First day of Winter! "Het HostaBlad nr. 48", the Hosta magazine for The Dutch Hosta Society, has been published and sent to all its members! Lots to read! The Arie van Vliet Collection, Hosta Virus, Hostas on Location, Hosta Top 10, The Keukenhof, Hostas and Friends, reviews from the Hosta trips and articles written by members telling their tales of their own experiences with Hostas fill this issue! A great Winter read!

 A great day out with The Dutch Hosta Society yesterday!

 26 C and almost 80 members ejoyed visiting 3 very different gardens!

A big THANK YOU to all the Gardeners who opened their gardens for us!

September in the Hosta Garden!  Hostas are still looking great! The Hosta Garden Tour is this Saturday, 8 September! Have you all signed up? Ready to visit private gardens?  Members of  The Dutch Hosta Society are opening their gardens to us!  We'll be in Best, Veghel and Zeeland! A great weekend ahead with Hosta friends and Autumn sunshine! See you there! For more info www.hostavereniging.nl

Floriade 2012!

If you're in The Netherlands and visiting the Floriade there will be Hostas on Show! The Dutch Hosta Society, a member, www.heemskerkplants.com  and two sponsors are setting up a great display in the Villa Flora building! The Hosta Field www.hethostaveldje.nl is displaying: Hoata Avocado, Blue Mouse Ears, Captain Kirk, Gypsy Rose, June, Minuteman, Old Glory, Pandora's Box, Pauls Glory, Praying Hands, Summer Breeze, Theo's Blue and Winter Snow! Jan van den Top of Hosta World www.hostaworld.nl is has Hosta Justine, Mourning Dove, June Fever, Fragrant Queen, Great Escape, Heat Wave, Holy Mouse Ears, Lucky Mouse, Green Mouse Ears, Sleeeping Stars, Windfall, Tropical Dancer, Secret Treasure and Hosta Orange Star on display! Sounds like a great show with Hostas of all shapes and sizes and colours! Have a great time at Floriade 2012!

Great seeing Dutch Hosta Society Members on German T.V.!

8 September is our next Hosta members Garden Tour!

 The Dutch Hosta Society also has members that live in Belgium and Germany! Lisa and Lothar, two German neighbours with a passion for Hostas, regularly visit "De Kleine Plantage" http://www.dekleineplantage.nl/ in Eenrum! A few weeks ago, on June 30th, they visited "De Kleine Plantage" during their themed Shadow Plants and Hosta weekend!

The German TV station WDR went with them that day to "De Kleine Plantage" and filmed them there, on location!  On Saturday, August 11th at 6:20 pm(18.20), station WDR, Hier und Heute/Doku, we can see what happened! more information: www.wdr.de/tv/huh/sendungsbeitraege/2012/08/11.jsp?smonat=2012-6

 Today, I thought that I would share a few photo's of "Slugs in a Hosta garden!" with you! As you all know Slugs play a big role, or even star, in Hosta gardens!

 This one must be on its way to a Hosta leaf!

 The rainy start to July brings them out even in the afternoon! 

 I wonder what's going on here, between these two!

 Just when the Hosta flowers were looking good... 

 This happened!!

 Let's take a closer look!

 You can almost hear him chomping his way through!

I always wondered how they ate!

It was like Slugs attending an all you can eat Hosta buffet!

A bit of a tidy up and the Summer continues!

The Dutch Hosta Society September Garden Tour is taking place in Brabant this year! We will be visiting gardens in Best, Mariaheide and Zeeland! More information can be found on the website: http://www.hostavereniging.nl/ See you on the 8th of September!

If you're in The Netherlands, and have time, check out 

The University of  Utrechts' Botanical Gardens ! Since 1639!

 There is a great photo display! "Wonderlijk Natuurlijk"!

 The Netherlands Landscape in photo's!

June 2nd - November 30th!

 While you're there, stroll through the 7 hectare site!

 Admire the art!

 You'll see a few Hostas!

 There is a path in there somewhere!

Cross a bridge or two!

www.uu.nl/botanischetuinen

You'll be glad you did!

Yesterday's  DHS Summer Garden Tour was great!

Help yourself to a cup of coffee for this slide show!

 The weather couldn't have been bettrer!

Sunny, a few clouds, slight breeze and dry!

 First stop, Laren, Gelderland!

 Now there's a great use for old drainage pipes!

 Don't forget to look up!

 And yes, do go and take a look!

 Wow! What's behind that beautiful wall!

 The Hosta shop!

 Time for coffee in the garden then off to....

 Hellendoorn!

 Great wooden carvings throughout this garden!

 Places to sit and take it all in!

 T'here's a Hosta!

 And a place for two!

 Great groupings of Hostas!

 Fun! Maybe this helps to keep the slugs away?

 Enough time was spent at each garden address!

Time for soup, lunch and a chat here before leaving. 

 Stopped by Fahner Nursery in Deurningen(no photo) 

before our last garden of the day in Hengelo!

 To see this classic, old farm was well worth the drive!

 Hostas in flower! Look closely at this one!

 Nice!

 Hostas are growing well here!

 Some Hostas don't need any special treatment at all!

What a great Hosta day out!

New faces, familiar faces, lots of laughs and photo's!

Next Hosta Garden and Nursery Tour: 8 September!