Northern Illinois Hosta Society
We are still under construction but will be done shortly
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. We offer a yearlong schedule of activities designed to educate the public about hostas, to promote their use in the landscape, in arrangements, in pots, and in groupings. We also focus on companion plants found in the hosta garden as well as learn about beneficial insects in the hosta garden, healthy soil and soil amendments, pests, diseases and diagnosis, and all things gardening.
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 2026 Programs, Events & Activities
American Hosta Society (AHS) Display Garden maintained by NIHS & Cantigny 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 North 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. This year we celebrate our 10th birthday as an authorized AHS Display Garden. We are hosting a birthday party and members and guests can donate a hosta or two as birthday gifts to help us increase the cultivars found in our display garden. Today when you come to our garden, you will find over 400+ 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. If you are interested in volunteering and helping us maintain this American Hosta Display garden, we work on Wednesday mornings from usually 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. two times a month. You must be a Northern Illinois Hosta Society member and you can reach us at: [email protected] We would love to have your help and we are a great organization to belong to in northern Illinois. |
2026 MRHS Winter Hosta Symposium
Feb 20-21, 2025 Milwaukee-Brookfield, WI 2026 Winter Hosta Symposium Hosted by Midwest Regional Hosta Society Symposium Information Printable Registration Form Reserve Convention Hotel MRHS Home Page |
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Hosta College
March 20-21, 2026 GLR Hosta College gift plants for attending. You will choose which gift hosta plant you would like to receive for attending this event.
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MIHS Winter Symposium
March 15, 2026 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Cantigny Park, Education Center Mark your calendars for a special afternoon for NIHS Members and their guests. Please be sure to wear you NIHS name tag. If you haven't picked up your name tag already with our new logo, please stop by the Membership table located near the doors that you enter in the Education Center. You will also sign the Sign=in sheet at this table too. 1:00-2:00 p.m. - Time to mingle and socialize with NIHS members. We will have water and soda for beverages. Baked treats will be provided by our fantastic NIHS bakers. We have some amazing bakers with delicious recipes! -Sharpening by Dave is returning again for a third year. Pease bring all garden tools and kitchen tools to be sharpened at this time. Dave will sharpen them during the symposium. Email blasts will go out to all members to see price charts. Dave will sharpen them on site and you will pick them up after our presentation. -Master Gardeners Table is available for questions until the presentation begins and again from 3-4 p.m. after the presentation. During this time you will be able to go over to the Master Gardener Table where we have certified Master Gardeners through the University of Illinois extension available to answer your hosta questions or gardening questions pertaining to your hosta beds. -Garden Art Vendor: Jan Smith is back again selling her stepping stones and art work to benefit her charity. All proceeds from the sales will be sent to: charity's name is displayed on the tale top. 2:00 -3:00 p.m. Speaker: Jane Grillo from Midwest Ground Covers will present “Ground Covers for Shady Gardens.” 3:00-4:00 p.m. -Continue to mingle and socialize with NIHS members. We will continue to follow all CDC guidelines to continue to keep all members and presenters safe. -Our Master Gardener Table is still open for questions from our membership. -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. 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: $50.00 for classes-does not include lodging Be sure to check it out 2026 Hosta College Registration form for the classes you want to attend Registration opens for GLR Hosta Society Members: February 14, 2026- Registration opens for Non-GLR Hosta Society Members: February 21, 2026- Registration Closes: midnight, March 5, 2026 Where to stay: hostacollege.org/where-to-stay/ Be sure to check it out 2026 Hosta College AND History of Hosta College and how it started GLRHS Tailgate: The website will also includes information about the 2026 GLRHS Tailgate: The Black Swamp Daylily & Hosta Society will host the Tailgate on July 26-27th, 2026 Register for the GLRHS Tailgate here The purpose of the Tailgate events is to bring our GLR society members together to enjoy local gardens, area attractions, and, of course, friendship. Previous Tailgates have had well over one hundred visitors, bringing members from other societies within the Great Lakes Region. A different Society hosts the Tailgate each year during the summer, offering garden tours, an auction, and a dinner gathering. It’s a weekend of adventure. Last Day to Register for Hosta College 2026 Midnight on March 5, 2026 |
Gardenfest 2026
Date: April 11, 2026, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Given by: McHenry U of IL Master Gardeners McHenry County College (MCC), Building B, 8900 U.S. Route 14, in Crystal Lake, Ill. 60012-2761 815-455-3700 Registration and Information |
University of Illinois: Home, Lawn & Garden Day 2026
Saturday, March 7, 2026 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Sponsored by the University and McLean County Master Gardeners Park Regency Conference Center 1413 Leslie Drive, Bloomington, IL 61704 Registration link Fee: $40.00 This is not part of NIHS, but another opportunity to learn with keynote sessions, 2 breakout workshop sessions, light refreshments, & access to local exhibitors & vendors. Details of the Home, Lawn, & Garden Day 2026 Cancellation Policy: You must notify Univ. of IL by March 1, 2026 if you need to cancel to obtain a full refund link for information on classes offered and venue |
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Spring Symposium Presentation May 17, 2026 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Cantigny Park, Winfield, IL Education Center Mark your calendars for a special afternoon for NIHS Members and their guests. Be sure to wear your NIHS name tags. If you haven't picked up your name tag already with our new logo, please stop by the Membership table located near the doors that you enter in the Education Center. All members and guests will sign the Sign-in sheet at this table too. 1:00-2:00 p.m. -Visit the Master Gardener Table to seek answers to your hosta questions -Mingle and snack on some delicious foods -A shopping opportunity-to be determined. Be sure to bring cash, check, or credit card to pay for your purchases. 2:00 -3:00 p.m. Presenter: Professional photographer, Danny Lawson, will present his journey through the AHS Display Gardens. 3:00 -4:00 p.m. -FREE raffle and 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. It is just starting to wake up from its long winter nap. We are one of 25 AHS recognized gardens in the United States and one in Canada. 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. The glories of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun , heart with nature -
Alfred Austin |
Our new 2026 offerings are posted here with their names below each photo.
Sponsor Plant Pick-Up - Members Only
on : Date to be determined Hopefully at our Spring Symposium, but we will send out an email soon. Pick up will be determined and set in about three weeks Our speaker presentation will be from 2-3:00 p.m. Location: Cantigny Park, Winfield, IL Greenhouse Parking lot before walking up to the Education Center for our Spring Symposium or walking down to the parking lot after the presentation OR you can parl in the main parking lot and walk down to the Ed Center. Just show your membership badge to the gate agents to get your parking fee waived. 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 Bill Brandt, currently our NIHS Chair for this event. We are waiting for our hostas to wake up from their long winter's nap, so we can take an accurate count of how many hostas we have available to offer. As soon as we know, we will send an email blast out to our members and then post it n our website under the Member's Only Tab. 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. 
Pips are emerging!
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Chicago Botanic Garden Hosta Leaf Show
Annual Leaf Display at the Chicago Botanic Garden
Open to the Public & NIHS members Reagan Science Center Room: Bernstein Hall June 5 and June 6, 2026 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. We displayed hosta leaves ranging in size from minis up to giant hosta leaves. Almost 4,000 thousand visitors enjoyed this hosta experience. Visitors had the opportunity to buy hostas from our vendors. Attendees also had the opportunity to vote on their favorite hosta leaf. It changes every year! Sign up for volunteer slots on the Volunteer Link (below) to volunteer for one or more of the open time slots we need to cover. If you volunteer at this event, the day you volunteer, your admission is FREE to the CBG garden. VOLUNTEER LINK Last year's 2025 Favorite Hosta leaf from our CBG Hosta Leaf Show popular vote was:
H. June
H. Guardian Angel
H. June Spirit
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American Hosta Society National Convention
June 10-13, 2025 Dublin, Ohio American Hosta Society information on this convention Register to attend convention Here you will find out about this year’s American Hosta Society (AHS) National Convention, to be held June 10-13, 2026. 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. Hostas continue to be America’s number one perennial due to their versatility in the landscape. GIft plant images below. Images of gift plants to choose from will be posted as soon as they are finalized.
NIHS AHS Display Garden's 10th BirthdayInformation will be posted here shortly.
Please participate in this celebration for our display garden. Our goal is to increase the number of cultivars that the public can view in our garden. We will have three options for you to donate birthday gift hostas to the Cantigny Park Hosta Garden, our American Hosta Garden we maintain with Cantigny Park as our partner. Thank you for your future donation. |
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Garden Walks- 2026 MEMBERS ONLY
A variety of dates in the Chicagoland area June 27-August 8, 2026. Each Summer, at least two to four members open their home gardens to our members as well as other gardeners. 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 2026. You will also find the information in our Member's Only section on our website navigation bar by the end of March 2026 when we get closer to garden walk visits. |
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NIHS Live Auction
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NIHS Summer Symposium Presentation July 26, 2026 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Cantigny Park, Winfield, IL Mark your calendars for a special afternoon for NIHS Members and their guests. 1:00 p.m. -Visit the Master Gardener Table to seek answers to your hosta questions -Mingle and snack on some delicious foods -A shopping opportunity-to be determined. Be sure to bring cash, check, or credit card to pay for your plant purchases. 2-3 p.m. Presenter: Heather Prince of Fearless Gardening will return to present “Shady Characters.” 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. FREE raffle and 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 and one in Canada. 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. Don't forget to wear your hosta name tags. If you have not picked them up from the membership table where you sign in, please do so today. Thank you. |
FREE ENTRY 
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Annual Potluck & Board Meeting, Photo Contest vote, and Presentation-Members Only
Sunday, Date to be Determined, 2026 Place: St. Charles Public Library 1-4 p.m. The purpose of this event is to discuss and approve the NIHS annual Budget and the election of new officers to fill vacant positions. Our meeting is being held on a Saturday in September. The Nominating Committee Report and the 2026 Budget proposal is always emailed to our members for their review before this meeting. We must have a quorum to pass these two items on the docket. We are also here to celebrate our friendship with a potluck social. Next we will participate in our annual Photo Contest. We will cast our vote on the photos submitted this year that fall into four categories in the ballot boxes located near the entry photos on the tables. Our Presentation: Don't forget to bring your favorite potluck dish to share with your fellow members. Emails have gone out with this information to the emails registered with our organization.Check your email account and if you have not received the information, please check your span folder or email our membership secretary: [email protected] |
Fall Symposium - Saturday, October 11, 2026 Cantigny Park, Winfield, IL Cantigny Park, Education Center 1-4 p.m. Mark your calendars for a special afternoon for NIHS Members. Our Fall Symposium will be held on Saturday, October 11 from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. 1:00-2:00 p.m. 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 being held on a Saturday in September. The Nominating Committee Report and the 2026 Budget proposal is always emailed to our members for their review before this meeting. We must have a quorum to pass these two items on the docket. 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. will be our presentator: Lonnie Morris, Founder and Director of the DuPage Monarch Project, is developing a presentation for us After the meeting we can walk the beautiful gardens of Cantigny Park and observe the changing seasonal colors among the vegetation while gathering ideas for our own gardens. 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. As always, we can walk the beautiful gardens of Cantigny Park and observe the changing seasonal colors among the vegetation while gathering ideas for our own gardens. While you are here, check out our AHS Display garden we maintain with Cantigny Park. We have added lots of new hostas on our new bed and Cantigny Park has created a new garden path within the display garden for those hostas. More exciting information to come regarding our AHS Display garden for 2026!We hope you will enjoy the sights of so many wonderful hostas and their companion plants. Cantigny Park is located at 1s151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. Members, please wear your NIHS name tags. We look forward to seeing you at this event. Be sure to check out the future newsletters about this event. |
This program is for Northern Illinois Hosta Society members. If you are not already a member, you may join our organization by going to:
https://www.northernillinoishostasociety.org/buy-membership-online-to-join.html scroll across the navigation bar and choose if you are a new member and would like to join. |
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 trip (an additional cost), 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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