Hi all,

The 2013 Online Auction is all set to get started. Links have been posted upon the AHS homepage, http://americanhostasociety.org/, and the Hosta Library homepage, http://www.hostalibrary.org/, for your convenience. You may go to the auction site at anytime and test your bidding on the item posted at anytime.

My communications have been fewer and further apart this year than what is typical. My apologies. My commitments in many directions have kept me scrambling, primarily elder care of a family member in recent months. We have some exciting donations in at this time. Others are committed. They are slower in coming than in previous years, perhaps due to less communication coming from me.

Be sure to read all non-bid items. Remember, this is where I post critical info such as corrections regarding an item if an error occurs or critical data has been missed and needs to be added. It is also where you will find answers to the most frequent questions. This year, I have added some info regarding clarification about streaked plants and field division plants, how to handle them when they arrive in the spring and what to expect. Streaked plants and divisions from a field grown/garden division are not the same as a plant grown in a pot coming from a nursery. They are special. often rare, and need proper care. This used to be the ONLY way plants arrived prior to the advent of tc process and the nursery trades progress since tc came onto the scene regarding hostas and their availability. Long time hosta fans are aware of this and how to treat the plants; newer hostaholics may not be and may benefit from a quick read, even printing of the item posted for future reference. Our donors do a great job digging into their treasures in order to share for the benefit of all participants and aim to support our society, the AHS. They are to be commended for their generosity year after year. We also want or bidders to be pleased with what they receive and also understand what to expect upon receiving a plant.

Cash options will again be available. Once a cash item is bid up. I will post new cash items of equivalent value if we run out of items of that specific increment.

Remember, have fun, enjoy the show, and BID, BID, BID!

In service,

Don Dean