what took you so long.. geez ...

way back when.. the det news had a saturday garden insert .... some one turned me in.. and i was featured... it was all about roses ... and i had the standard 5 hosta ... you know the list..

this caused daisy banyai to call .. and visit.. and make me sign up for the MI hosta club ...

and that first summer.. who knew.. they offered an overnight bus tour ... so we signed up.. and met in a parking lot in ann arbor ....

who the heck knew who ruh, wade and kuk were.. but we were on our first hosta extravaganza ....

3.5 hours later ... traveling since 630 am ... we left temps of the 60's and got off the bus at van's to 100 plus 99% humidity ... talk about seeing hosta. ... we all nearly passed out.. but what the heck.. what a joy ...

glad you could finally make it ... i wish more peeps with a tank full of gas.. and a half a pack of cigarettes would make the pilgrimage .... its just not going to be there forever ....

are you going to be posting pix??

ken

I travel through that way occasionaly, can you tell me just where both of these are?

mansfield OH

doug beilstien is around the corner... ruh and kuk are closer to cleveland .. not all that close .. unless you happen to be in a bus ...

http://www.wadeandgattonnurseries.com/

map below

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: click over the the road side of bing

Denny,

I was up there over the weekend as well, and I believe that was you and Bob I met. I was with my wife and baby and mentioned to you that I recently caught the hosta "bug"...

It was a pleasure chatting with you both. After my visit to Wade and Gatton, my wallet is doomed, but at least my beds will fill up faster! It sure is a beautiful, peaceful place.

Steve

Steve,
How cool is that? I remember you and yours well.It was great talking to you guys!I wish you the best with your new baby and your new found addiction!

Here is a link that might be useful:

Uh oh, I'll be driving from NH to MO with the kids this weekend and our route takes us down 71. Hmmm.
The kids would kill me, but it sounds like it would be worth it! LOL

i dont know about a 6 hour visit in the middle of a 15 hour trip ...

not only will the kids kill you .. they may bury you under that famed SS

this garden is not something you can pop into ... it would take you 2 or 3 hours just to quickly walk all the paths ...

if it were me.. i would drop the kids at a motel ... and just take the extra day to get to mo ...

ken

Singleton,
I agree with Ken. We arrived at 8:00,had our golf cart tour with Van for a couple of hours, started taking pictures for another two hours, then we shopped in his 30+ hoop houses for at least 2 hours,we thought we were finished and then he asked us if we would like to see his private collection that wasn't planted yet which was at least another hour,then we ran around making a last inspection of what we were thinking about buying and hadn't yet. It is a full day and then I drove 7 hours home. We were beat but what memories we had!

Denny

I have the worse flippen excuse of all, I'm only an hour from Wade and Gatton.

But I have been there several times and it is hosta heaven on earth. And it's not just the overwhelming selection of hostas, the glorious display gardens and quality of plants, it's that you are treated like a long lost family member, not just by crew, but by the founders. It's the attitude of who you meet there that makes going there something you'll always remember.

And Ken is right, it's not a quick stop, there is far too much to see and do. And it's not only hostas, I have a couple daylilies from there that remain some of my favs to this day. Do I sound like a Wade and Gatton fan, lol? Can't help it, have only had great experiences there

And while you're in the area, got to visit Kingwood Center, also in Mansfield OH. A beautiful botanical garden, get there before I think 10am, don't quote me on that, and it's free, after that, it's $5.00 per car. They have a beautiful shade garden full of hostas as well as paths on top of paths of beautiful gardens. And a sell area outside one of the greenhouses, I have bought a number of hosta and other plants there, including my beloved ginko tree and new this year, pink poodle coneflower, anything poodle works for me, lol.

I went there in 2005. I agree it's a great place,but it rained the whole day I was there! I spent more time ducking in and out of the polyhuts,so didn't see too much outside. If I have any gripes with them,it is that they charge by the eye,for their plants,and that can expensive in a real hurry! I've bought many plants at a nursery,near here,and you can get as many eyes as are in the pot,for one price. Phil

hosta freak,
It is odd but I bet that they don't have folks switching the plants with the ones that are being held for propagation like I do. It is hilarious to have someone tell you that it was in the sales area and it has a glowing orange bottom! LOL!

Denny

Almost exactly one year ago I visited Wade, Ruh and Kuk with my son on a two-day trip to Ohio. Van Wade treated us like family or long-lost friends. His gardens were spectacular. It was a hazy and at times rainy day, but we spent half the day at Wade's. I never posted any pictures before, but I've uploaded some now.

If you've never been, you must go. If it's been awhile, go again. Listening to hosta stories from pioneers like Peter Ruh and Van Wade is priceless and they won't be able or willing to open their gardens forever.

Mark

H. Blizzard

Wade's is a tree nursery first; some are really special.

Stewartia pseudocamellia

Ken, one small correction:

Daisy Bachik is my late mother Pauline Banyai's sister!

You may also remember my Aunt Ruth Johnson, another of my mom's sisters who had been active in the local hosta societies: she passed away two weeks ago in Youngstown, Ohio.

A memorial service is scheduled for Sat. June 26, 2010 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Regards,
Bruce Banyai

hey bruce ...

i knew what i meant to say .... and realized i probably had the surname wrong ... i even blanked on her current name ....

but i never let facts get in the way of a good story ... lol

hope all is well with you and yours

ken

Denny-I was at Soule's this weekend, too!! Got two beauties-Big Daddy and Blazing Saddles. I'll need to get over to Wade's-sounds like a great weekend!!

I so want to visit Soule's and I'm only an hour away! Probably good thing though...