Midwest Regional Hosta Society Garden Tours - July 2012

10 years ago

Attended the Midwest Regional Conventions hosted by the Shades of Green Hosta Society in Rochester Minnesota this weekend. Kudos to SOGHS, as they put on a great convention.

Visited 5 gardens by bus tour on Saturday-

The first visit was to the Greene and Eckman Garden - they hand-dug the 6000 gallon pond and bogs that is at the center of their back gardens. Lots of drift of color.

I'm attaching a slideshow link for each garden posting.

Thanks for looking.

Paul

Here is a link that might be useful: Greene and Eckman Gardens

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Comments (14)

paul_in_mn
Original Author
10 years ago
The second garden visited was the Truestedt Gardens. Changes to their lush wooded back yard by Dutch Elm disease and straight-line winds changed lighting opening previously unexposed areas. Sewer and water project exposed some large previously buried boulders. These have been incorporated and provide the foundation to their front yard gardens.

Paul

Here is a link that might be useful: Truestedt Slideshow
paul_in_mn
Original Author
10 years ago
Third on the tour was the Farham and Johnson Gardens. Many fine hosta specimens in the raised stone wall gardens that replaced grassy areas. Over 1000 cultivars on display. A terraced hillside leading down from their cottage to the river. Lots of seating areas to review the gardens and reflect. A 3-tiered fish pond is at the center of one garden court.

Paul

Here is a link that might be useful: Farham and Johnson Slideshow
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our local gardening society is mainly run by little old biddies (no offence to anyone who feels they may be one) who pooh-pooh non-native plants and who use the gardening tours as a means of socializing, gossiping and the like. I went one year, with the intent of trying to put my own garden on the tour in subsequent years, but the conversations from the venerated members soured me to the idea. This is a town where I was asked (ok, threatened under penalty of a fine) to trim bushes (which were vines atop a 6-7 foot trellis, fully laden with ripening fruit) due to their being visible from the street (but only if you step into my driveway) and the garden-club wrote about an elderly gentleman growing tomatoes in the cracks in his driveway, which he has been doing for the past couple years since he lost his license. The mother of a co-worker of my wife's is a member and she clues me in to their annual native plant sale. Twice I've bought plants only to find out in time that they were mis-identified. I haven't been back since. ~Chills
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A group from Pella are coming to the convention. Connie and I are leaving on Thursday.We are hoping ot stop at some nurseries or garden centers along the way. So if anyone has any ideas, let me know. Bruce will be staying home to water, just kidding. He will be to busy to water, he is in charge of our chruch group that will be working on the Habitat for Humanities house, that will be my cousins home. That's exciting! Some of the others from Pella are arriving, I think on Friday. Counting the hours. Looking forward to meeting many of you. Lisa, I have seen you before, but have never gotten to meet you, maybe this time. Seems like my head is always in the hostas, and not looking around to meeting others. I will try harder this time, and not be overwhelmed with the gardens or vendors. Jamie, we will be looking for your shirt. Always fun talking with MaryAnn, she gave me alot of tips last year, on doing the cut leaf show. not doing it this year, as we are so dry, and the cutworms are bad also. Will also look for name tags of Mark and Marsha. I remember my first convention, was hard to take it all in, like I said my head was in the hostas! Always good to see Josh and his family, fun to see what they have for sale also! Last year bought Kiwi Blue Flash. Is MrHeinz going to be there also? Neat to see how is getting addicted to hostas in a short time! John, would be great if you could come, arent you ready for a hosta vacation? Again counting the hours................
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Thanks Teresa, I'm hoping it will be a good experience for me too! Kathie! It was great meeting you too, thanks for all the hard work you do to make the TSHS as successful as it is! I really enjoyed listening to Olga, it was a great meeting to start off with, and I look forward to many more. Its good to see you posting here as well!! Maggiemae, I'm probably one of the few that found the leaf show absolutely fascinating. I had no idea that hostas were that diverse. For me the whole experience was a positive one (loved that sea of leaves in the tiny bottles!!). Although I've been a gardener for years, the show got me started in my love affair with hostas. Again, some of the greatest joys in our lives wouldn't be had if we isolated ourselves due to all the frustrations we encounter. You know along with the "lovelies" in life there are a lot of "nasties" out there, and as hard as it is sometimes, I just try to shower everyone with kindness. Life is too short, and in the grand scheme of things, its all about people, not hostas. In many ways people are like hostas, some of us can be neglected and grow on the driveway, but others of us need some coaxing and TLC in order to reach our full potential...some of us don't pass the 10 foot rule, some of us do. Put us all together and we make a beautiful tapestry in this thing called life. Not everyone is going to like me, and that's okay, I just need to be as kind to others as I am to my hostas.
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paul_in_mn
Original Author
10 years ago
A garden of about ten common varieties six year again was changed after attending a friends 'garden party'. About 300 hosta varieties and lots of room for more on this 2 acre shady lot.

Paul

Here is a link that might be useful: Keehn Slideshow
paul_in_mn
Original Author
10 years ago
After a bus ride backwards up a 300+ yard long curving driveway we were ready get our feet on the ground for the final garden. Early part of the slide show progresses to the top of their holy hill atop a grotto. Many spiritual and religious named plants. A swimming pond (9 1/2 feet deep) with attached bogs and connected streams and water features. And over 2000+ coleus plants of over 300 varieties that they plant from cuttings and seeds each year.

Nearer the house are many whimsical features.

Hope you enjoyed the tour.

Paul

Here is a link that might be useful: Herring Slideshow
Cher
10 years ago
Thanks for all the great tours. That last one was unreal. Didn't read what you said at first, I just kept thinking how much they must be paying for Coleus each year. Now I read they do cuttings every year. Enjoyed all your hard work getting these up for us.
Cher
Steve Massachusetts
10 years ago
Great slideshows, Paul. Thanks for the work in putting these together. I love the Farnham and Johnson garden. Great specimens. That's my type of garden.

Steve
ilovetogrow z9 Jax Florida
10 years ago
Thank you for making this for us. What a great tour. Herring Sideshow was my favorite! Paula
in ny zone5
10 years ago
Most of these gardens are requiring probably a lot of upkeep, they are beautiful. Then there is the Herring garden with all these features and sculptures, they must be artists or are spending a lot on art. Thanks! Bernd
mosswitch
10 years ago
I always look forward to these tours. I never get to go, so I love seeing the photos. Thanks for sharing!

Sandy
mbug_gw
10 years ago
Great job, Paul. Thanks for sharing!
hostamo
10 years ago
Great slideshows Paul.. Thanks for sharing them... was hoping someone was going to post pics. Wasn't able to attend the convention but did manage to get to Rochester yesterday to take in the leaf show and vendors area. From the people I talked to it sounds like it was a great convention.
paula_b_gardener 5b_ON
10 years ago
Outstanding! Thanks so much for taking the time to put these slide shows together, I really enjoyed every one of them. Got some good ideas, too and of course some new hostas added to my 'must have' list.
plantbug
10 years ago
Paul, I am curious on a pic in the Herring slideshow, in the pic with the goat and the pic is taken between two people, is that Bob and Nancy Solberg? Sure looks like them.

I have enjoyed the sight seeing tours. Thank you.
paul_in_mn
Original Author
10 years ago
Always happy to share.

plantbug, yes I believe you are correct.

Paul

Midwest Regional Hosta Society Garden Tours - July 2012

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Midwest Regional Hosta Society Garden Tours - July 2012

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