HostasDirect

13 years ago

Heading to the Twin Cities and I'm wondering if anyone has any feedback on the quality/health of the hostas at HostasDirect in St. Paul. Worth a stop?

Any other places I should add to my "list"? I'm coming from the North and heading to the Arboretum. Don't mind driving out of my way if it's worth it!

~Patti

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Comments (11)

thisismelissa
13 years ago
Not worth the stop.

They sell mainly very very small tissue culture plants.
In fact, they're still in a 6-pack cell, they're so small.
I went there 3 years ago, before I knew better, spent over $200 and here I am, 3 years after purchase with some of the plants still so small they're not even 1-gallon equivalents.

Prices are high, plants are small. Skip the trip.

HOWEVER

If you do want a worthwhile visit, go to Venero Gardens. If you're coming down 494, it's an easy drive between the north and the arboretum. You do need to make an appointment though. Dory and Jay Venero operate a quality business, but it's from their suburban home and they do not have a lot of parking, so they require appointment. They dig while you wait and they're not the fastest in the world. So, go on their website and if they're something you want, have that list prepared before you get there.... even send it to them ahead of time, so the order is ready when you get there. If you're concerned about the size of the plant, a call to Dory would be good. She'll tell you how long she's been growing it and if it's good size or not.

Another worthwhile stop is Chaska Farm & Garden. I was there VERY early in the season and they at least had the 8" square pots, though a lot were in the next size down square pot. Decent quality plants too.
pkthomas
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the tip! I looked at Venero's website and I definitely want to visit. I hope to make it to Funkie's as well..

~Patti
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Mocc, Mary, & Josephine, You have really gotten what I tried to express. This was an experience in FAMILY, TEAMWORK, and LOVE. My friend's husband (who is also, of course, my friend for 30 years) sat in a lawn chair on the sidewalk, holding this grandbaby or that one, watching as various adult family members took turns at hacking away at that viscous clay-y soil and the roots of what I think are holly bushes. Indiana Jones using his machete to clear jungle was a piker compared to my friend's daughter Miril hacking away at the holly roots with the kitchen knife. We really could only cut a 9 or 10" wide trench in this clay, into which I poured bags of topsoil to mix with the clay soil. Without most of the adult members of the family shoveling or hacking at roots, we could not have gotten the hostas & heuchies a proper amended trench in which to be planted. Yeshiva boys who had never held a shovel in their lives were shoveling away like machines at my direction, as I sprayed water on each newest layer of clay uncovered, to make it workable. The numerous little children stood in wonder at our activities, watching as though we were conjuring sunbeams into cookies. They liked "gardening", they said, and wanted to "help". I told them the best way to help is to "supervise" us (if you think I was letting toddlers near $250 worth of hostas and heuchies....). They accepted that and watched. I had to retrieve some balls and other toys which had come precariously close to the tender shoots of the plants, but they didn't. Whew. With all this frenetic activity, overlaid by the dozen-plus grandkiddies all under 8 running around, asking for water, trying to sample the desserts, playing ball, planning the skits to entertain their grandfather, waving from upper story windows down at us--you name it, it was going on--I still managed to follow my garden schematic, clipped to a holly bush, and get the job done. A miracle. Another miracle was how my friends were not the slightest bit fazed at this maelstrom, not missing a single beat as they set up the BBQ and passed around food fresh from the grill. The sense of family and love just totally permeated the whole atmosphere. I have tried to capture this utterly beautiful thing to share with you all here, but it's elusive, like a skittish butterfly, to express. Mocc, WHAT SIZE POT should I plant this Wheee! beauty in? I could put at least a 12" pot next to my 18" pot of mini-hostas (YES!! Holy Mouse has made it back from the 2nd squirrel attack and has 2 new leaves!!). Perhaps the gaiety of the whirling leaves might actually better be showcased up in the air in a pot.
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Westy, he's not selling OFF his own. He's just selling divisions. He actually told me that HostasDirect is a big enough biz now that he can almost make a living at it. He does tissue cultures in the house and sells them from cells. Bigger plants are outside and he divides those or puts them in 3.5" pots. My understanding is that he doesn't do this sale from his home very often.... mostly he works from his retail location, which he has closed for the season. So, at this point, I suppose he'll just sell TC's for the rest of the season.... that's just my guess anyway. I'll tell ya though., it's a pretty amazing thing to see. So many hostas, all in 1 location... and NOT in a Botanical Garden or Arboretum! Words can't express the overwhelm. Itty bitty ones the size of your palm, and huge ones that wouldn't have fit in my Explorer!
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I have been to Hostas Direct and am actually going to stop by there today. But really, if you want something that's not puny, skip HD unless you're buying a division. Here are the TINY TINY HD TC's I bought there last year. Most of them aren't much bigger this year:
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paul_in_mn
13 years ago
Patti- Funkie has short hours - close at 5pm. Nice gift shop next door to Funkie - a bit pricey, but fun.

Paul
sharlened
13 years ago
I cannot vouch for their retail, but I was truly disappointed with their customer service from their website. I ordered a hosta sweatshirt off their website and they tried to charged me tax - I had to email them to let them know they shouldn't be charging tax on clothing in MN. I did not have a "great" experience with them as they took forever to deliver the sweatshirt - I had to email twice and I live right here in MN. Anyways, they also charged a substantial handling fee to their shipping charges. I received a survey a couple weeks later and answered honestly and recieved a nastly email from the owner. Not a way to keep customers! If they don't want my opinion, then don't ask me for it! I will not buy from there again. Plants or no plants.
User
13 years ago
Savory's Gardens in Edina is another option, especially worth it if you call ahead to arrange for a tour. They're not inexpensive, but their plants always thrive for me. They are originators of some truly wonderful classic hostas.

Here is a link that might be useful: Savory's Gardens
greenthumbz4mn
13 years ago
Sharlened--which hosta place are you referring to in regards to the sweatshirt???? PK--are you aware that Funkies is now in Marine On St Croix and not Prescott? Have a great trip. Mary
thisismelissa
13 years ago
I have to respectfully disagree with manyhosta.
I find Savory's VERY expensive for the size plants you get. Their display gardens are nice, but I no longer shop at Savory's. In fact, I drive thru Edina to get to Venero's and haven't gone to Savory in 2 years.
idiothe
13 years ago
Hey, Patti... if you just want to visit a nice hosta garden (pretty decent collection - about 800 cultivars) and see some mature - but hail-damaged - hostas... come by and visit. I'm just off 494 in Plymouth... will be around the next couple days... pm me if you are interested...
Teresa_MN
13 years ago
Patti - I can give you the name of a couple of people that have great variety and sell from their homes. I can't post the info here but you can email me from my home page.

Teresa
pkthomas
Original Author
13 years ago
Back home now. Sorry that I didn't see all of these messages before I left.

Idiothe - 800?? That would have been something to see : ) I just decided to start collecting this year and decided that I'd buy 25 this year and 25 next year - 'cause 50 hostas ought to be enough for anyone, right? Ha! (Am I the only one that makes note of one I "need" whenever Paul posts a picture? I guess this is how it starts...)

teresa mn - Not sure if I'll get that way again before Fall, but it's good to know that there are other resources out there!

By the way, I did make it to Venero Gardens and was quite taken with it. Very charming and I definitely got a lot of bang for my buck. Two of the hosta I selected were HUGE. Sun Power is about 20 inches tall and Alex Summers about 24 inches tall! That's a lot of instant gratification for someone like me who's just starting out. No nursery I've ever been to sells anything anywhere near that size! Thanks again thisismelissa!

~Patti
thisismelissa
13 years ago
Patti-
The Idiots have quite the garden. It's lovely and their hospitality is great! Definitely worth a trip. IMO, it was better than most of the gardens on the official tour for the national convention this year.

Glad you made it to Venero's. They're great people!

And yes hon,... when you have the sickness, your wishlist is never far from reach! Though I picked up well over 100, my wishlist almost always grows by more than what has been removed from it!

HostasDirect

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