skip to main content

MN Hosta Soc Tour in the Rain - House #1 Pics

14 years ago

Well we finally are getting the rain we've hoping for - nice long soaking rain - over 3/4" so far. Didn't do much to dampen 3 busloads of Hostaphiles eager to tour 4 gardens west of Minneapolis. Thanks to the MHS members that volunteered their gardens and those who organized this event. It was wonderful!

Had the pleasure to meet up with a couple of Hosta Forum regulars - Loisf and her daughter, and thisismelissa and her mother-in-law joined my wife and I.

I'd like to share some photos of the gardens - each very distinct and a nice mix for inspiration.

Gardens at House #1 were very hosta inspired and what a dedicated hosta fancier here might have fashioned.

Hope you enjoy.

Unknown Crinkled Blue - Anyone have ideas who this is?

Beautiful Spilt Milk

As you can see hosta were pristine, Garden Hosts were as gracious as yards were beautiful.

Time to get back on the bus - box lunch, 4 gardens, and bus ride for $20 - don't you wish you had come along.

Lois and Melissa - or others on tour, add some pics if you'd like.

House #2 I'll start in a new message - Rocks and Water Features coming up.

Paul

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (16)

woodthrush
14 years ago
They are fantastic! And not one person in the photos is carrying a spade?! That lady with that big green tote bag does look suspicious though. :)
Pam
Mary4b
14 years ago
Paul, thank you so much for posting all the pics of the tour...they are awesome! It's cold and rainy over here. I got one small garden finished up this morning before the rain started. Now it's nice to sit back and look at your tour pics. I wish I knew what the hosta is just before the last pic...the one with the 1/2 and 1/2 leaves...that looks like the one I picked up at the store this spring.
Related Discussions
Whew! Regional Garden Tour photos - Day 1
Q
Comments (18)
Hi Michelle! Wow, that is a lot of work you did for us all to see! I enjoyed going to the Regional and meeting you and seeing all the gardens with you so much!! I still have not even downloaded my pictures yet, with all the uproar of "life" since this great and fun weekend!! I don't think I will ever forget the daylily "KILLER" as I know we kept oohhing and awwing over it at every garden that had it planted! You know, being from the Oilfield Service industry Occupation (Good 'Ole Oilfield Trash), I never in my lifetime imagined myself as one of the people pouring off of a tour bus to tour daylily gardens!! I really chuckle when I think of that, as it hit me as we were climbing off the bus at one of the gardens. My, how life changes and it is so nice to have the time to enjoy doing things that are a reflection of beauty!! Thanks so much for the fun, laughter, giggles, bidding at the auction, and conversation the entire weekend!! Jan G.
...See More
Three Hosta Gardens - Garden 1
Q
Comments (17)
Thank you all for your kind comments. I feel lucky to be some part of all three gardens. gogirlterri - so... you spotted Judy, Faye and I dancing under Wheee. Ha!! I do feel like those little pigs when I'm in the garden. As far as having help goes, yes we do all have a little help. Judy has some from me at least once a year. Her husband is not interested in the garden but will occasionally agree to jobs if they are clearly outlined and done in order. He want's a list to work by which is hard to do when you tend to wander around in a daze most of the time. Faye's hubby is very willing and has assets like a working truck, friends with manure and tractor/backhoe things. Would that be nice! He's a very kind, generous man and often comes up here with his equipment to help Mike (my hubby) with jobs. We are sadly lacking in any useful equipment other than buckets and wheelbarrows. Faye does most of the hard work herself, removing lawn, all planting, watering etc. Mike is also not a gardener but a very happy builder. He has added decks, build the wall when we took down the picket fence (I did the finishing) build wooden planting areas and even helped with the occasional rock. He always has many projects on the go in various stages of completion. It all helps. Mocc, Judy is always adding mirrors. She brightens up all her shady corners with them. She brought the red sunburst one back from here last year. She got me to put up a few in my garden last summer. My problem is they get dirty so fast with our hard water.
...See More
Gardenweb Garden Tour
Q
Comments (27)
addictedtohosta - me too! Addicted to hostas, that is :-) The 'Secret Garden' tour has taken place for at least 3 years (further back then that, I don't know) and I've been to it twice (this year and last) and it was great! Last year, I believe there were 9-10 gardens featured and this year there were 8. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 the day of the tour. Tour hours are from 10am to 4 pm. I'm not sure if it is the same day each year (as in 2nd Sunday of July as it was this year) or not. I was wondering the same thing myself. We actually only made it to three gardens this year due to a late start - my husband wanted to camp Saturday night and it was past 1 when we got back to town. We visited a lovely formal Victorian garden which surrounded a very nicely redone Victorian home. We also visited a newer home with a huge parklike garden that was absolutely fantastic. Then we finished up at a garden that featured a model railroad track, complete with an authentic train whistle which all the children (including my husband) got to blow if they wanted! That stop kept us from going on to #4 because aforementioned husband started visiting with the owner and we didn't get away for a long time :-) I take a ton of photos, and last year I made a slideshow of the tour gardens. If you would like to see a sample of what it's like, I have the screenshow online (actually put it there for members of my hosta forum to download several months ago). I'll put the link below. You (and anyone else who'd like to see it) can feel free to download it. It's rather large, but has a lot of nice photos. Opps... have to temporarily take that offer back. The website appears to be down. I'll put the link in, but it may not be good for a day or so. If it doesn't work tomorrow, I'll email the ISP folks about it! Here is a link that might be useful: Owatonna, MN Secret Garden Tour 2004
...See More
Rice Creek Nursery closing! Last Chance tour?
Q
Comments (14)
I am so sad I missed it. My pride and joy additions from Rice Creek include (but are not limited to)the 'Leonard Messell' magnolia which has reached proportions far greater than any information at the time of purchase led us to believe possible; petasites giganteus/japonicus (yes, Betty warned us about this, but I still love the thug); and my personal crown jewel, my acer japonicum atropurpurea (I'm sure I must have screwed up somewhere in typing that!) which is now, after about 10 years, a gorgeous, spreading 9 x 12' dazzler. It was an 8" pup when I selected it from a group of 30 or so. Best plant purchase I ever made. There are other wonderful plants that have graced my gardens for lesser periods. What I will miss the most is the inspiration and the idea that anything, even this far north, is possible. Kate
...See More
paul_in_mn
Original Author
14 years ago
Mary -Alex Summers

Paul
Janice
14 years ago
I think my heart would have stopped if I had been on that tour--at any of the places you visited!
It's almost overwhelming!! Thank you, Paul!!!

Love that Alex Summers, too!!! Spilt Milk was also impressive!
groentje
14 years ago
Paul,
thanks for the beautifull pictures. do you know the name of the little hosta thats to the right of "the unknown crinkled one"? It looks like a small liberty and i love it.
botanybabe
14 years ago
The big unknown hosta looks just like Lunar Night. Check it out at hosta library.

Lainey

Here is a link that might be useful: Lunar night
hosta_freak
14 years ago
Very nice! Kinda reminds me of my own gardens,(without the hills,of course)! Theirs,not mine! I like the look of hostas being near each other,instead of being far apart. Thanks for sharing! Phil
paul_in_mn
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks Lainey for responding, thought it might get lost in the other pics.

Similar look, a bit of blue in one I snapped. I count about 14 vein pairs in my pic vs 9-10 for Lunar Night. Owners said wish they knew what it was, and to let 'em know if I figure it out.

Three hosta in particular at this garden I made note of and this was first on my list - figures.

Thanks again.

Paul
susie53_gw
14 years ago
Oh my goodness your gardens are so beautiful. I wish I had more shade.

Susie
sidney1515
14 years ago
Paul! Thanks so much for posting these photos. I enjoyed the whole tour. What a beautiful Spilt Milk. . my Spilt Milk doesn't have so much spilt milk on it. . .lol
GREAT BIG THANKS!
old_lady
14 years ago
Thanks Paul, I viewed all 4 houses - they were beautiful. I'm going to a nursery this weekend and thought I knew what I was going to get but after drooling over your pics now I'm not sure.
loisflan
14 years ago
groentje:

The hosta next to the big crinkled one looks a lot like my First Frost. You might check the Hosta Library. Lois
paul_in_mn
Original Author
14 years ago
groentje - I didn't take many individual hosta pics at this house so I'm not sure. Here's a closeup. I'm thinking Libery also looking at the rounding at the tips of some of the leaves. I'm pretty sure they had multiple of both Liberty and First Frost planted. I don't have First Frost yet. so only looking at HL pics to compare.

Lois, thanks for catching the question.

Paul
groentje
14 years ago
paul and lois,
thank you both. I think its a bit small for a liberty.
After searching the library, it could be aristocrat.
And now i have to have it! Ooh my wishlist keeps getting longer...
loisflan
14 years ago
groentje, you might be right about Aristocrat. Here they both are for comparison.

First Frost

Aristocrat,smaller one on left
{{gwi:1020760}}
jel48
14 years ago
Great photos, Paul. Sure wish we'd had time to fit in one more activity when we were in MN last weekend. The garden tour would have been it for sure!

Related Stories

VACATION HOMES Houzz Tour: Childhood Memories Shape a Lakeside Cottage

By Mitchell Parker

A Canadian man couldn’t salvage his grandfather’s cottage, but he keeps the family connection alive with a new structure in the same space

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Midcentury Modern Style Transforms a Vineyard Bungalow

By Andrew Snow Photography

Spectacular surroundings and iconic design inspiration meet in a major overhaul of a 1960s Ontario home

LIFE Retirement Reinvention: Boomers Plot Their Next Big Move

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Choosing a place to settle in for the golden years? You're not alone. Where boomers are going and what it might look like

FALL GARDENING Why Fall Is the Best Time for Planting

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Spring is overrated for planting. Starting plants in autumn has advantages for both garden and gardener

GARDENING GUIDES 5 Unsung Wildflowers That Thrive in Dry Shade

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Turn shady problem spots into garden idylls with with these prolific, easy-care bloomers

SUMMER GARDENING Houzz Call: Please Show Us Your Summer Garden!

By Annie Thornton

Share pictures of your home and yard this summer — we’d love to feature them in an upcoming story

EARTH DAY The Case for Losing the Traditional Lawn

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Work less, help the environment and foster connections by just saying no to typical turf

GREEN BUILDING 6 Green-Roof Myths, Busted

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Leaky, costly, a pain to maintain ... nope, nope and nope. Get the truth about living roofs and see examples from simple to elaborate

FALL GARDENING Houzz Call: Show Us Your Fall Color!

By Annie Thornton

Post pictures of your fall landscape — plants, leaves, wildlife — in the Comments section. Your photo could appear in an upcoming article

TREES 11 Japanese Maples for Breathtaking Color and Form

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

With such a wide range to choose from, there’s a beautiful Japanese maple to suit almost any setting

Sponsored

Mary Shipley Interiors

32 Reviews

Columbus OH Premier Interior Designer 10x Best of Houzz

More Discussions

What are you doing Monday 41524

34

What are you doing Monday 42224

11

hosta june in sun

14

What do you do for mulch?

3

Reddy or Not this Spring

15