The West Michigan Hosta Society is a social group of local gardeners who particularly enjoy growing hostas and wish to share information about their wide variety and easy culture with other gardeners.  The WMHS was founded in 1996, with most of our members living in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.

We meet throughout the year for educational presentations, a spring potluck and plant auction, summer local garden tours, a hosta leaf show, and a fall harvest potluck.  Please refer to the calendar of events on the home page for dates and times.  We encourage you to join us in our pursuit to promote and enjoy hostas.  Feel free to attend meetings to get to know us and possibly become a member.  We look forward to getting to know you. 

Our annual Made in the Shade newsletter is available here. 

ANNUAL FEBRUARY MEMBERSHIP MEETING                                             The first meeting each year is held in mid-February at various locations around the city including Frederik Meijer Gardens.  Plans for the year are discussed and important activity dates reviewed.  The highlight of the evening is a PowerPoint presentation by a guest or member speaker.  Presentations include topics on growing hostas well, exciting new developments in hosta hybridization, and garden touring.  We certainly enjoy looking at ever more hosta cultivars and the gardens they grow in.



ANNUAL MAY POTLUCK & AUCTION
In late May, the West Michigan Hosta Society holds an annual Potluck and Auction at the Allendale Township Hall located on Lake Michigan Drive.  This is one of the highlight events of the year when members bring in delicious dishes of food to share for the potluck as well as hostas and other perennial donations for the auction.  The potluck portion of the evening begins at 6 pm.  The auction, which includes hostas purchased by the club specifically for the event plus all the lovely donations made by members sharing their garden bounty, begins at 7 pm.  Be prepared to stay on your toes as the bidding can be fast and furious especially for those choicest varieties.  Most everyone leaves with at least one new treasure for their garden.



LOCAL GARDEN TOURS                                                                                   Touring area gardens during the summer is always a favorite activity.  These tours could be a combination of gardens open for tour during a Saturday in June or a visit to a well-known garden spot in the area.  Seasoned tour participants bring along pen and paper to take notes on general gardening ideas along with specific cultivars to add to their wish lists.  Obviously, a camera is a good thing to have with you also.  As with all the club meetings, the public is welcome to attend at no charge.



BUS TRIPS                                                                                               Occassionally a trip via comfortable motor coach bus is arranged so many members can easily make a day trip out of the city to visit other beautiful gardens.  A fee is charged for such trips.

LEAF SHOW                                                                                               Something new for the West Michigan Hosta Society will be a local hosta leaf show at Frederik Meijer Gardens.  This is an unjudged show with identified hosta leaves of many varieties shown in various leaf color categories including blue, yellow, edge-variegated, green, center-variegated, and misted or streaked.  Leaves in each grouping range from very small to huge, corresponding to the overall clump size from which each leaf is selected.  A hosta leaf show is an excellent way to see the astounding variety within the Genus Hosta.

FALL HARVEST POTLUCK AND MEMBERSHIP MEETING                                   Since we are a social group, we enjoy a Fall potluck meeting to end the gardening season.  This is a time for fun and games along with all the delicious food members bring to share with their friends.  Some sort of visual presentation regarding hostas is also included.

We are pleased to announce we are co-hosting the National Convention of the American Hosta Society in 2021.  The event will be held virtually and will include ten amazing West Michigan tour gardens which will be featured in professional pre-recorded videos.  Speakers, workshops, judges' clinics, a leaf photo show, auction, and more is planned.