
his tales so seamlessly that you don’t realize you’re learning
something while you laugh.”
—Mary Schwartzbauer, Hastings, MN, former AHS president
“Larry is a real
storyteller! It’s a treat to read his adventures with Shari, which
always have a humorous twist. Whether about hostas, fertilizer or
garden art, these essays are enough to make you laugh or cry. We
have all been there!”
–Claudia Walker, Alpharetta, GA, former Dixie Region director |
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| Larry’s book can be
purchased at Mid-South Hosta Society activities for $15 or by mail
for $18. Make checks payable to Mid-South Hosta Society (with
notation Made in the Shade) and send orders to Larry Tucker, 2927
Geoffrey Drive, Southaven, MS 38672. Hosta la vista! |
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First
Look Auction Coming Soon
Did you miss out
on winning that special plant at the AHS Online Auction?
Turn your attention toward mid-February and the next
great opportunity to bid on - and maybe win - that one-of-a-kind
hosta. The AHS Region One/First Look Online Auction will be at
the Hosta Library site starting with announcements on Saturday,
February 11 and running through Saturday, February 25, 2012.
If you want to showcase a new seedling or sport, this
is a great opportunity to do that. Newly introduced, unusual plants
have set the bar for high prices in the past at the First Look
Online Auction. Look for plants from great hybridizers and
winners of the highest awards at past First Look competitions.
To
donate a plant, contact us HERE
To join in on the fun, visit us HERE
Hope to see you there!
Carol Brashear (AHS Region One Director)
Contact
Carol Brashear |
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