MICHIGAN

Hosta Happenings Online

The Newsletter of the Michigan Hosta Society
February 2008 Volume 9 Number 1

Greetings from the West coast of Michigan,

It’s somewhat difficult to remember those 90 degree days last summer when the temperatures now struggle to stay above zero and the weather forecasters are predicting another 3-6 inches of “lake effect” snow. I guess that is the price we must pay, living in this beautiful state with the second largest shoreline in the 50 states. For those of you that wonder which state has the most — it’s Alaska.
With the annual blanket of snow in our gardens, this is the time that we reflect on the past year’s improvements in our gardens, review photographs, study new plans, and pour over the catalogs that arrive on a continuing basis to tempt us with those latest must have hostas.
This past year was a very busy year for us at MHS. Hosta College was the big event that got us pumped up to begin the gardening season. Hosta College is held each March and affords an opportunity to view the newest literature, garden equipment, purchase hostas, and get reacquainted with our friends. The garden walk was hosted by the Eastern Michigan area gardens. Again, many thanks to those who opened their gardens for us. The annual cut leaf show and plant sale at Michigan State University in Lansing is an experience that you won’t want to miss. Finally, the Benedict Hosta Hillside at Hidden Lake Gardens continues to develop into a spot to study, contemplate, and admire specimens of the plant that has brought us together.
2008 promises to be even better.
March 14-15 Hosta College registration opens Feb. 9 for MHS members. Check out the great class offerings this year at http://ihostohio.org/Portal/glhc. Wow!
May 18 - Spring workday at Hidden Lakes Gardens in Tipton, MI. It starts at 10:00am. You should bring a sack lunch.
June 21 - MHS garden walk is in the Toledo Ohio area.
June 28 - Cut Leaf Show and plant sale at MSU in Lansing.
Aug. 24 - Annual workday, annual meeting, and auction at Hidden Lake Gardens.

The plans for 2009 AHS national convention continue to move ahead under the direction of our director Patty Creal and her staff of hard working volunteers.
So plan on another great year and if you know a gardener who doesn’t know about your society, tell them what they are missing and invite them to come with us as we share the adventurous world of HOSTA.
See you at Hosta College in March.
Bob

News from The American Hosta Society

Benedict Garden Performance Plan

The Benedict Garden Performance Awards are winding their way to the
ultimate award for a hosta,

The Benedict Garden Performance Medal
      And it is a medal indeed!

This year’s balloting will select the first winner of the first Benedict Medal which will be awarded at the National Convention in 2009. The process has been slow but steady; starting first with nominations, then with the honorable mention awards, then the Award of Merit. The first Award of Merit winners have already been selected and will be awarded at this year’s convention. From these winners the garden performance judges will be voting to select the
first Benedict Medal winners. The selection process insures that the winners will represent the best of the best. Garden Performance judges are spread across the country. In order to win an award, votes from across the country are taken into account. If votes are not received from more than three regions for the Award of Merit, they are not included.
............If you are not a Garden Performance Judge, become one..............
It is easy to do and the most important requirement is that you love hosta. Requirements can be found on the AHS website.

Honorable Mention Award (HM)
The Honorable Mention Award is the first award to be presented for superior garden performance. The list of HM nominees each year will consist of hosta cultivars that are nominated by their originators or by the Board of Directors of the American Hosta Society, and that have been registered for at least three years prior to the year nomination. A hosta cultivar is to be considered registered on date of approval of the registration by the Registrar.
Award of Merit (AM)
The Award of Merit is the second highest Garden Performance Award offered by The American Hosta Society. It is selected from previous Honorable Mention Award winners. Each cultivar awarded an HM Award becomes eligible for the Award of Merit.

Benedict Medal for Garden Performance
The Benedict Medal is the highest Garden Performance Award offered by The American Hosta Society. The award is named in honor of Dr. Herb Benedict, a pioneer in hosta hybridizing. It is selected for previous Award of Merit winners. Each cultivar awarded an Award of Merit becomes eligible to receive the Benedict Medal.

The First Benedict Medal for Garden Performance will be awarded in 2009
Editors Note: The Benedict Garden Performance Medal is a new award in honor of Herb Benedict. It is being awarded to a registered hosta that has proven to be an outstanding performer in gardens in all regions of the county where hosta are grown. Nominees for this award have been accepted for the last two years and voted upon.

In 2009 at the AHS Convention here in Michigan, the Benedict Garden Performance Medal will be awarded for the first time.

Pictures wanted!
A notebook about the Benedict Hosta Hillside is being prepared; included in this notebook are pictures of the Michigan hybridizers. At this time we do not have a picture of Dr. David Reath, Nancy Krul or John Kulpa. Can any of you help? A snapshot is adequate and can be sent as either a .jpeg or as photo (I will return hard copy photos.)
Send to: MHS@Hostahappenings.com

The on-line Michigan Hosta Society newsletter is an abbreviated edition of the newsletter that is sent to members. The posted newsletter contains more complete information on events as well as informational articles and additional pictures of society activities.