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July 21, 2024 NIHS Summer Symposium Meet Mark Zilis For NIHS Members and their Guests 
July 21, 2024 NIHS Summer Symposium
Meet Mark Zilis
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Mark Zilis will be our guest speaker and is one of the world’s authorities on hosta. If you are at all interested in hostas, come hear one of the world’s leading authorities on this topic. You may be stimulated to get started with these incredible plants. He will sign any of his hosta books you bring to this symposium. |
Northern Illinois Hosta Society Home Page
The Northern Illinois Hosta Society (NIHS) was founded in October 1992 when Tom Micheletti, our first president, gathered several fellow hostaphiles together and founded the Northern Illinois Hosta Society. He remains one of the country's most knowledgeable hosta experts.
Our NIHS society's mission is dedicated to educating the public, to encourage the development of new cultivars and and promote the use of hostas in the landscape. NIHS works closely with the American Hosta Society (AHS) and the Midwest Regional Hosta Society (MRHS) planning and hosting hosta events and donating to hosta research. NIHS is a general not-for-profit organization that serves the people of Northern Illinois and surrounding areas.
Our NIHS society's mission is dedicated to educating the public, to encourage the development of new cultivars and and promote the use of hostas in the landscape. NIHS works closely with the American Hosta Society (AHS) and the Midwest Regional Hosta Society (MRHS) planning and hosting hosta events and donating to hosta research. NIHS is a general not-for-profit organization that serves the people of Northern Illinois and surrounding areas.
Some of our Programs, Events & Activities
American Hosta Society (AHS) Display Garden maintained by NIHS & Cantigny Golf & Park, Winfield, IL This garden is an American Hosta Society (AHS) National Hosta Display Garden we maintain. This AHS garden of one of 26 AHS gardens in America. NIHS continues to add to this display garden through plant donations from our NIHS members as well as commercial growers and hybridizers. NIHS has also purchased a number of desired cultivars. Today when you come to our garden, you will find over 250+ different cultivars and companion plants to please your garden palette and have you leave desiring more HOSTAS and companion plants for your garden. Come sit with us in this beautiful garden that brings tranquility and rest during busy days. |
2023 MRHS Winter Symposium
Feb 23-24, 2024 Milwaukee-Brookfield, WI 2024 Winter Symposum Hosted by Midwest Regional Hosta Society Symposium Information Printable Registration Form Reserve Convention Hotel MRHS Home Page More Information and Registration Form |
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Hosta College
March 15-16, 2024 GLR Hosta College gift plants for attending. You will choose one from these two offerings.
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Winter Symposium
March 3, 2024 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. Cantigny Golf & Park, Medill Room Mark your calendars for a special afternoon for NIHS Members and their guests. 12-1:00 p.m. Jan Smith will be selling cement garden stepping stones with detailed leaf impressions in her designs prior to the meeting in the Medill Room. These are truly stepping stones lovely and will be a talking point in your gardens, as well as a focal point. She will also be bringing some of her watercolor art work to sell. She does not take credit cards, so please bring your checkbook or cash. 1:00 -2:00 p.m. Speaker, Sean B. Menke, Ph.D. His topic: The Overlooked Splendor of Ants and Their Roles in Our Lives and Gardens. Professor of Biology at Lake Forest College. His research integrates the study of ecology, behavior and evolution into the fields of biography, community ecology and invasive species. 2:00-3:00 p.m. Time to mingle and socialize with NIHS members. We will have ice tea, water and soda. Baked treats will be provided by our fantastic NIHS bakers. We have some amazing bakers with delicious recipes! We will continue to follow all CDC guidelines to continue to keep all members and presenters safe. Don't forget we will have our Symposium raffle for our NIHS Members and their guests. A few of you will take home a plant for your garden. We are hopeful your guests will want to become members in this garden society. So we are asking our members to bring a gardening friend who might want to join NIHS. Wear your NIHS name tags. New members will pick up their name tags on the NIHS Membership Welcome table. We will see you soon! |
Below is the link to the Hosta College website. In past years, 20 or more classes were offered and attendees chose several one or two hour sessions. Members of the Great Lakes Regional Hosta Society (GLRHS) sponsor's this annual learning event, so their members are given the first opportunity to register and choose classes and then registration is opened to the general public.
The Registration fee is $50.00 Be sure to check it out 2024 Hosta College Registration form for the classes you want to attend Registration opens for GLR Hosta Society Members: February 3, 2024 Registration opens for Non-GLR Hosta Society Members: February 17, 2024-date to be determined Registration Closes: midnight, February 2024-date to be determined Be sure to check it out 2024 Hosta College The website also includes information about the 2024 GLRHS Tailgate to be held in: We look forward to the 2024 Tailgate hosted by the Indianapolis Hosta Society on June 7 & 8, 2024. Last Day to Register for Hosta College 2024: February 24 midnight |
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Spring Symposium Presentation
May 19, 2024 12:00 noon-3:00 p.m. Cantigny Golf & Park, Winfield, IL Education Center Mark your calendars for a special afternoon for NIHS Members and their guests. 11:45 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. Sponsor Plant Pick-up 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. garden art vendor -Jaye Hilton 1:00 -2:00 p.m. Presenter, Dayle Saar. Her topic: "What's Really Going on When Botanical Spring Has Sprung" 2:00-3:00 p.m. Time to mingle and socialize with NIHS members and perhaps shop some more. Our Spring Symposium will be held on Sunday, May 19, 2024, at Cantigny Park, Wheaton, IL The guest speakers selected for each symposium are horticultural experts in their field. This presentation will be presented in-person and we will continue to follow all CDC guidelines to continue to keep all members and presenters safe. Don't forget we will have our Symposium raffle for our NIHS Members and their guests. We are hopeful your guests will want to become members in this garden society. So we are asking our members to bring a gardening friend who might want to join NIHS. |
Our new 2024 offerings are:
Top row-left to right: Bud Lite, Echo the Sun Middle row-left to right: Giantland Golden Goddess & Blueberry Parfait and the Last row: Love Story Sponsor Plant Pick-Up- Members Only
on May 19, 2024 Pick up from 11:45-12:45 p.m. Cantigny Golf & Park. Winfield, IL Education Center As Lou Horton, NIHS Past President, 2003-2011, has always said, “the Sponsor Plant Program is designed for the benefit of our members”. Every year we select at least 4 high quality cultivars from two or three NIHS vendors. You will receive field grown divisions that are ready to be placed in your garden after the threat of frost. The offerings are beautiful cultivars that everyone should have in their collection. For more information, look in your email in the March NIHS newsletter. If you have further questions, please contact Mike Kraus, Past President & currently our NIHS Chair for this event. To go to the Sponsor Plant Sale go to our Members Only tab. You must be a member of NIHS and the password will be emailed out to current members again. |
Annual Leaf Display at the Chicago Botanic Garden
Open to the Public & NIHS members Reagan Science Center Room: Bernstein Hall June 1-2, 2024 10 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The NIHS's mission & purpose is to share knowledge of hostas and to promote the use of hostas in the landscape. How better to do this than to display the most stunning hosta leaves from our gardens. Members donate their prized hosta leaves. Hundreds of visitors will enjoy this hosta experience. Some buy hostas and ferns from our vendors. Attendees also have the opportunity to vote on their favorite hosta leaf. 2024 Favorite Hosta leaf from CBG Hosta Leaf Show
This year we had 2 hostas that tied for FAVORITE LEAF voted on by visitors to the NIHS Chicago Botanic Garden Hosta Leaf Display and Sale:
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American Hosta Society National Convention
June 18-22, 2024 Marlborough, Massachusetts American Hosta Society website Register to attend convention Here you will find out about this year’s American Hosta Society (AHS) National Convention, to be held June 18-22, 2024. You may also register on-line with credit or debit card or download a registration form you can print out and mail in with your check, or register completely on-line via credit or debit card. Hostas continue to be America’s number one perennial due to their versatility in the landscape. GIft plant images below. 
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Garden Walks- 2024
A variery of dates in the Chicagoland area Each Summer, at least two to four members open their home gardens to our members. This summer we have several exciting garden walks that we believe you will enjoy. Each garden is a reflection of the homeowners that have lovingly created their tranquil environment. You will always find our Summer Garden Walks in our spring and summer newsletters and in emails sent out to all of our NIHS members with details about the gardens and directions. You will find information to these garden walks in your newsletters arriving in March and May. You will also find the information in our Member's Only section on our website navigation bar by the end of March 2024 when we get closer to garden walk visits. |
Annual Bus Trip - Saturday, June 29, 2024
Our bus trip this year will be to Northwest Indiana. Our itinerary will be sent to you once finalized via our eblasts, newsletter, and posted on our website under Member's Only section. On another note, Do you have gardens, nurseries, botanical gardens, public gardens you would like us to consider for our annual bus trips? Send your suggestions to our Vice President through our Contact Us page on our Navigation bar for consideration. Don't forget to wear your NIHS name tag to these events. |
NIHS Summer Symposium Presentation July 21, 2024 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. Cantigny Golf & Park, Education Center Mark your calendars for a special afternoon for NIHS Members and their guests. FREE raffle ticket and A shopping opportunity with Skylar's Hosta. Be sure to bring cash or check to pay for your plant purchases. 1-2 p.m. Presenter: Mark Zilis He is one of the world’s authorities on that subject. Mark has authored and self-published three books about hostas. The first, The Hosta Handbook, was released in 2000. In 2009, Mark released the The Hostapedia, an encyclopedia of hostas which details over 7400 different types of hostas. It includes nearly 1900 photos. In 2014 he released his third book, entitled Mark Zilis’ Field Guide to Hostas. Mark has played an active role in The American Hosta Society since 1980 and has received its Distinguished Merit Award. If you are at all interested in hostas, come hear one of the world’s leading authorities on this topic. You may be stimulated to get started with these incredible plants. He will sign any of his hosta books you bring to this symposium. 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Time to mingle with old and new hosta members and continue hosta shopping. Don't forget to check out the hosta garden maintained by Northern Illinois Hosta Society. We are one of 26 AHS recognized gardens in the United States. We will have our Symposium raffle for our NIHS Members and their guests. We are hopeful your guests will want to become members in this garden society. So we are asking our members to bring a gardening friend who might want to join NIHS. 
Midwest Regional Hosta Society Convention
Fond du Lac, WI July 11-13, 2024 Registration is open now. Please follow the details on the MRHS website and we hope to see you all attend this great leaning opportunity and participate in all the wonderful site seeing in the Fon duLac, Wisconsin area. The convention is hosted by the Midwest Regional Hosta Society. During the convention you will be able to:
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Auction & Summer Picnic Cantigny Park August 25, 2024-Mark your Calendars Cantigny Golf & Park, Picnic Pavilion enter through main gate Open to the Public and NIHS Members Thank you to each and everyone of our donors and bidders for making our auction a great success last year and in previous years. Each Summer, members and member vendors contribute plants (hostas & companion plants) from their own gardens or nurseries to the annual NIHS Auction. This is our only fundraiser of the year. The Northern Illinois Hosta Society (NIHS) was founded in October 1992 by a group of people that shared a passion for hostas. The society is dedicated to educating the public and promoting the use of hostas in the landscape. NIHS works closely with the American Hosta Society and the Midwest Regional Hosta Society planning and hosting hosta events and donating to hosta research. NIHS is a not-for-profit organization that serves the people of Northern Illinois and surrounding areas. The funds raised from this event will support our numerous programs and social events including Hosta Garden Walks, symposiums, and meetings. NIHS Members: NOW is the time to dig up those hostas and companion plants you want to donate for our auction. We want to offer a wide variety of healthy good-looking plants at the sale – unusual and more common, hostas and companion plants. Get them potted now so they can acclimate themselves in their pots and look their best by auction time. NIHS really appreciates your participation and donations for this auction, as this is our only fundraiser. Vendors and Advertisers: You will receive acknowledgment and credit for each and everyone of your donated plants to this auction. Thanking you in advance for your donations. |
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Annual Membership Meeting-Members Only
September 15, 2024 Place: St. Charles Public Library, St. Charles, IL 60174 The purpose of this annual meeting is to discuss and approve the NIHS annual Budget and the election of new officers to fill vacant positions. Our meeting is usually scheduled on a Sunday in September. The Nominating Committee Report and the Budget proposal is always emailed to our members for their review before this meeting. After the meeting we can walk the beautiful gardens of our host/hostess and observe the changing seasonal colors among the vegetation while gathering ideas for our own gardens. Don't forget to bring your favorite h'dourve to share with your fellow members. |
Fall Symposium - October 6, 2024
Cantigny Golf & Park, Winfield, IL The Gardener Wife, Debbie Rea Cantigny Golf & Park, Education Center Mark your calendars for a special afternoon for NIHS Members and their guests. Our Fall Symposium will be held on Sunday, October at begins at 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Hopefully the weather will be favorable and many of you will be able to find some time to stroll through our American Hosta Society National Display Garden just south of the Visitor’s Center. We hope you will enjoy the sights of so many wonderful hostas and their companion plants. Cantigny Park is located at 1s151 Winfield Road, in Wheaton. Members, please wear your NIHS name tags. We look forward to seeing many or all of you there in October 2023. Be sure to check out the future newsletters about this event. |
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NIHS Member Vendors & Advertisers
Please patronize our Member Vendors & Advertisers. Our advertisers have special Sale and/or Open House dates that would be a perfect time to shop for some great hostas and companions. Click here to see these special businesses that support NIHS.
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Resources
We feel you will find helpful information and videos to watch as our seasons change. There is much to learn as we hone our gardening skills. During the winter time we begin to dream, visualize, plan, read, rearrange, and read some more gardening resources while we reflect on what our gardens might look like in the spring. In the spring, we can't wait to clean up our gardens and begin to dig in the dirt. Summer lends itself to more work as we reap the visual sensations of our delightful gardens. In the fall, we must prepare our gardens for their long awaited sleep. You will find a page of virtual gardens under the Resources tab to look at for additional ideas in your gardens too. |
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Become a Member Today
An affordable NIHS membership gives you access to informative programs, Garden Walks and botanical gardens, annual gardening bus or car caravan trip, our spring plant sale and more. Become a NIHS member today! Your dues for two calendar years (January through December) are $25.00 so that is just a little over $1.00 a month for dues. |
JOIN and FOLLOW US ON OUR
NIHS Facebook and Instagram pages Our Northern Illinois Hosta Society Facebook page is filled with garden related topics relating to hostas and companion plants, garden issues and other topics that arise in the gardening world. Join and follow our NIHS Facebook group to share garden pictures, post comments, and ask questions with our NIHS followers. |
Thank you for visiting our website. Want to keep up with what’s going on at NIHS? Visit this page often or follow us on Facebook!
Did you know that hosta are known as the "Friendship Plant?"
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Gardening has a way of Bringing people together. Our NIHS members experience the power of "Friendship" thRoughout our Hosta SOCIETY'S CALENDAR OF events!
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