CONVENTION? No one ever mentioned a CONVENTION! Just WHERE is it and WHEN? I'm all excited! If I can't make it this year.... BUT there is always NEXT year!!!!!! How BIG is this CONVENTION!!?

CONVENTION!CONVENTION!CONVENTION!
I'm totally PUMPED! Can you tell I'm EXCITED CAN YOU?!

LOL
BIG BIG SMILEY

Everything from TC's potted on to 3-4" pots to 1/2 and gal size pots. Everything you've seen on all the best mailorder sites - all in one selling area. It's not for the faint of heart. I went to the Philly show one afternoon and got 20 nice sized plants(qt to gal size).
Pam

I attended Indy in 2007. I came home with the 2 hostas that are given out if you register for the convention and about 5 others. We have so many hosta vendors here that I only bought some unusual things. At the time I had several hundred and had gotten to the point where I didn't want or need every hosta out there.

There were some big hostas - at the auction - but those will cost you.

It really depends on how much you can afford to spend after you plunk down $300 or more for the convention registration fee.

There are plenty of vendors selling and the variety is huge. Some hostas were good sized but most were average. But you don't have to be registered for the convention to buy hostas. There are times that the selling area and the leaf show are open to the general public. There were also alot of unusual companion plants I had never seen or heard of.

I don't think I will be attending as I have seen almost all of the gardens and then some, but time will tell. I am glad I did attend one convention though. At the moment I would rather spend the $$$ on something unusual from Hideko's garden or THL hosta auction - but that has just become my preference over time.

We attended the AHS convention in June in Lansing, Michigan. In particular, I was interested in seeing how things work before the convention here in Minnesota next year.

Melissa, I'd say there are three main reasons for attending the convention - and shopping isn't one of them!

First of all, the two days of tours will take you to some truly inspirational gardens. When I went back in 2000, I got to see mature plants of many varieties that I couldn't afford. With all the catalog hype, it is really hard to focus on things that are truly special versus the next-newest thing.

This year I saw mature plants of some of the hostas that will be in the top ten or top twenty in just a few years. Just off the top of my head, I'd say Queen of the Seas, Emerald Ruff Cut, and Ginsu Knife are all poised for greatness.

Take a digital camera with capacity for at least 1000 pics per day. Be sure to photograph the label before or after you shoot the plant - your memory will be overloaded.

The second reason to attend is the people. You enjoy interacting with people here on the forums - imagine hanging out for several days with a whole bunch of fun hosta nuts.

You find out very quickly that the hosta world is pretty small. I'd corresponded for years with Gary of Gary&Jack, the Naylor boyz... but had no idea I'd get to just hang with Gary as he was at the Naylor booth in the vending area. Bob and Nancy Solberg man their own both. Mark Zilis will be around, signing his books and taking pictures of new plants in their pots in the vending area.

I had two meals with Clyde Crockett, the first editor, I think, of the AHS Journal. Bob Olson, the current editor, lives here in Minnesota and will undoubtedly be everywhere during the convention.

In 2000, we got on the bus and started hearing what sounded like some pretty authoritative discussion and disagreement about hostas coming from the seat across the aisle. Turned out it was Mark Zilis and Bob Solberg. The list of hosta developers and hybridizers and wholesalers and retailers - names you see in the registrations and the catalogs - many of them will just be hanging around at your breakfast table or in the hostatality room.

Third reason - it's in Minnesota! For those from other places, it will be a chance to see our beautiful state and some amazing Upper Midwest hostas and our fun hosta locals. For those from around here, it will be a chance to network with a well established group of real hosta afficianados.

Oh... a fourth reason... as a local, you have a great advantage in the leaf show. You can enter very fresh leaves with no travel trauma. I've got a shelf full of ribbons from 2000.

Most important reason to come to the convention... you get to visit me!!!

We won't be on the tour - we don't have quite the size and facilities to host busloads of folks. We are po' folks who are rich in hostas - around 800 cultivars and a couple of thousand plants. We have asked to be on the "informal" tour days if they have them next year. We'd be on a list of gardens willing to host visitors on the Thursday before and the Sunday after the formal tours.

So we are hoping to see lots of our internet friends in our garden... we are only about 15 minutes by freeway from the convention hotel. Tentatively we are planning a Sunday light brunch in the garden, hoping folks will come by before they leave town.

So - put the convention on your calendar. You out-of-towners, if you are flying, make sure your flight is in the later afternoon. If you are driving, plan on the morning at our house. You in-towners are, of course, also welcome. Teresa knows where I live!

I'm not a great committee member, so I probably won't be running much of anything - but I am planning to volunteer to do some Ole and Lena jokes at each of the evening dinners. We'll see if they take me up on it!

AHS Convention 2010 - I'm pretty sure I've got the dates right... June 23-26

view June 5, 2009, from the top of my RV...

I am with aliciaadamo on this-so exciting! Seeing your garden, idiothe, would make the drive from northen VA well worth it! Hope I can figure out a way to do this.

WOW Jim. I don't think I can wait till next June to see your paradise!

I had such a good time at the MN Hosta Society tour this June, despite the crappy weather. And I love to talk hosta whenever I have someone to talk with! Amazing how most people bore at the prospect of discussing 1 genus of plant. Hmph.

I'm going to start savin' up the dough for the convention now!

We can ride the bus together! But don't wait until then... we always have wine in the frig! Cummon over!

Oh what a gorgeous pictue! Can't wait to see it in real time!

Was planning on going to the Lansing MI convention this past June and things didn't work out, Twin Cities is much closer. See you there!

Ms Jo

Wine in the frig - now that is really scary!

Jim - what's up with the name change?

I owe you some tomatoes and green beans. Rabbits got most of the peas!

Teresa

Great pics Jim.
And I hope to all of you there next year.

Wine in the frig?
That means it's a white or blush. I'm there!

I'm a big fan of Pacific Northwest Gewurtztraminer... but have lately developed a taste for Rose d'Anjou from the Loire... and there is that good Loosen Riesling from Germany... and if we like people, we often serve a sparkling Spanish rose...

of course, if we don't like you, its a 24 oz can of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a hard bench...

someday when there is time for stories, ask me about the Riesling Wine Festival in Luxembourg. It wasn't pretty - but what the heck, it's a small country... there are others...

I was as the same convention with Teresa in Indy. I did come home with probably 5 or 6 hostas, but some of those were from Andrea whom we stayed with during the convention. I flew there, so had to be choosy about what I purchased. However I agree with Jim that it wasn't so much about the shopping as it was visiting the gardens, meeting and rubbing elbows with the hosta "rock stars" out there, and meeting other hosta fanatics. I plan on being at the convention next year.
Jen

Jim, Put me on the guest list for that Sunday morning brunch! I'm going to attend the national convention in 2010, no matter what, and will also be heading for the Midwest Regional next year.
For me, the conventions are as much about the people as the plant! There are always new hostas that you've never heard of, so even if you go with a list, you're going to be on overload the minute you walk into the vending area.
Getting a chance to sit and talk with the hosta cognoscente is worth the price of admission, and the list of good friends I've made at the conventions grows each time.
See you all in 2010!
Linda P

Forgive this question if it sounds naive, but are you guys discussing AHS National Convention?
Jakki

I would love to be able to go, but don't know if I will be able to afford it. What a great experience!

Does anyone know how often it might circulate to the Twin Cities? Has it been held there before?

I hope to be able to make it.

Is there an official website that gives info? I've been "planning" on going for the last couple years, but don't know any details. Is it really expensive to get in, or to go on the tours?

MN group will be hosting next year ... see link below

if you join the American Hosta Society ... google such

you actually get this information sent to you multiple times during the year.. along with 3 glorious journals..

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: mn society

its near the bottom of this linked page

Here is a link that might be useful: near bottom

Some think it is a little expensive to attend conventions. It might seem that way but for what you get it is worth it. You can congregate with hundreds of folks that just love to garden and use "Hostas" as an excuse to get together.

Once your at the convention feel free to go up to any other attendee and introduce yourself. I usually spend at least a day getting or giving "hugs and handshakes" While convention times are work times for me it is still a great chance to meet face to face with all the forum members you get to chat with on the WWW.

Start saving now if you want to add to your hosta collection. If you have never perused a vending room you will probably be overwhelmed at first. You will be face to face with some of the nicest vendors you will ever meet. They are all patient and want to talk to you. You will find there will be a wide selection of companion plants and garden items in addition to the best selection of hostas in one room anywhere.

There is always an auction with unique selection of donations up for bids. Some go for unheard of prices yet others seem to go at bargain prices. It's all fun and the proceeds of the auction help support the American Hosta Society. If you bid on nothing the commentary that goes along with all the hostas presented for auction is very educational and at times very entertaining.

If you cannot afford to register for the convention the leaf show, seedling competitions, and vending are made available to the public at no charge. If you live close join the local society and volunteer your time to help with the gardens and convention. You will meet some great people and have fun for sure. The Minnesota bunch are a fun bunch to be around.

If you get to the 2010 convention and see a fellow with a big smile and a bullfrog voice sitting in a japanese maple forest introduce yourself.

Lee

hey.. get 2 or 3 friends.. split the room ...

lunches are provided on the buses ..

banquets at night ....

leave the mortgage payment at home ...

wing it...

ken

As a matter of fact, I've got one of those Japanese maples sitting out on my deck right now...