Looks like a good time to me, Ken. What fun! Did it last all day? Were they there to see your conifers too? I know you have some good ones. How nice of you to offer a tour. I hope to make it there sometime.

Lainey

Great,Ken! Was one of those in the first pic,you? Since most us don't know you by sight,it would be nice to put a face with a name. Phil

Looks like a great day with good weather. I'm betting Ken is the redhead in the middle. I remember a cute redheaded child having a nap in the driveway that he posted a while go. There's also the back of another (or the same?) redhead. If only hair that color could come out of a bottle (instead of something fake and burgandy looking).....

I still wish I'd been there.

in the first pic.. i am in my fathers day shirt that said KING OF THE HOSTA .... on the back

and that is me in the last pic ... i wish just once the family would tell me to take the bandanna out of my back pocket before they snap pix

first bus at 915am ... last left around 330pm ... with a 2 hour lunch break.. 7 busses in all.. 375 peeps ...

ken

WHEW! That is a bunch of folks!!
And you still smiling "So Big" at the end of it- bandanna & all!
Say- in the second to last pic- is that Hosta 'Incognito', 'Sombrero' or 'Stetson' in the shade? - You know the one I am askin' about- it's the one with the hat on!
Thanks for sharing your pics!

Julie

Now you can go back to being you!!!! NOT!!! I want to see every future picture of your garden last years scape's free!! LOL

I know how hard it was to get everything ready for the tours as I've done a local garden walk myself but NOT to the extent you did with 5 acres to get ready. You did a first rate job.

Connie

What fun for all, but you having to do all the work to get ready!!!

Did it make you a 'little' nervous having that much of humanity unleashed,
at one one time, amongst your prized possessions?

I remember the 'red-head' darling and the 'Tri-color Beech', both 'keepers'!

How many questions did you have to answer? How many visitors "knew" as much as you do about your own beautiful garden? Lot of work and hopefully rewarding. It was great to share all that beauty.

Queenie

How beautiful, thank you for sharing. Would love to visit someday.

Jo

You are incredibly generous to put the time and energy into hosting a tour stop. I can't imagine there was enough time to truly take in your gardens in 30-45 minutes. Love to see your gardens someday.

Paul

ps - an awful lot of grass in some of those pics.

Awesome gardens.

So you're the dude in the blue T-shirt and straw hat,right? Just checking! Phil

Lottsa Hosta, people, picture takers, discussions, and I can imagine note takers. Ken, you are very generous to share your gardens with so many and then your pictures with many more! Wish I could have been there--plus it looks like perfect weather as well. Love that shot with the red-head boy. Yours? Mary

Incredible work !!! Amazing Gardens !!! It must have also been fun to share your enthusiasm for all those Hosta with others.

lets see if i can cover all the ???'s

======= in the second to last pic- is that Hosta 'Incognito', 'Sombrero' or 'Stetson' in the shade? - You know the one I am askin' about- it's the one with the hat on!
=====
i didnt even see the hat in that one pic .. lol

====== Did it make you a 'little' nervous

stress for perfection, yes.... but it is an enabling audience.. so i knew that however it ended up.. they would fawn ... this is the second time they came .. first time at the old house.. so it was much less stress ...

==== How many questions did you have to answer?

mostly just thanks for allowing us.. you have a glorious garden.. your kids are great .... etc .... not really much time to discuss much of anything specific ... they only had 40 mins .. and that is barely time to walk all the beds .... and .. they are the here ...... because most of them know this stuff ....

===== an awful lot of grass in some of those pics.

but paul ... that grass is in the sun .... did you note any shade without a hosta.... though they grow in sun.. sand and sun isnt that easy .... i know you are echoing me.. lol ..

===== the dude in the blue T-shirt and straw hat

yes .... and the blue T in the first ...

and i have spoken to my wife and nathan about why our boy looks like nathan .. rotflmbo ..... he threw a fit all morning.. before they came.. and i was worried.. but he took over the cookie table.. and was the star of the show ... the next night.. at the banquet.. some folks thanked me again.. but admitted after two days of bus touring.. they couldnt remember which was mine.. but if i mentioned the cookie dwarf... they just gushed.. and remembered the garden.. go figure on that...

and thanks to the rest of you who didnt ask specific ???'s

ken

Fantastic gardens, Ken. You are generous to share them with 375 other hostaholics. I always look for your responses on the forum. Always insightful, sometimes "inciteful," and always fun. Thanks. Lois

Did you got out to your garden today, Ken?? ;P

We just arrived home...5pm, 6pm your time. Was so great to finally meet you after, what...12+ years of emails?! Lots to get caught up on, now that I'm back to reality, but pictures will follow eventually!

We went...we saw...we fawned...we reluctantly got back on the bus after just 40 tiny minutes of admiring the garden (but not before sneaking a cookie from the redhead and thanking the gardener himself, as well as the volunteers, to whom Ken himself shouted his thanks as he ran to greet another busload).
Many thanks again, Ken, your hostas are amazing. We bus people deeply appreciated your toil in readying your hostas for convention. And to you peeps who didn't come to convention, you should've - you would have fawned too.

...so I take it you have a well? As in lots of water available at little cost? And probably untreated? GORGEOUS.

I missed out....so sad. But thanks so much for the great pics, Ken. We'd like more!

Westy

if a 220 well is low cost ....

josh made me do the happy, happy hosta dance ... lol

did i go in the garden on sunday ????

yes.. two neighbors came to see what all the hubbub was ... but alas.. they wanted the 50 cent tour.. not the $5 nor $50 tour .... it was nice.. but made me wish i could have walked each of the 375 through the garden ...

now come the post-convention depression ...

ken

So impressive! How do you manage 5 acres? Are you a 'kept' man and the hostas/yard is your full time job? :-)

I'm sending this link to my boyfriend. It'll help put in perspective the 160 hostas that I have (he, along with the neighbors, think I'm crazy).

Thanks for sharing and I only wish I lived close by to see your place in person!

Beautiful pictures. Wish I could have made it to the convention this year. It looks like you have a tail in the last picture :)

The hostas were very nice, the conifers even better, and a great host......what more could you ask for!!!! Thanks Ken!!!

Lee

Wow!

And lol @ Are you a 'kept' man ?

sad i couldn't make it. i frequent michigan...will have to come by and see it all some time if you'll let me. i also have to see if you ever planted that ligularia..................................

Definitely not enough time to see everything!
It was my third time to the garden. The private tour is better, but everything was wonderful.
The smile on your face said it all, Ken!

since you are a Dr. .... i will defer to your opinion on the difference between a smile.. and stroking out... lol ..

did i ever mention how many years i thought you were in maryland...

i would like to thank dbowemd ... him and his dad showed up on wednesday.. in 100 degree heat ... and helped me label the biggest bed .... what would have taken me 4 hours.. was done in under an hour... plus great hosta friendship ....

thanks dave

ken