Hi. I hope some people answer you, I'd be interested. I am a newbie but I am thinking of joining AHS. I'd be interested in hearing about this from the regulars here.

When you join the AHS you're automatically a member of the region and you get the regional newsletters as well as the main AHS Journal. You don't join the region separately it's all part of the AHS. Below the regional level there are local clubs that I believe might require you to be an AHS member to belong whereas other local clubs do not require AHS membership. Now when you join the AHS you also get a $25 voucher for daylilies.

I joined AHS when I first got into daylilies in 1995 and it automatically made me a member of the local club. It is fun to meet other daylily people at the club meetings and there are 2 plant sales a year at ours also. It often gets you put on daylily mailing lists so you will get catalogs from growers. I have probably gotten a third of my daylilies at club plant sales - since they come from local member gardens there is a pretty good chance they will grow well for you.

I guess that is where I am getting a bit confused...
When I checked the local Daylily Society within our state via AHS website, the local club within our state listed they charged a fee for membership.
So if I join AHS, are you saying I shouldn't be paying a fee to the local garden club also?

Julia

Personally I am peeved at the AHS and considering not renewing my membership. I have been a member for several years. For the second time I got a notice that my membership expired even though I paid my dues well before January 1st. I e-mailed the membership chair and asked that it be rectified (I have the cancelled check) and she never responded. I am going for my garden judge's certificate and membership is required so I didn't want it to be rejected because of her recordkeeping deficiencies. This is the second time it's happened. The first time I wrote she responded that she had two people with my name and asked for my address so she could verify. You'd think even with people with similar names they could keep it straight if they paid attention to the addresses on the checks. Anyway, sorry for the rant. My feeling right now is that my membership obviously doesn't matter to AHS so I'm considering not renewing and sticking solely with my local club, which gives me much more of a benefit.

Julia,
Most local daylily societies also charge a membership fee. Mine encourages you join the national, and won't let you participate in its guest plant program unless you do that and participate in many other activities. Right now I don't belong to any daylily society. I haven't been to a local meeting to pay dues this year. I'll probably join the national in the future - if I get any seedlings I want to register. I'm just not much of a club person. People say the national and regional journals are nice. You are bombarded with catalogs when you join AHS, but I already have too many daylilies and am trying to curb my addiction. LOL If you just want to meet other daylily growers to learn from and trade with, the local club is the way to go at first. Just my opinion.

When you join the AHS you are also automatically a member of your region with no extra fee. Local clubs aren't the same as regions and they may charge a separate membership fee.

Hi Julia,
Here in Massachusetts we have 2 'local' clubs. AHS membership gets you membership in NEDS (the New England daylily soc.) but you have to pay to join the Patriot Daylily Soc. I joined both - but My life does not let me get to very many meetings during the school year because I am involved in a Creative Problem Solving organization for school kids. So I am not sure if I will stay with both groups.

Gardengirl, perhaps you need to email someone above this person's level, and tell them what is going on. This person does not sound like she needs to be in this position. I would politely tell someone in a higher place how you feel. JMHO.

There was a Daylily Expo at Leu Gardens in Orlando just yesterday. This was hosted by the Central Florida group ...some very VERY nice folks...think I'd love to be able to work with them....just a wee bit far for a club, but it's sure tempting. I doubt there is a question I could ask that one of them couldn't answer for me.... I did pick up a membership application ....(I'm not a member of the AHS.)

If you join a local club, you will meet people around you who also love daylilies. There are activities, auctions and even club newsletters. I would think most charge a membership fee...it's usually very reasonable and goes toward the costs incurred. I belong to three clubs.

They really work hand-in-hand. Your local club would be part of an AHS Region. Regions usually have a Regional Meeting (at least one) yearly where there are probably gardens on tour, one or more speakers and business meetings. I went to my first last year and it was a lot of fun! I highly recommend it. All the clubs in the region participate and even folks from other regions join in. Some Regions also have a fall meeting or a winter meeting where they bring in a number of speakers...and a good time is had by all.

The AHS just had its National Convention in Houston (just got home today!) which provides an opportunity for daylily folks from all over to get together. As an AHS member, you get national publications and your regional publication. You can also join the email robin which is pretty neat.

If you can, do both (i.e., join a local club and the AHS)! They are not expensive and will really help broaden your knowledge as well as connect you with others who share your passion.

Joining the AHS does have lots of benefits.

You will be invited to join robins where you can communicate with other people that share your interests. You will receive 4 Daylily Journals annually full of information about daylilies. For your membership fee, you will receive a voucher for free daylilies. You will receive your regional newsletters. You will be placed on the AHS Membership list and unless you exclude your information, you will receive catalogs from the various growers, introducing their newest introductions. I personally have never felt inundated with them. And AHS just started delivering a Newsletter via email; very nicely done I might add.

Most of the people that run AHS are volunteers, and they work for AHS because of their love for daylilies and the people that love them. Please give them a little more patience than you would someone doing this for pay.

I currently belong to a local club which charges a membership fee. The membership fee barely covers the cost of making an annual yearbook and postage costs. If the local club holds a Flower Show, AHS will support the effort but does require that half the Club members be AHS members.

I am considering joining a second club and feel the information I get from the meetings and networking with other members to be invaluable. I have also been able to meet most of the noted hybridizers at the Club meetings.

So if you're interested in Daylilies, you can't beat doing both!
Ed

I'm a member of the AHS and of the Hem. Society of Minnesota. I still haven't recieved my AHS mag. this year yet though :(

I was a member for several years in the 90's. I never planned to register anything and only went to one local meeting. I allowed my membership to expire because I wasn't interested in the benefits and didn't take advantage of them.

If you want the social network and plan to enjoy the benefits, it is definitely worth the membership.

A by the way: you do not have to be a member of AHS to register a daylily. Go to the website, download the registration form, fill it out, send it in with a check for $15.00 and a photo, and if the name is not taken, Gretchen will send you back the registration.

There was online registration available till April 1 when the server crashed. I don't think they have gotten the new server installed yet. When that's done, you can register your plant completely online, pay with PayPal even.

I don't want to make excuses for them, but they obviously could use more help.
Ed

I did join (via online) and will join our local group as well. I appreciate the candid remarks by all.

I just hope with all their computer issues my payment didn't go into cyberspace. :-). I did send the person who is responsible for membership an email just to be sure they recorded my payment.

Julia