August 2014 - Central Illinois Hosta Society

GREAT EXPECTATIONS
central illinois hosta society
www.cihshostaclub.org
Debbie’s Dirt
A
fter such a harsh winter, has it not been a
remarkable summer, with plenty of sunshine,
rain and a week of comfortable weather in the
middle of July? I can’t ever remember going to our July
meeting in jeans and a jacket. We had a wonderful turnout for our meeting at the Roth Daylily Farm. We were
greeted with sweeping beds of daylilies and other
perennials in a riot of color. It was a sight to behold! I’m
not sure how one could ever pick just one favorite
daylily once you have experienced seeing that many
varieties in one location. Of course, the same could be
said of hostas. I marveled at the clever display of
succulents in an old wheelbarrow. Thanks, Teresa for
sharing your passion with us. We hope all of you will
join us in August for our Bi-Annual Auction and the
Banquet in September. More details about each event
can be found in this newsletter.
Several times this year various members and guest
speakers have reminded us that hostas need at least 1”
of water each week. Sometimes, I complain because our
water bill is really high when it comes due in August for
the previous 3 months. But my husband (a.k.a. the
Garden Grump) reminds me that we have made a HUGE
investment in our collection, so why would you not want
to water? Ok. So the way it works at our house, I setup and tweak 2 hoses the evening before; my husband
turns them on at 4:30 a.m. the next morning and I turn
them off at 7:30 a.m. before I go to work. Well, it seems
on one recent evening, I turned the hose off behind the
garage and by the time I got up to the house I had
completely forgotten about the other hose. Needless to
say, it ran for 11 hours – UGH. And if that wasn’t bad
enough, a few weeks later I accidentally left one of the
hoses running for 8 hours. All I can say is those hostas
better be really big next year-LOL.
august 2014
volume 20, issue 6
I hope by the next time we meet, I will finally have my 2
dozen new hostas and perennials and half flat of impatiens
planted. And I still need to update my inventory, map the
beds, and make/replace plant labels. I am really behind this
year, but no worries. There’s still plenty of time for me to
enjoy working in the garden. And like me, when you are
done toiling in your garden, may you step back, admire
your handiwork and be thankful for the many blessings that
come with being a gardener.
Happy gardening,
Debbie McCollum, CIHS President
_________________________________________________________
Our Next
Meeting
August 19, Auction
Freedom Hall
349 W. Birchwood Street
Morton, Illinois
Setup & drop-off 5:45 pm
Auction starts 6:30 pm
For the upcoming Auction, we are asking for donations
from members. Donations can be anything from hosta or
companion plants to yard art or gift certificates….to
alleviate insect/disease problems, plant donations should be
limited to nursery stock, not from personal gardens.
Based on your generosity, we will have an incredible
selection of hosta, many of which, you all have adopted and
cared for through the summer.
For those of you growing these very special hosta, you can
submit your guesses of what hosta you might have. There
are prizes for any correct guess that are turned in by August
15th. Continued on next page
1
You can email Shirley or Donna at skmetz43@gmail.com or
dkcothrell@hotmail.com. Please submit only one guess, so study it well before
you turn it in…no partial credit will awarded!!!
Directions: From interstate 155 take the Birchwood Exit, east, into Morton. The
Birchwood Exit is the first exit south of the I-74 and I-155 junction. Morton Park
will be off to your left and the building is at 349 W. Birchwood Street
________________________________________________________________
Annual Hosta Banquet
Sign up Soon!!!
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 16th
Time: Cocktails & check-in 5:30 pm; dinner at 6:30
Place: Coyote Creek Golf Club, near Bartonville,
8201 West Lancaster Road, 309.633.0911
Cost: $35/person
Our Annual Hosta Banquet will be held at Coyote Creek Golf Course, same as
past two years. We will have hosta from Q &Z Nursery for everyone attending.
The guest speaker will be Jeff Miller from Land of the Giants hosta nursery, in
Melton Wisconsin. We visited this nursery last year on the Bus Trip. He will also
be bringing plants to give away!
Sign up at the meetings or contact Shirley Metz (263.7103;
skmetz43@gmail.com) or Donna Cothrell (694.7648;
dkcothrell@hotmail.com).
_______________________________________________________________
The Hosta Library
If you would like to check out a magazine or book from the Hosta Library, see
Ella Maxwell at a meeting or call her at 309.444.3758.
________________________________________________________________
2014 CIHS Calendar
If you are interested in opening your garden
for a meeting in 2015, please contact Gloria Hicks,
Jeanette Smith or a board member.
August 19, 5:45/6:30 pm
Auction
Freedom Hall
349 W. Birchwood Street,
Morton
September 16
Banquet
Coyote Creek
June 13, 2015
CIHS Garden Walk
2
June 18, 2015
American Hosta Society
Convention
Raleigh North Carolina
June 27, 2015
Bus Trip
Officers
President
Deb McCollum
309.361.4284
debmccollum@gmail.com
Vice Presidents
Gloria Hicks, Jeanette Smith
309.266.7761, 309.387.6549
jameskhicks@hotmail.com
cjsmith119@gmail.com
Second Vice Presidents
Shirley Metz, Donna Cothrell
309.263.7103, 309.694.7648
skmetz43@gmail.com
dkcothrell@hotmail.com
Third Vice President
Deb Schoedel
309.256.0479
parttime94@aol.com
Recording Secretary
Sue Eckhoff
gardenermom22@gmail.com
Corresponding Secretary
Maggie Keesey
309.264.2253
magskeesey@gmail.com
Treasurer
Dan McConnell
309.360.4188
drdtm@mtco.com
To join:
Central Illinois Hosta Society
$10/year, form on back cover
Midwest Reg. Hosta Society
$20/2 years, Send dues to:
Kristine James, Membership
523 E. Calhoun Street
Woodstock, IL 60098
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
Feeding Your
Addiction!
___________________________________________
“I’m not crazy, my mother had me tested”
Dr. Sheldon Cooper
W
e as hosta enthusiasts tend to go a little
overboard on our purchases. If we see
something we like, we buy it. If we see a
hosta with a cute name, we buy it. If we see something
that we might need, we buy it. If we are on a bus trip,
we visit gardens, eat donuts and of course, buy stuff.
Anything and everything related to gardening, we buy
it.
I too have this behavior and highly encourage it. The
purpose of this article is to help you buy more stuff, be
it hostas, be it garden hardscape, be it anything you
need to feed your addiction. To this end the CIHS is
having its biannual auction August 19.
It was a long, long, cold winter and I lost several plants
and had others that were medium to large hostas return
as minis. So the auction is an ideal event to replace
what Mother Nature has taken away.
A wealthy man was asked, “How much is enough?” He
replied, “Just a little bit more”. I think he was talking
about money, but it could have been hostas.
If you need to rationalize or justify the purchases made
at the auction, try the following;
 I’m thinking of being on the 2015 Hosta Garden
Walk and/or host a monthly meeting, and need to
fill several areas in my garden.
 Plants take carbon dioxide out of the air and replace
it with oxygen, so I am helping the environment,
slowing down global warming and making the
world a better, healthier place to live for this and
future generations. Why, the more I plant the better
chance I have of getting a Nobel Prize.
 The more I buy, the more I have to plant and
working in the garden burns 300 calories per hour,
so I will save money by not having to join a gym
while still getting exercise. Me and my garden will
look great.
Auctions are fun. Who doesn’t like to watch the
bidding on Baggage Battles and Storage Wars. Or to
see what something is worth on Antiques Road show
and watch them barter on American Pickers. We will
have friendly competition for plants and garden
accessories with the money going to a good
organization. Bring a friend, your checkbook and plan
on having a fun evening. We are meeting inside, where
the light is plentiful, the temperature controllable, the
bugs nonexistent and the bathrooms close. Life is
good.
Collecting hostas is a healthy addiction, a good
obsession and a productive passion. Don’t fight it, just
give in and go with the flow. You will feel better and
live longer because your stress levels will decrease
Enjoy your garden and the auction.
Dan McConnell
___________________________________________
Constitution & Bylaw
Changes
In an effort to correct and
update our constitution
and bylaws, we are
proposing some revisions.
Please take a few moments
to review the proposed
changes by going to our
CIHS website
http://cihshostaclub.org/
and click on Constitution
(bottom left tab).
If you have any questions or concerns, contact Deb
McCollum
309.361.4284
debmccollum@gmail.com
____________________________________________
Membership Directory
T
here have been a number of requests for CIHS
to develop a membership directory, like many
other garden clubs. The board, concerned about
sharing such information, has chosen to create a
directory with names and phone numbers only. It will
be distributed amongst the membership and not shared
with any other group. If you wish to opt-out of the
directory, please notify Kathy Allen, the Membership
Chair. 309.645.7908 or kallenwr@gmail.com
3
to me. It can be a couple paragraphs or couple pages
and include a photo or two.
L
Bigleaf Aster Aster macrophyllus or Eurybia
macrophylla
For obvious reasons, I try to cover hosta & shaderelated plants in the newsletter…so why an aster? Well,
this aster is a good hosta companion, suited for partial
to full shade...even dry shade. A wonderful native, it is
12-30” in height & spread, and, once established, it can
become a dense ground cover, spreading by rhizomes.
It is a striking, richly-textured, deciduous ground cover
with bold heart-shaped leaves that turn mauve in
autumn. Soft blue, or white flowers appear in late
summer to early fall.
It is especially attractive to butterflies, but shows some
deer resistance. In much of my design work, I try to
include native trees, shrubs, grasses and perennials.
These plants have a larger impact, since they are
familiar to native populations of birds, bees, bats and
butterflies. The garden better fits with the native
ecosystem…it becomes a part of something larger.
Garden
The Botanical Gardens at
the Springs Preserve
Review!
___________________________________________
Editor’s Note: To keep things interesting and increase
education opportunities, I will try to include some
garden visits or reviews in the newsletter. Whenever
we travel, we tend to stumble upon a garden to
visit…hmm, I wonder how that happens? Anyway, I
always take away an increased understanding of
gardening, design or the botanical world. Incidentally,
if anyone wants to share a recent garden visit, send it
4
ast summer,
Golda and I
went to the
Grand Canyon and
Las Vegas. After
our canyon
adventure, we
drove back to
Vegas. While she
was at a culinary
convention on the
Strip, I got to visit
The Botanical
Gardens at the
Springs Preserve.
I will always choose
plants over games where you lose money. This garden
is home to the largest collection of Mojave Desert
cacti and succulents, with 110 acres (yes, 110!) of
display gardens, natural gardens, wildlife habitats,
walking and biking trails and educational resources.
It is a newer garden, established within the last ten
years. I found the garden to be amazing in terms, of its
collection and education displays. Very exhibit-driven,
the signage (bottom right) walked you through
xeriscaping, water conservation, vegetable gardening,
desert botany, composting, cactus rustling and much
more. The architecture and structure blended with the
desert and supported the exhibits (i.e. the irrigation
exhibit was housed in a giant watering can, 15’ in
height). The Gardens contain more than 1,200 species
of native and desert-adapted plants. More than 400
mature trees and plants, some 20 years old and more
than 30 feet tall, were transplanted to the Gardens. The
Mojave native plants on display were grown from seed
collected in the Las Vegas Valley, making the plants
genetically true and better adapted to the climate.
Continued on next page
Almost all of the native cacti and Yucca species were
salvaged from local lands that were being developed
for residential or commercial use.
For a really cool look at the desert, natural gardens, like
a Mesquite Bosque or Meadow, can be found along 3.6
miles of trails that meander through acres of native
habitats and archaeological sites (ancient civilizations
not mobsters).
The garden is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm. General
admission tickets seem a little steep at $18.85, but it
also includes entrance to two other museums. Also, if
you are a member at any another garden, participating
in the American Horticultural Society's Reciprocal
Admission Program, they offer free admission when
you present your membership card at the gate.
Lastly, in July it was little toasty (but as you know it’s
a dry-heat). I felt like a roller hotdog at a gas station.
My advice is to wear spf 50, stay hydrated and take it
slow. Generally, cacti bloom in the winter/spring when
the desert gets a little precipitation…so that would be a
great time to visit. If you’re planning a visit, you might
inquire about bloom times.
___________________________________________
Credit where Credit is due:
The Paul Aden Registrations
I
n April 2012, The American Hosta Society
president appointed the AHS Cultivar Origination
Commission with this mission: Investigate origins
of Paul Aden’s registrations and report findings to
the International Registrar for the Genus Hosta for
modifying the Hosta Registry.
Members were Tom Micheletti (Chair), Warren I.
Pollock, W. George Schmid and Mark R. Zilis. Tom
was AHS Immediate Past President and a member of
the AHS Executive Council. Mark is author of the
1125-page instant classic The Hostapedia and the just
published 428-page Mark Zilis’ Field Guide to Hostas.
George and Warren co-chair the AHS Nomenclature
Committee and are members of the AHS Board of
Directors. George wrote the classic reference The
Genus Hosta – Giboshi Zoku.
The Commission’s first report was published in the
2012 issue of AHS’s Online Hosta Journal, pages 5–6.
The second and final report was in the 2013 issue,
pages 4–5.
The Commission found that many hostas assumed to be
creations of Paul Aden, who died in 2010, were
originated by Kevin C. Vaughn, now residing in Salem,
Oregon, and the late Florence M. Shaw, who lived in
Weston, Massachusetts, and died in 1975. Both were
prolific hosta hybridizers. Widely know are Kevin’s H.
‘Bette Davis Eyes’ (registered in 1987) and H. ‘Tijuana
Brass’ (1988), and Mrs. Shaw’s H. ‘Birchwood
Elegance’ (1986) and H. ‘Birchwood Parky’s Gold’
(1986).
The Commission has determined alternate originators
for fewer than 50 hostas of the more than 200 that Aden
registered or were registered for him. For details, please
refer to the reports, which also were published by the
Hosta Registrar, Kevin P. Walek, in the blue-cover
Registrations 2012 and Registrations 2013 editions of
The Hosta Journal.
We will only mention here a few of the altered cultivars
that hosta fanciers likely have in their gardens. First and
foremost is the popular H. ‘Sum and Substance’. You’ll
now be noting that “(F. Shaw - 1980)” is cited after this
cultivar name; the original registration date remains.
Also, (F. Shaw - 1986) now marks H. ‘Blue Angel’.
Others are H. ‘Blue Cadet’ (F. Shaw - 1974), H. ‘Big
Daddy’ (F. Shaw - 1976), H. ‘Big Mama’ (F. Shaw 1976), H. ‘Love Pat’ (F. Shaw - 1978) and H. ‘Zounds’
(F. Shaw - 1978).
Kevin Vaughn now is credited as originator of H.
‘Fragrant Bouquet’, registered in 1982. We also
recognize H. ‘Fragrant Blue’ (K. Vaughn - 1988), H.
‘Fringe Benefit’ (K. Vaughn - 2010), H. ‘So Sweet’ (K.
Vaughn - 1986) and H. ‘Sweetie’ (K. Vaughn - 1988).
At this writing the registrar has not yet altered the
registrations in the online AHS Hosta Registry. This is
a huge task requiring considerable time of a computer
programmer. Since many parentages stated by Aden
are incorrect, changes will be considerable. We
understand that the registrar plans to start the project
this summer (2014).
Publications of The American Hosta Society now
reflect these changes, for example in the Photo Indexes
at the end of recent issues of The Hosta Journal. And
some nurseries have modified their catalogs and lists,
citing K. Vaughn or F. Shaw instead of P. Aden. But,
frankly, the conversion process in the industry has been
slow. Simply put, folks just are hesitant to make
changes to things they’ve been accustomed to for years
and years. Continued on next page
5
However, we hope that home gardeners will take the
lead in modifying relevant plant labels and records. If
you have questions, please contact Warren at
giboshiwip@aol.com or George at
hostahillwgs@comcast.net.
Submitted by the American Hosta Society
Nomenclature Committee
Growing Hostas
from Seeds
___________________________________________
E
veryone seems to have their own technique for
planting hosta seed, and yet there is general
agreement on a number of key paints.
Start the seeds in flats with a clear plastic dome (or
similar high humidity setup). Wash the flats and use a
sterile
soilless
mix
to
minimize
fungal
problems. Cover the seed lightly to a 1/8” to 1/4”
depth. Germination typically occurs in 12 to 15
days. Target an air temperature of about 75 deg
F. Heating mats can be useful when working in cooler
basement settings. And don't forget to label if you are
planting various hybrid crosses!
Timing on starting seed is a variable with some starting
in October or November while others wait until
February.
Lighting is critical when gardening indoors (although
not relevant to seed germination). Use supplemental
lighting (cool-white fluorescent tubes) to give 16-24
hours of daily lighting. Maintain the lights about 2”
above the dome or (later) 2” above the plants. Never
let the seedlings dry out. Keep the soil moist but not
soggy. Grow until the tops of the plants touch the
dome. Then transplant (typically at the 2 or 3 leaf
stage) and begin using a water soluble fertilizer. How
much water soluble fertilizer you use will depend on
how much you want to push the process.
Culling can be a painful process but most seedlings will
be rather plain looking.
Unfortunately many
characteristics (other than color) take time to
develop. Balance your culling habits with the number
of seedlings you are managing.
6
Before moving seedlings to the spring garden, don't
forget to harden them off - just like a tomato plant that
was started inside. Seed is available from a number of
commercial sources. Seed can be stored in plastic
photo film canisters and placed in the freezer until
ready for planting.
By Rob Mortko, reprinted from the Western New
York Hosta Society newsletter, Hosta la Vista,
February 2014
___________________________________________
Hosta
Spotlight
Hosta
plantaginea
‘Guacamole’
An aptly named rich green, large-leaved variety with
chartreuse centers (the color of freshly sliced avocado),
edged with wide, dark green margins. Large, fragrant
soft lavender to white flowers add interest late in the
season, around august. Expect a plant with big impact.
It is beautiful when combined with blue Hostas or
Ferns.
When using fragrant plants, I like to place them where
one can fully appreciate them. Plant them along a path
or patio, near a bench or near an entrance. The places
within the garden where you pause or rest are the most
likely places for fragrant plants.
This fast-growing plant was named Hosta of the Year
for 2002. Although it is fairly sun and heat tolerant it
gets its best color in some morning sun or dappled
shade. In too much sun the margin will bleach and in
too much shade the center won't lighten enough to
notice. Related hosta include: ‘Avocado’, ‘Fragrant
Bouquet’, ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’, ‘Fried Bananas’,
‘Holy Mole’
White Oak Nursery
Specializing in Hostas and Daylilies
Internet and mail order only. Please visit our website for
an online catalog of offerings.
We have 150 varieties of Hostas for 2014 and will be
adding an additional 100 varieties for 2015.
We are giving away a copy of Mark Zilis' The Hostapedia, a $79.00
value. Orders totaling more than $50.00 will be eligible for the
drawing to be held in June, 2014.
White Oak Nursery
Washburn, IL
(309) 369-2065
hostas@whiteoaknursery.com
www.whiteoaknursery.com
Scene: Walking back to the car after our last meeting.
Script: (Bob speaking to Golda) We need more sun and more
daylilies…we can put some next to the Limelight, maybe the
alley...! Anyway…inspired by our visit to Roth’s, I had to
include a daylily.
B
ela Lugosi Daylily Hemerocallis 'Bela Lugosi' is a
Designer Daylily™ with 6" flowers that are a deep
burgundy/purple
with a vivid lime green
throat. It is an excellent
grower with lots of buds
and wonderful branching.
It received the American
Hemerocallis
Society's
Honorable Mention (1998)
and Award of Merit (2001). 'Bela Lugosi' is considered a
"Designer" daylily, which means that it has been selected as a
highly performing plant with exceptional bloom performance,
substantive, vibrantly colored flowers, complete winter
hardiness in northern zones, and a vigorous habit.
Daylilies are some of the easiest plants to grow and are a good
choice for any gardener. They will grow in almost any soil and
handle drought to wet soil conditions. Use for mixed borders,
foundation planting, rain gardens, edging, or in container
gardens. Planted together in masses, they quickly crowd weeds
and make a carefree and colorful ground cover.
7
Central Illinois Hosta Society
P.O. Box 3098
Peoria, IL 61612-3098
First Class Postage
Check us out!
www.cihshostaclub.org
For information regarding dues or
membership, contact Kathy Allen at
309.645.7908 or kallenwr@gmail.com
Newsletter Deadline: 20th of
the preceding month
Submit items for publication
to: Bob Streitmatter
309.264.4813
goldaandbob@hotmail.com
CIHS Membership Form (please print)
Name(s)___________________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________ City__________________
State___ Zip_________ Phone___________ E-mail________________________
How did you find us?
Friend/Word of Mouth Website Newsletter Event/Presentation
Facebook Newspaper (which one)__________________________________
Other________________________
Dues are $10/year: New Renewal Amount enclosed__________________
Make check payable to CIHS and mail check/form to: Central Illinois Hosta
Society, P.O. Box 3098, Peoria, IL 61612-3098
8