The Eastern Michigan Hosta Society meets in the Lapeer area.
February 9 - Jan Everson will show slides of the 2011 American Hosta Society Convention
March- No Meeting, Hosta College
April 12 - TBA
May 10 - Hands on paper-crete class at the Hanners’. Nominal fee and registration required..
June 14 - Garden Tour at the Vrables’ in Chesaning.
June 13-16 - AHS Hosta Convention in Nashville, TN
July 12 - Member Garden Tour at the Majors’ in Goodrich.

The Metro Detroit Hosta Society meetings are usually held the fourth Monday of the month at 7:00PM.
at the First United Methodist Church, 1589 W. Maple Rd. (15 Mile), Birmingham.
January 23 - Mike Harvey will be the speaker. Topic TBA.
February 27 - Andy Torvinen will do a presentation on hosta seen at the 2011 AHS Convention.
March 26 - Dale White from Uncle Lukes will speak on Organic Gardening and Soil Amendments.
April 23 - The meeting will be held at Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy. Topic: ‘What’s new for 2012”.
May 19 - Plant Sale in church parking lot, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Saginaw Valley Hosta Society meetings are held at the Rustic Inn, St. Charles, at 7:00 PM unless otherwise noted.
February 8 - Mark Hanner will demonstrate the Papercrete technique for producing flower planter containers.
April 11 - Speaker to be announced.
May - Member garden tour
Meeting date, time and location to be announced.
June - Member garden tour at the Hesslers’, Bancroft, MI. Date and time to be announced.
July - Member garden tour at Pace Gardens, Clio, MI. Date and time to be announced
May - Member garden tour
Meeting date, time and location to be announced.

The Southwestern Michigan Hosta Society meets in the Kalamazoo area.

The West Michigan Hosta Society meets in the Grand Rapids area.
February 16 - Membership meeting at 7:00 PM at the Plainfield Senior Center.
March 16/17 - Hosta College in Piqua Ohio
April 14 - Spring Workshop at Heather Hills Retirement Center 9:00AM - noon
May 24 - Potluck and auction at the Allendale Township Hall at 6:00 PM.
June 22-23 - Great Lakes Regional Tailgate Gathering. June 23 - Tour West Michigan Gardens
July 14 - Michigan Cut-leaf show and plant Auction at MSU
July 21 - Tentative, Bus Trip
August 9 - Membership meeting, place and speaker to be determined later.

Dates, times and locations are subject to change.

Editor’s Note: I have been asked a number of times about the relationship of the local hosta societies and the Michigan Hosta Society. A little history is perhaps the easiest way to answer most of those questions. In the mid-90’s MHS held a meeting to discuss the feasibility of sponsoring or helping in the establishment of some local societies around the state. There was a growing need for a way to get more information about hostas out to the increasing number of gardeners who were growing hostas. MHS had tried winter meetings but because of the long distances involved the meetings had to be on weekends; that and the winter weather often made them poorly attended. The establishment of some local chapters seemed to be the best way to meet the needs of our members.
As the result of the initial meeting, members of six areas in the state said they were going to look into starting a local group. Some of those groups were immediately formed; others have happened in the intervening years. All of the groups are financially independent and operated under their own bylaws. Membership in MHS as well as the local group is encouraged but not mandatory.

For information on the local societies or the Michigan Hosta Society contact: MHS@hostahappenings.com