Viktoria Serafin
Scheduling meetings is complicated by our overlapping interests (not to mention the availability of speakers and meeting rooms). Many members belong to other plant societies as well. As a result, some members had to again make a choice and miss the September picnic.
The woodland setting of the Daltons' garden was a delight and offered for view many uncommon hosta varieties. There is so much promise there that we definitely need to schedule another picnic there in in 2003! The food (pot luck) was the best yet! No plants were purchased for the sale, and returned Hosta Sitter plants, leftovers from the spring sale and members' donations brought over $600.00. Around 20 hostas were returned into the Sitter Program.
Three members, who have made important contributions to UNYHS, have a need to curtail their activities. Pat Neaton, who has been our Librarian for several years, has resigned citing health reasons. This is a position that requires attendance at meetings in order that members have access to the books. Carol Mastromarchi has served us as Secretary since the Society was organized. Although her term has not yet expired, she would like to step down. Kent Terpening has become very involved with First Look, a regional get-together, and wants to hand over Program Chairmanship. Please consider whether these are positions you would like to fill.
The October meeting will be our last get-together for this year. At the May meeting the membership voted to add another meeting in March. Unless someone volunteers to organize a Winter Luncheon, skipped this year for lack of a volunteer, that will be the next time we'll meet.
October 20th Meeting - 1:00 p.m.
Schenectady County Public Library
99 Clinton Street
Schenectady, NY
Speakers: Janet Vinyard and Kent Terpening
Growing Hosta From Seed
Note:
Executive Committee will meet at 12:30 p.m.
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Officers:
President: Viktoria Serafin
Vice President: Bill Storz
Recording Secretary: Vacant
Treasurer: Joan Stoffels
Membership Chair: Linda Storz
Newsletter Editors: Jim & Meg Dalton
Webmasters: Jim & Meg Dalton
Hospitality: Linda Montanaro
Librarian: Vacant
Plant Acquisitions: Janet Vinyard
Hosta Sitter Program: Dan & Joanne Maier
and Janet Vinyard
Program and Summer Tours Chair:
Vacant
Name: William A. Storz
Personal Information: This is my third year in the Hosta Society. I have been more of a putter gardener -- more vegetables than flowers. Moving back to New York - 10 years ago - we bought a house with trees and trees and lots of shade - so we needed something that would grow there. Our first hosta (unknown) was given to me by a lady who I was doing some remodel work for (I call it "Handyman Special"). Then a friend gave me some variegated ones. But what really got me going was the dump rescue -- I rescued several boxes full of hosta from the dump -- planted some, gave away lots, but have about 5 different varieties - we call them "Dump 1 through 5." Now I am anxious to ID them for real and have started collecting different cultivars.
How long have you been growing hosta? We've been growing hosta 5-6 years. Really started last year -- after the dump rescue.
How big is your collection? About 60 varieties.
What is your favorite hosta(s)? I'm so new that I don't have a favorite but like them all - particularly the blue cultivars.
What hostas are on your wish list? Any that I don't have.
What are some other plants you like to grow? Any that I can keep alive and do well in shady/partial sunny areas. We have having good luck with iris, forsythia, astible and coralbells.
Any last thoughts or comments? I have a long way to go, the exciting thing is to see these hosta come back - and all the variations.
A Presentation by
Janet Vinyard and Kent Terpening
The October 20th meeting will have an informative and interesting presentation on Growing Hosta From Seed. Included in the talk will be "The how to's of planting the seeds" and "how to produce good plants from seed."
Everyone attending will be given a packet of seed from streaked breeder plants to take home and grow, also there will be a sale of rare streaked seed for those interested.
This is a wonderful way to to while away the winter months, and think of the exciting new hostas that you will have to plant in the spring.
Winning Photos
Asiatic Lily "Corina"
by Roland Vinyard
Multnoma Falls,
Portland, Oregon
by Janet Vinyard
H. Cherry Berry
by Kent Terpening
Hosta, Ferns & White Birch
by Meg Dalton
by Jim Hawes
It seems that just about every hosta has an interesting story connected with it. Birchwood Parky's Gold and its sport progeny has such a story.
One summer about 8 years ago, I found a green streak in the center of one leaf of Birchwood Parky's Gold. In the fall took a bud cutting of the axillary bud to capture the bud sport if possible. The next year a new division appeared and developed perhaps 8 leaves, all of which were identical. All leaves showed a chartreuse border and a dark green center. The following year there were four divisions, all uniform. It appeared to be stable. I potted the plant and took it to Alex Summers as a guest plant in his garden for the Convention garden tour of 1995, I believe. It was seen by several people who commented favorably on it. Alex named it Parky's Pride and I registered it by the name I thought I head Alex use...Parky's Prize.
Some years later, Mark Zilis found in his lab, a reversed form with a chartreuse center and a dark green border. He name it Sweet Home Chicago. I got a small liner from Jim Schwartz and planted it next to Parky's Prize. The two plants are equally beautiful although they are "tissue transfers" of each other. At about this time, I also found a sport of Parky's Prize, identical to Mark's in my garden. I planted this one also next to Parky's Prize and Sweet Home Chicago...Then just this spring, another sport occurred in the garden. Parky's Prize produced a clump of six streaked divisions. Four appear to be chartreuse and white and two appear to be a brighter yellow and white in color these plants need more time to determine if the yellow color is truly different from the chartreuse ground color. If so, then there will someday be a pure yellow color at six o'clock on the Birchwood Parky's Gold Wheel of Sports.
A final note...I plan to name at least one of the streaked forms of these related sports H. 'Parky's Streak Home.' If and when a pure yellow form "sorts out" from the streaky form, I will think up a similar name to "honor" Parky Shaw, friend of Alex Summers. It was Parky Shaw who started it all with Birchwood Parky's Gold, still a classic although an old hosta.
Photo by Kent Terpening
Photo by Kent Terpening
Photo by Kent Terpening
MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL HOSTA SOCIETY
HOSTA-IN-FOCUS FESTIVAL
Saturday, November 10, 2001
This late fall event is again scheduled at the Fairview Park Marriott, Falls Church, Virginia. Hosta-In-Focus is open to all hosta lovers throughout the hosta world.
There is a great line up of hosta experts scheduled for this year's event. First, Karen Rexrode, President of the Windy Hill Plant Farm, a noted plantswoman, as well as a professional photographer, will provide plenty of beautiful photos of perennials to use in landscapes and ways to take better pictures during her talk on "Landscaping through the Camera Lens." Kevin Walek will present a discussion of digital cameras and which are best for a variety of different purposes.
Kevin's presentation will segue into two presentations, one by Sandie Markland that will aid in understanding how photos are chosen for The Hosta Journal. Sandie will be followed by a presentation by magazine layout designer Janet Mills of Mills Design who will show how those photos are then placed into a magazine format. Janet will also be providing insight into how to layout a magazine or newsletter.
There will also be an opportunity to learn Hosta Bonsai techniques from Harry Abel, a world-renowned hosta Bonsai artist. If these speakers haven't answered your questions you will get your chance during the Question and Answer session directed to a Hosta expert panel hosted by Kevin Walek. And, of course there will be an auction of rare and new hostas to help balance the budget.
The day will conclude with dinner followed by Bob Solberg, President of the American Hosta Growers Association and Green Hill Farms, Inc. who will weave his magic with a topic to be announced.
Finally, there will be the traditional Hospitality Suite sponsored by the Potomac Hosta Club open both Friday and Saturday evenings where there is always one or two heated debated on hosta growing, sports, or culture.
Viktoria Serafin will have copies of the registration form at our meeting or you may e-mail her at [email protected].
June, 2001
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#2 Plant Delights Nursery
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#10 House of Hosta
#11 Silvers Elbert Hosta
#12 The Hosta Patch
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6.60
5.60
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