Have you made your Top 5 Hosta Choice for 2011?

Deadline is the First of February!

The joys of Summer days to come!

I heard it from a Hosta grower here in The Netherlands, it was mentioned in the AHS journal in an article about a Hosta Nursery in Ireland and it is on the website of the British Hosta and Hem Society! What is it? Begin using slug pellets in February! Good advice!

Slugs were active last Summer!

And this was just the beginning of the summer!

What to do?

I'll be giving Garlic extract a try this summer!

"Garlic Extract sprayed on Hosta leaves controls slugs." Interesting reading lately in the AHS Jounal and by Ian Scroggy of Bali-Hai Mailorder Nursery in Carnlough, Northern Ireland. He has had success with this! "Garlic Extract": Good to do this first step outside! Boil 2 large crushed garlic bulbs in 2 pints(1 liter) of boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Let cool. Drain through a fine sieve or cloth, placed over a bowl, bucket or jar, to remove garic bits and mush. Now you have the concentrated garlic liquid that you will be diluting! Mix 1 Tablespoon(15 ml) Garlic Extract with 1 gallon( 4 liters) of water in a watering can with fine mist. I think I'll try a pressure sprayer with a fine setting. Make sure Hosta leaves are dry when you spray. The Garlic Extract can then dry on the leaves. This Garlic Extract only works on foliage. So from when the first shoots start to emerge to late August-September spray every 14 days. Weekly is better if you have the time! Now I know what do do with the Garlic growing at the allotment!

As a member of the Dutch Hosta Society you will receive "Het Hostablad", a magazine with a great mix of Hosta related topics, twice a year!

In number 46, Fall 2011, there was an article written about a Hosta grower in South East Friesland. After reading that I might give growing Hosta's from seed a try too!

Hostas in the ground....
...and Hostas in containers! Learn more about Hostas!
Join us in Wageningen at the Hosta Study Day!

Hostas have history!

Come to the Hosta Study Day in Wageningen!

Learn more Hosta stuff and meet a few friends!

Hosta Study Day 2011, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Are you attending this year? It's on the 3rd of March!
There is also useful Hosta Club stuff available !

See you there!

Feels like Spring is just around the corner!
This is written in "The New Encyclopedia of Hostas"

I'm trying used coffee grounds!

Today I thought that I would share my new Hosta book!
They did a great job putting this Hosta Encyclopedia together!

It's all about the Hosta!

From the very first sentence on the inside cover...

...to how they organised the Hosta's! It's a fun read!

I've now got my favourite Hosta list down to 100! LOL

Which 5 for the top 10 Hosta's of 2011? Sent yours in?

The Dutch Hosta Society on a garden tour last year! We were treated to coffee and cake while listening to a volunteer tell us about the garden that we were about to explore!

As a member of The Dutch Hosta Society you get the chance to see what is beyond the garden gate! There are always gardens with a high Hosta collection to check out!

To sit here with coffee! Wouldn't that be a treat!

Look! No holes! No slugs!

During the winter months it's nice to look back at photo's from a Hosta garden tour! Decide which idea's you'd like to try in the garden this year! Which Hosta's to add to the collection! Make lists! Have you sent in your top 5 list for The Top 10 Hosta's for 2011?

Do you like to go on Hosta Garden Tours?
And meet other Hosta minded folk? Why not join
The Dutch Hosta Society! www.hostavereniging.nl
or click on the link found over there, top right corner!

When you visit Trompenburg Arboretum in Rotterdam

during the Hosta growing months you're in for a real treat!

When you see one you like, the name is close at hand!

Thought about your 5 favourite Hosta's for 2011?

Which ones ? February 1st remember!
We're also busy with Hosta's in special, not normally found in, places!

Hosta T.Rex! One BIG favourite at Scoutcentre Buitenzorg!

Don't forget to enter your Hosta choices for The Dutch Hosta Society's Top 10 Hosta's from 2011! Send your favourite 5 Hosta names by the 1st of February to wiel.caelen@hotmail.com For more details about this you can read about it in "Het Hostablad nr. 46"

The Dutch Hosta Society on a garden tour in 2011

A few images from September 2011

June 2011, Leaf Show

The Arie van Vliet Collection," Hosta's van de Lage Landen" can be found in Trompenburg Gardens and Arboretum in Rotterdam.