Thanks for sharing Bruce.

Thank you for posting these recent photos. It's nice to put a face to a name. I like seeing 2 icons in the hosta world. Now when I look at my Alex Summers hosta I will think of this nice man.

You must be proud of your mother (correct?) who introduced so many wonderful hostas. Which are your favourites? Sitting in the midst of the large hosta planting must have been heaven.

Thanks again from McTavish in frozen British Colombia

Wow! Alex Summers looks great! I saw him once at a DVHS meeting. He was 90 then. I hope I am still able to scoot around the garden at 93! (Hopefully someone else will be doing the work for me!)

Wonderful pictures Bruce ! I wonder if Mr. Summers ever thought in his younger days there would be hosta forums online where all the host geek s, freaks , groupies & some fine & serious collectors who have thousands of hostas would gather? God bless him he looks great for his age ! Does he have any offspring who share his green thumb & can help him in the gardens? Thank -you so much for for sharing. ~ Dot

Thanks again from McTavish in frozen British Colombia

Whadda ya mean frozen, we barely get frost here in sunny Richmond..... :-), heck, I've got tulips and daffodils poking up already...

McTavish, I missed your earlier comments.

Yes, my mother Pauline greatly inspired me to remember plants and people are alike: most are wonderful in their own way!

Just need to keep them all in perspective!

My favorite from my Mom: all of them!

Having "lived" with them from start to finish and knowing how she developed/picked/named them, it is hard to find just one. Obviously Gold Standard set the pace!

Alex Summers doesn't have any offspring that are involved in hosta, although his son Allan ran the Carroll Gardens (Maryland) operation (I believe he was the owner?) for awhile.

Bruce

Alex looks like he's put on a little weight since I last saw him in North Carolina or was it Falls Church VA.? I saw him at both those conventions. He could afford to gain a little weight back then. I'm glad he likes his caregivers cooking. I bet Alex bent your ear. He sure talked up a storm when we visited. I'm sure he's still missing his wife. Do you supose our paths will cross at the 2011 convention? Sure hope so. Later, Love, Lisa

Here is a link that might be useful:

Yes, Lisa, he does miss his wife a lot - not talking as much as before, as he suffered a stroke in 2006, finally recovering from that setback. He also had knee surgery which helps with less pain but he is not supposed to weed on his knees anymore, so the gardens have become quite weedy.

Does enjoy cards and letters, but has lost most of his memory - sad, as he had such great recall until recently.

Bruce

Bruce, I can understand why Gold Standard is so special for you (and all of us). I wanted to say that one of my all time favourites from any breeder is Permanent Wave. I don't know why it's not mentioned more. It holds a nice green color even in sun which many others don't. It grows so well in fact that I'm going to have to move mine this year.

I looked up articles on your mom and came across one about her and Mary Castain with a picture of each. I love pictures. I got such a kick out of the fact that your mom liked to garden barefoot! I'm with her on that one.

McTavish (Myrle)