February 3, 2018 General Meeting

Shade, the Southern Gardener’s Gift—Plants to Grow in Shade and Plants to Make Shade

Speaker Elizabeth Dean shared observations and knowledge gained over the years with an eye to helping gardeners succeed and delight in their gardens. Elizabeth Dean and husband, Gene Griffith, started a specialty plant nursery, Wilkerson Mill Gardens, in 1990 in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia.

November 11, 2017 General Meeting

Family Matters: The Significance of Plant Classification with Emphasis on the Hosta Family

Avid hosta gardener and former Professor of Horticulture at Illinois Central College, Glenn Herold, guided us through the history of the scientific debate over the family kinship of the genus Hosta.

September 16, 2017 Regional Meeting in Peachtree City, GA

The Future of Hostas

Rob Mortko, the owner of Made in the Shade Gardens in Kansas City and the operator of one of the few hosta-specific tissue culture labs remaining in the country, discussed how the loss of labs has reduced the supply of retail stock. On a positive note, Rob showed us spectacular new hostas that will be on the market soon.

Trialed and Proven, New and Better Plants

Sales representative Mark Maher of Flowerwood Nursery treated the audience to an extensive show-and-tell presentation of plants for our zone and marketed under the Southern Living Plants label.

Creating Hosta Kokedama

Georgia Hosta Society member Pat Brussack conducted this DIY-style session exploring the Japanese botanical art of kokedama — the practice of encasing the root ball of a plant in moisture-retentive soil, then wrapping the ball with soft green moss. The result is a living planter as well as a distinctive display piece.

February 11, 2017 General Meeting

Big World, Little Hosta … The Magic of Small and Mini Hosta

From Guntersville, Alabama, and one of the most beautiful gardens in the southeast, Mary Terrell shared her considerable knowledge of growing some 300 hosta varieties, including many small and mini hosta she arranges artistically and grows in containers.