I live in Indy but still am not sure I want to go, Janet. From looking at the schedule, I'm not seeing much that makes me go WOW. Maybe I'm missing something.....???

I do belong to the AHS but don't know about non-members.

Andrea

...I just looked at the flyer again and have more to say. LOL I think that Thursday looks interesting. I think part of why I kind go "shrug" is b/c I have been to the nurseries and some of the gardens that are part of the convention. Don't get me wrong, they are GREAT places (love Soules!!!! Love Miller's Manor more for their unusual perennials and conifers than hosta...but I digress....) but I think since I've been to them all a million times, I don't want to pay money to go.

As for the Children's Museum...a cool place...but after I have been there several times w/ my sister and her 5 kids, I'd rather pluck out my eyes w/ a petiole than enter that place again!!! roflol

Does that make sense?

Janet, if you want to go and have the "experience" of attending a convention, you need to register and plan to attend at least Friday and Saturday. I looked at the site and there is 13 tour gardens!! Wowsa!
The sweet part of a convention is that you can attend (or not) any part of it. The public is usually allowed into the leaf show after the ribbons are awarded, and you can go to the vending area. It is a hotel.....they can't stop you from going in.
If you are registered, you get to tour all of the gardens with fellow hostaphiles, participate in the leaf show, have some fun in the hostatality suite and talk Hostas...or whatever topic comes up LOL. I also saw they were having a Hosta Hat show. That ought to be friggin hilarious!
Don't forget about the auction, awards banquet, guest speakers, and all the fun! Plus, you will get the convention plant as a gift for attending. I personally wouldn't even go if I couldn't attend at least 2 days...all 4 is better yet. The registration fee is for the entire thing.
Now I wish I was going this year! But, I knew ahead of time it was a no-go for me this time around.

Yes Andrea, that does make sense, lmao.
I took another look at the flyer too and now I see that it is an extra charge to go to the nurseries. That was something I could do one my own without the cost of the tour.

I guess I thought one could just attend to see the vendors, get a goodie bag and perhaps the convention Hosta, lol.
I don't see anywhere how much a one day admission would be and I can't afford the full registration fee, plus the hotel too...know how many hostas that could buy? LOL

It would be interesting and probably kind of fun too, but I'll save my money for plants and perhaps a membership to the AHS.

Thanks for your input!

Janet

If you ever come to Indy, I will drive you to the nurseries for FREE! ;D I promise not to make you go to the Children's Museum, either. lol

Janet, the Wednesday nursery tours are optional/no charge for people that come in early wanting something to do. The other 13 guided tours on the bus are showplace private gardens you could never visit on your own. You can bet those folks are already sprucing up to make their gardens simply spectacular to wow the AHS membership.

The Hosta Leaf Show is free to the public and an education in itself as are the vending areas, where you will find the newest hosta on the market at reasonable prices and get to chat with nursery owners from across the country. That experience is worth the trip. And then you get to have fun with all us other hosta people!

you people are missing the important part of a MEETING ... and that is the camaraderie .. the MEETING .. of fellow addicts ...

its a chance to meet and talk to advent... the naylor boys... perhaps even some of us .... how about mildred and charlie seaver ... ran lydell, clarence falstad of walters... warren pollack .. every person who ever wrote an article for the journal ... van wade .... kevin wallik .... everyone who is anyone in the hosta world will be there.. and you can talk with them .... meet them ... etc

go on rowdy bus rides that remind you of grade school trips...

make new friends... meet up with old friends ...

ademink ought to be VOLUNTEERING to be a bus captain ... and helping the local club ... and perhaps getting around for free ... no need to stay at the hotel if you are local .... that's the big cost ....

nchostaqueen took this advice when the tour was in cleveland.. i recall her posting some hilarious stories about the bus rides and her captainship ....

the convention isn't just about the hosta ... its about the people ...

ken

As posted in another thread, the 2010 National Convention is here in Minnesota. The MHS has already started discussing it and we have an upcoming meeting in February to start planning. I'm hoping to chair one of the committees and volunteer to be a bus captain for all the days there are tours. I was a bus captain last year for the local tours and it was really fun!

Teresa

i didn't know that they used VOLUNTEER bus CAPTAINS...lol i would love to do that! it would be a hoot!

who do i contact to offer my services at the convention?

I'd say you could go to the website above and email one of the board members. Good luck. You will love it!

I went to Philly last year and drove 10 hours to reach the Radisson Hotel in King of Prussia, PA. It was my first experience and enjoyed it extensively. The cut-leaf exhibition and the visit to 5 private gardens on Friday was most rewarding. I met good people especially on the bus touring the private gardens. If interested, please click on the link below to see various pics and comments of last year's AHS convention.

Papou

Here is a link that might be useful: Philly Convention pics

Papou,
Nice pictures from last years convention. The leaf show looks expansive...

Janet,

I have been to 2 conventions. My first was here in Cleveland (2005) which was my inspiration to join AHS and my local Hosta club, North Coast Hosta Society. By joining my local club I volunteered to work the convention and wound up being a bus captain for the garden tours. I must tell you that it was one of the most enjoyable times I have ever had. DonÂt get me wrong, there was work and long hours but the time and energy spent was forever memorable. The best bonus was meeting all the wonderful people that share the "love of a leaf" with you.

Last year I went to Philadelphia and met up with my fellow Hostaholics, saw beautiful gardens, had a blast and best of all was a passenger this time on the bus trips!

Ken is correct, itÂs not just about Hosta but about people Âwhat a time!

If you get a chance last yearÂs AHS Hosta Journal Volume 36 Number 3 has an article "Confessions of a Hosta Bus Captain" and that says a lot.

Deb

I'm going...woohoo! I cannot wait to see everyone. I don't know that I'll be able to stay for 4 days...I have three young children.

Stephanie

I'd love to go. Indy is only about a 90-minute drive for me. Maybe my family would even want to join me Friday and find stuff to do in Indy.

Val

Ken and the others are correct: it's about meeting people who are fellow addicts, not to mention the opportunity to see fabulous private gardens. I went to my first national daylily convention this summer, on Long Island. I had a fantastic time.

I met people of all ages, got to meet in person a friend I'd known only via email exchanges, chatted with some of the top hybridizers in daylilydom.

And the gardens....oh my, spectacular! I'd never have been able to see them on my own, had I not gone. And it wasn't just the supreme pleasure of looking at stunning gardenscapes, including two gardens overlooking Long Island Sound. I was able to see MANY daylilies I'd never seen growing anywhere. I have to assume that experience is typical, which means you should be able to see hostas you've seen only in photos. That alone would make it worth it IMO.

You don't have to do everything listed on a convention agenda, so, assuming the cost isn't an issue, GO! You will have a wonderful time.

Interesting side note: I didn't go to the hosta convention in Philly, but I dearly wish I had. But I did get to meet some great hostaholics at the party hosted by caliloo, a neighbor, wonderful person, and WONDERFUL chef! Oh, and I was there at Russells as well :))) I even bought some hostas!

Interesting side note #2: great pics, papou. That photo of the Solbergs made me grin. They looked PRECISELY like that at their table at the daylily convention. I bought three gorgeous hostas from them.

Thanks hostabuff and Lynxe for the compliments. Last June, my social activities were halted when I took numerous pics at the cut-leaf show at the convention...I would note the name of some leaves that got first prize...would go up to my room...would jump on my laptop to enter the name of the leaf on each pic...etc. I was really excited by the cut-leaf display. This plus the visit to the private gardens was well worth the money paid to AHS. I stayed at the hotel 3 nights...missed the first and last day.
I intend to repeat the exploit again this year in Indianapolis.
The Solbergs are great people which I admire. They celebrated their 25th year in business (greenhill@mindspring.com)last year. Bob ships to Canada, so I got a nice, big order from Green Hill Farm including Midnight Storm, Fire and Brimstone, Sun Catcher, White Bikini...and others...I just cant wait to see these new hostas emerge in Spring.

Papou

Okay, I've made my hotel reservation! Haven't registered for the con yet as I'm not sure what summer holds for us yet and the . Do these conventions have a maximum number of registrations, and if so what's the likelihood it'll sell out?

Val

Admittedly, I am very lured by the thought of meeting some of you folks!!!! Now *that* would be fun!

The gardens selected to be on the (air-conditioned) bus tours were especially chosen by committee to inspire, educate, and awe you. Off the cuff, Randy Goodwin gave these clues:

Avon Perenial Gardens, a wonderful wooded acreage of waterfalls, ponds, pools, paths, and mature hosta,

Old Governor's Mansion, 1930s era garden, brick & tile paths meandering thru countless hosta,

An eclectic garden on an estate of well maintained and unusual trees,

An Ikebana Japanese garden, punctuated by dwarf conifer, statuary, glorius containers,

One grand property featuring garden rooms and rare plants,

Another specializes in daylilies along with hosta,

A hillside garden of shade plants and natives,

An ancient shade garden totally rejuvinated by thinning out and removing excess foliage, and

Five gardens of hosta and companion plants, each one lovely and scrumptious. At this point my shorthand is illegible and runs together but you get the idea. There will also be an optional tour of the Indy 500 Speedway.

Papou, will Mamou be coming too? I look forword to greeting you.

I'll be there!

And so looking forward to some beautiful gardens plus hanging with old friends and meeting some new.

I really think it's all the great people I meet that keeps me coming back year after year.

Kent

Avon Perennial Gardens is lovely! I am enticed to see others, as well. :) I look forward to meeting people. We'll have to make sure we know how to find one another at the convention.

Yes Mary-Ann, this year, DW Therese (Mamou) will be coming with me. Glad to see that you'll be there. I'll contact you sometimes in mid June to exchange our coordinates.
Therese and I look forward to meeting you.

Papou

I believe last years convention was sold out.

I really wanted to attend last year, however a work project left me hanging ... I looked at regestering in early June and was told it was sold out.

Great reminder, hostabuff. I was one of the first people to register for the daylily convention. One of the events was a special bus tour of gardens in the Hamptons. There was room for only 50 people. Because I'd registered so early, I was one of the lucky 50. There were MANY people who wanted to go on that tour, but it had sold out VERY quickly. Similarly, I'm sure there were many people who didn't even get to the convention because that had sold out as well.

Janet, Don't let any negative comments keep you from an AHS
convention. This will be my 5th, and we'll fly in from New England. Kent and others are correct- the gardens are spectacular, but it's the people you meet that will make you want to return even more. You will see the best grown hostas, with huge variety, get ideas for your own garden, and consider plant larceny more than once.Find a friend to go and split the hotel costs. Don't be shy-ask questions, start conversations, and make sure that you go to the"Hostatality" suite to socialize.The vendors...oh,my!
Good pix Papou- my van is front right in the first one!

Sorry if my comments were taken as negative. I was just sharing my thoughts. I've never been so certainly am nothing close to an authority on the topic! :)

hostanana - I'm a little confused by your remark about negative comments. I don't see anything negative in any of the posts here.

Teresa

I'll be going, it will be my 4th one. I was a bus Captain in Cleveland, it was really fun.
If you can't afford it, you will still enjoy seeing the leaf show and going to the vendors rooms. Meeting the people you know from these internet forums is the best part.
Dave

I agree that meeting with people would be the best part, especially folks from this forum.
Unfortunately I just can't afford the fees. I may try and make it for one day, probably the Saturday. That is why I wanted to know if I would be able to at least enter the vending area. That way I could talk to some hosta people and perhaps make a purchase or two...or three...or....

I didn't take any of the comments as being negative.

Janet

For those of you looking for a taste of an AHS Convention, you can attend the public events as mentioned before (vendors area and hosta show) plus there will be three convention hostas this year! If you sign up for a full registration you will get one of them with your goodie bag stuff. But if you just want to "lurk" at this convention and get your feet wet, you can still take home one (or even all three) of the convention hostas. They will have some extras for sale in the vendors area while they last. Sorry, can't do anything about the goodie bag though...that is definitely a convention perk and I don't think they will be selling those. But if you absolutely gotta have one, maybe I could decorate a shopping bag as a substitute. ;-) Hope to see as many of you as possible there.

8-) Shadz (one of the Indy team)

Shadz...any idea what the "other two" hosta not in the goody bag generally run price-wise?

I was thinking it would be fun to have GW members over for dinner at some point during this soiree but when I looked at the schedule...nowhere to pack it in!!!

I came across this page that shows the Convention Hostas.
They are all nice looking!

Sure hope I can get there!

Janet

Here is a link that might be useful: Convention Hostas

Now I must attend. I wanted one of the "Indy" hosta for my memorial garden to honor a serious NASCAR fan...a great way to get all three ... all great looking plants.

Does anyone know how much the other hostas not in the goody bag generally cost at the conventions? 50? 100? 250? ...???

At some conventions, the "spare" convention hosta were included in the auction, and sold in the $25-$30 range.

Thank you for your reply, maryann! That gives me some sort of ballpark range idea. I didn't know if they were super pricey b/c they were new introductions or not. :)

The auction is a lot of fun...there are some serious people bidding....this lady (I ignore her name) talking with Mildred Seaver got the hosta Hunchback Whale (in front in the pic) for the bid of $3,600.00.....the Wilsons (Susan and Charlie) and I were real close and it was interesting when this woman battled it out with some other man at the end.
{{gwi:924550}}

Papou

I love the clarity of your pictures, Papou. I recognize that lady but don't know her name. Where's "Later, Love, Lisa"? She knows everybody.

The auctions are raucous and exhiliarating and raise big $$. Expect there will be 200+ plants donated for this event.

I am Dutch...almost an outright "Hollander". I don't think I could ever pay that much for a hosta. ;D

Great pic, Papou! I can see it later this summer...you'll have a pic of me from the convention w/ some $4000 hosta I won at the Indy Convention auction! roflol!

A small correction- the hosta in the photo is H.'Humpback Whale'. The whales are very common off the NE coast in summer.
That division is now back in New England, where it originated. If you look carefully on the woman's sweater, you will see the NEHS pin she is wearing. The pin was developed by a fairly new club member who is both creative and generous.
You can all come and see 'Humpback Whale" at the 2011 AHS Convention in NE.

Thanks for the correction hostanana. I probably was $100 off on the bid....
{{gwi:924553}}

Papou

The prices for the Convention plants has not been set yet. But I'm sure it will be reasonable and not outlandish. As soon as I hear the price for sure, I'll post it here.

Answers to other questions I saw on this thread:

 You can attend the vending, hosta show and auction without registering.

 You don't have to be member of a hosta society (or the AHS) to register and attend the convention. We want first timers! But be warned, that's how we catch you! LOL! I found out the other day, that Nick Carter, the current President of the Indianapolis Hosta Society, came to the 1997 Convention in Indy as a visitor, immediately joined the organization and now look at him.

 Registration for Indy will be limited and yes, most conventions have had to turn away the latecomers. This is because there is usually only a limited number that can be seated in the banquet rooms and on the buses - which have to be pre-reserved for the tours.

 The early registration deadline is fast approaching. Get it postmarked by April 30th to save yourself money.

Two months, one week and counting!

8-) Shadz (one of the Indy team)

And you all know that First Look is not part of the convention as it was last year? It will be held in CT this year. Anyone planning on attending that?

Well thank you shadz for the answers.

I really wish I could go, but it's not looking good.
I'm not one to travel that far by myself. It sure would be fun to go with a hosta pal,
but I have no one close that is as "into" hostas as I am.

I thought maybe I could at least go for a day to see the vendors, but it just wouldn't be practical.

I hope those that do go take notes and pics to share with us "homebodies".

Janet

This First Look 7 will be my 7th. I'm a big fan of the concept of judging new plants in pots, as well as mixing with more hosta fans, and of course, the vendors! I've been to one of the gardens on tour, and it is gorgeous, and have only heard great things about the garden in Avon, CT. Price is right, it doesn't take a huge block of time, and the hospitality is outstanding. The CT location is easy to get too, also. Add First Look 7 to your summer fun!

Janet (I dig it) friend: I am in Chicagoland and plan to go, although I haven't registered yet (mostly cuz I don't want to go alone!) I've travelled all over the Midwest before retiring and am a good driver -- I'm in Crystal Lake. If you would like to talk about the possibility of travelling with me and staying for at least Friday and Saturday (returning on Sunday), please email me directly at cdwestg@comcast.net. I want to go if only to meet these wonderful hostaholics on the forum. I hope they all wear name tags!!! (Forum name, of course)

Westy

I will be there! Sent my registration in today.
Jen