Great Lakes Hosta Society hosts event in Piqua

When we travel over the garden fence to a new experience we prepare without a script. That is not to say without planning.

Two months ago, a call from the Hosta College sought a program speaker. My comfort zone was pinched by not having enough hosta knowledge; I have over 50 plants. Though my offer to the chair was to make designs, the availability of hosta leaves in March is about zilch. My answer was "no."

That friend of mine, June Gebhardt, assured me this was manageable. So, a call back made me an instructor. The concern was laying hands on living hosta leaves. A committee member suggested contacting a North Carolina grower who forced plants into showing off foliage then trucked them to the event.

Bob Solberg was called. Gardeners can be heroes and he became one for me. He listened to my plans. Class time would open with participants discussing characteristics of hostas by looking at the foliage to describe what was seen. Live plants would be helpful though pictures could be used. But the last segment of this class would be the actual fresh flower arranging. For the designs I wanted a few real hosta leaves.

"Running On Empty" was the title of the class. My goal was to provide a strong case for employing hostas for their art element value when materials are few. Each design would use minimal materials with hosta foliage.

"Hosta Bob" owns Green Hill Farm in Franklinton, N.C. His knowledge as a botanist and his dedication to hostas has led to ongoing discoveries from soil blends to pot sizes. That said, Bob assured me that his truckload of hostas could not only be borrowed but that I could cut foliages with some freedom. My worries melted away.

Last Saturday the arrival in Piqua before 8 a.m. put me face to face with Bob. He handed over "Twice As Nice," '"Light the Match," "Tiki Bar," '"Liam's Smile," "Buttonwood Bay," and two other potted hostas. There they were, happy healthy hostas — in March, with foliage. A treat for Ohioans.

Folks in the class knew about Bob Solberg. They had seen this miracle before. They described characteristics of the leaves very well. Hyped, I began unfolding "Sprinkling Spring" with fern, yellow tulips, pussy willow and "Light the Match" hosta leaves. A rare turquoise vase with curved heads of an avian species as handles was filled with peacock feathers, blue fruit, purple statice and "Liam's Smile" hosta. That was called "Tiptoe Through the Peacocks." The final "Up Above the Clouds" had woven stalks, white lilies, two huge philodendron leaves and "Twice As Nice" hosta foliage.

Able to scoot into Bob's class was another exclamation point on the day. He tracked hosta behavior through the seasons with humor — not overly done — managing to make no one wrong about when they cut back or mulched the beloved hostas.

The day was so pleasant that "Liam's Smile" and "Tiki Bar" came home with me. With a grandson named Liam, it was destiny.

Mary Lee Minor is a member of the Earth, Wind and Flowers Garden Club, an accredited master gardener, a flower show judge for the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs and a former sixth grade teacher.