Shades Of Green Hosta Society
of Southeastern MN, Inc.



Home

About Us

Membership

Contacts

Calendar

Links

Member's Only

Archives


Brief History

Our organization was formed in 2005 by a small group of people, lead by SOGHS founder Cindy Tomashek, who shared a common interest in the genus Hosta. There were 40 charter members. Since then our organization has grown to over 150 members.

We meet to discuss the growth and care of hostas as well as use of hostas in our landscapes. We go on member garden tours to see the mature characteristics of named hostas and unique use in their landscapes. And we hear speakers at our meetings to improve our education on hostas and gardening in general. There are opportunities to purchase hostas at several events and our annual plant sale in May is our main fund raiser.


Mission Statement

The Shades of Green Hosta Society of Southeast MN, Inc. is a non-profit organization formed to educate members about hosta selection, cultivation and nomenclature, new and improved varieties, uses in the home landscape, and to promote interest in the genus Hosta.

The Mission shall be supported through the publication of a Society Newsletter, educational programs and garden tours, a web page and other group activities throughout the year.


Community Service

  • Hosta Display Garden
    SOGHS sponsors a hosta display garden at RCTC by providing plants and care for the hosta and companion plants in the garden. The main purpose of the display garden is for the education and enjoyment of area residents. The first plantings are in at the RCTC S.M.A.R.T. Garden near the large new pond area! S.M.A.R.T. stands for Sustainable, Medicinal, Artistic, Resourceful, and Thematic. Click here to see the current list of hostas planted in the Display Garden.

    SOGHS is working to get the S.M.A.R.T. Garden designated as an American Hosta Society (AHS) National Display Garden. (Click here to see the Official AHS National Display Garden Requirements).

    There are currently fifteen designated Display Gardens in the United States, the first such designated Display Garden was the UMN Landscape Arboretum Hosta Glade in Chanhassen, MN. At the 1980 AHS Convention, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in Chanhassen, Minnesota, marking the establishment of the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's Hosta Glade as the first official AHS Display Garden. At the time, the Hosta Glade was without equal. It was one of the few public gardens anywhere focusing on the use of hostas in a landscape, and it had one of the largest and best hosta collections in the world. It remained the sole AHS Display Garden for over a decade.

  • Hosta Resources for local libraries
    SOGHS purchased the "Hostapedia" by Mark Zilis for three local libraries: Rochester Public Library, SELCO, and University Center Rochester Goddard Library. And the "The Color Encyclopedia of Hostas" (2nd edition) by D. Grenfell and M. Shadrack for the Goddard Library.

  • Hope Lodge
    SOGHS has planted hostas and companion plants as part of the Rochester Hope Lodge landscaping and provides continuing maintenance for those hostas.

  • Hosta Sale
    Every spring SOGHS holds a plant sale which provides area residents with easy access to a large number of both common and unique hosta cultivars, as well as hosta companion plants.

  • Horticulture Plaques for the Olmsted County Fair
    SOGHS sponsors three 4-H horticulture plaques and three open class hosta-related horticulture plaques including: Best of Show and Best of Show in Outdoor Planters Using Hostas.