Hey Ludi, Welcome back. I know I'm new to GWF, but I feel like I know most of you now. My son was in Guatemala last week and I kept wondering when he would be getting back and I kept thinking gee Ludi should be returning too! Nice haul BTW. You're gonna be busy. WW
P.S. The aphids surrendered and things are getting ready to bust a groove:)

Oh my!! Welcome back, Ludi...Look at ALL that good stuff! Now forgive me, I'm not being rude, I'm just gonna go back and look at your droolworthy pics some more!! : )

Regards,
Don B.

As I looked at your photos I was wondering which field grown plants will be at my house next spring. I am so glad you enjoyed yourself. You went on a trip others can only imagine. Back to review photos if Don is done drooling on them. Paula

Yup; sorry about all the drool, Paula!

Don B.

Thank you for all those wonderful photos. No wonder Chris knows so much about hostas, he has them in almost every situation you could imagine. I have Hallson's Radiant Star, and I am envious of your Flamenco Mouse. I will be ordering that one for sure next year! If only I didn't live so far away...

-Babka

How fun for you to get so many new plants! You have a lot of work ahead of you to get them all in. I doubt I'll ever get to walk through Hallson's, so taking a stroll through your pics is the next best thing. Nice to see where so many of my hostas started out.

Nice to have you back Ludi. You did a great job of capturing Hallson's nursery. I remember walking those paths asking Chris what each hosta's name was the first couple of times I was there. Last year, I was much more educated and could actually name a ton of them.

I have a Gosan Sunproof from Chris. It sits out in the sun just in front of a bush of Walker's Low Catmint!

What a great haul. You're gonna love those Brunnera's in the spring! Mine have never transplanted well in the first year, so be prepared for some droopy leaves. The one I gave my mom last month for Mother's Day eventually lost all it's leaves but is sending up new growth now.

Gesila

Great photos. Thanks for the tour. You made a wonderful haul home and sure made it worth the trip.
Cher

Ludi, Ludi, Ludi, you dun did good guy. What a haul...... Before you decide to make this an annual one, have a chat with a realtor about a larger property.......

Pieter

This post was edited by pietertje on Sun, Jun 9, 13 at 19:47

Wow, I am impressed with Hallson Gardens and envious with your haul! That land of "milk and honey" looks absolutely f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c! If I were there, I would definitely drive Chris crazy by asking him repeatedly "what is that one?" I live quite a distance from Hallson Gardens, so I just may have to put that trip on my "bucket list" except that I am not going to wait THAT long!

Thanks for sharing all those pictures with us. PIctures are the next best thing to being there.

Happy planting!

I had the feeling that Chris and Brian would be gracious hosts at their business. They make such a positive impression each time I've had contact or ordered from them.

After reading Hallson Gardens email newsletter and seeing your pic of Flamenco Mouse, I think I'm needing one :-) Good to hear Hallson may be adding FM to their lineup next year.

It's pretty cool that you are one of the first in the general public to own FM. Keep us apprised on how well it does for you.

Oh, and congrats on a safe and satisfactory trip along with the wonderful load of plants!
:-D
Deb

Great pics, Ludi...Thanks for sharing.

Don B.

This post was edited by Don_in_Colorado on Sun, Jun 9, 13 at 21:51

Thanks for showing us the pics of the nursery. I don't think I will ever see it in person, but the virtual tour was wonderful.

Thanks for sharing your Hallson adventure. I see some really fine companion plants for your hosta on your back seat. BTW, I bought Irish Luck and Andrew.

Great post, Ludi. Thanks for sharing your adventure and the pics. You chose some great plants there. American Sweetheart is Ken's favorite white centered plant (no kidding). And you will love Silk Kimono.

Steve

Wen . I share the same connection with many of the forum goers here. That is why I refer to you all as my Hosta Family !

There aren’t many places where we can all geek out so heavily on hostas. It is a good group of people and everyone is always so helpful and supportive. I owe a lot to some of the regulars on here.

Don . Drooling allowed.

I remember before I even finished making it to the bottom of the hill my eyes sort of glazed over and I went into autopilot just trying to take in all the color, form, and shape. I’m glad you enjoyed the pics. :)

Paula . Indeed, this is where it all begins. Chris is so thorough with his selections both from TC and then what he chooses to put in the catalog that year.

I remember we passed by a row where there was a bit of edge burn from frost on one of the leaves and he said that he would not ship that plant since it has an imperfection. Talk about quality control !

Babka . I got Radiant Star this year too !!! It is growing into a little show stopper. Definitely get Flamenco Mouse once they have it listed, well worth it IMO. It stays smaller than BME but has that adorable little “pinch” with quilting along the edges. I plan on putting mine in a Terracotta bowl with Frosted Mouse Ears and Holy Mouse Ears.

Collect the whole set !!!

Here is my Radiant Star on 05/30/2013

Sandy . Glad you could enjoy the nursery via my virtual tour. :)

A lot of work yes, but all of it a labor of love. But I AM making progress as far as getting some of them out of the pots and into the ground. Although, it doesn’t help that I no more get them off the side porch and there are more coming in to take their spots.

Gesila . I am stoked for my Jack Frost Brunnera. Chris has a huge clump of it in his display gardens and I noticed it immediately when walking through. I had purchased a very immature Brunnera ‘Looking Glass’ last year, but it was a total flake and I ended up chucking it into the compost pile earlier this spring when it refused to grow.

Cher . Thanks so much ! I’m glad you enjoyed. :)

Pieter . I certainly will need to invest in some more property if I keep this up on a yearly basis. Thinking about bulldozing the neighbor’s house to “extend” my yard. First step, win the lottery.

NewHostaLady . You can’t help but ask what all of them are when walking around the fields. There are tags for each row, but when Chris is giving the tour it is easier just to ask.

I’d say this was definitely a bucket list worthy trip.

Deb . Like I said to Babka, you’ll love Flamenco Mouse. It has all the charm of BME and then some.

I must confess, I did ask Chris after I got home how many other people had FM yet, and he said I was number 5 including himself. Feels pretty neat to be one of the first to own a new hosta.

FlowerChild . I’m so glad you could enjoy the pics. Never say never, you don’t know the places life ends up taking us. If you would have told me ten years ago that I would have been going on this trip I would have probably laughed in your face, yet here I am. :)

Irawon . Ohhhhh you will love Andrew, once it grows up that is.

Irish Luck was actually a recommendation to me from Gary at Naylor. I had told him last year that I was getting a bit carried away with variegation and needed suggestions for good solids and he immediately spoke up saying Irish Luck. He was certainly right, as it looks amazing this year.

Here are my three Andrew as of 05/30/2013

And Irish Luck also on 05/30/2013

Steve . Thank you ! American Sweetheart went on my list after Ken posted pics of his some time ago. Then I saw it in person at Hallson’s and that was all she wrote.

Silk Kimono also stole my heart upon sight . . . but I will tell you what I was most impressed with was Gone with the Wind.

It was one of the first ones I saw since it was potted up in the nursery. I asked Chris “What is that ?!?!?” and he laughed and said GwtW. I was shocked ! I had never seen a decent picture, but in person it was stunning. Distinctly pointed large triangular leaves that had enough piecrusting to get your eye moving along the edge of the leaf. This only helped to enhance the white margin that runs the whole perimeter of the leaf. After some research when I got home I discovered it is one of Olga’s which makes it all the better IMO.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Thank you again for looking at my pics and listening to my adventures. A lot of you inspired me to take this trip and I can’t thank everyone enough for their support. :)

Cheers to many more !!!

Ludi

'Gone With The Wind'....Thanks Ludi, I've got to really think about what Hosta to select from now on, as space will become an issue eventually; but from what I've seen of it (but particularly your rave review) it will be one I'll choose!

Regards,
Don B.

If you've never ordered from Hallson's via mail, you're missing out! The roots almost arrive a day before the rest of the package! LOL HUGE roots, robust plants - the best!

Wow Ludi what a wild and wonderful load you came home with. You really know how to do a fun shopping trip. Now for the hard work....... and we're looking forward to seeing them in their new homes.
Jan

Don . Always glad to enable. :p

I had no intentions of looking at or even buying GwtW. Chris has it listed in his catalog but there is no picture, so I hadn’t paid it any mind when I was scouting my first order earlier this year.

Then BAM I saw it. I mistook it for Bridal Falls at first, but looking at my Bridal Falls now, the only similarity is the white margin. The leaf shape, overall size, and mound shape are completely different with GwtW.

The picture that Olga has on her website does it justice. It’s going to be a biggun’ so mind where you plant it once you do decide to purchase it. :)

Ademink . I actually ordered from Chris this spring as well via mail order. There were 43 hostas total in that order. After this second order arrives I’m going to need a sign in my front yard that says “Garden brought to you by Hallson”.

Here is the link to my original post when my first order came . . . it was a great day. :)

My First Hallson Order

Jan . Shopping for new plants is something I do best !!!

I do have a big task ahead of me getting these all in the ground, but it will so be worth it in 5 years when everything starts filling in and my hours of toying back and forth endlessly over which plant should go where will pay off.

Thanks again everyone !

Ludi

It took all day to load these pictures (low speed internet connection) but it was worth it.
I almost feel like I was along for the trip. Thanks for posting these.

BKay, I just read in another thread that you always wanted to see pics of Hallson Gardens... : )

Don B.

Is everything you got on there website in the spring? Those shredded umbrella plants caught my eye..much larger than that I have..nice haul. Might be a trip I can swing next year only a few hours away

Very nice. Think it was Mac that said he was going sometime soon wasn't it? Just saw on the website, buy 10 hostas and get 10 free from the sale area. Would be interesting to see which hostas they have on that table. Stinks i'm so far away, or maybe it doesn't. Have a feeling my pocketbook would be empty if I lived next to a good hosta source.

Thanks, Don. I had forgotten about this thread.

Chris always impresses.

bk

Any one else notice the tree fort or lookout on pic 7? Wonderful pics now I am off to go find a pic of Gone with the Wind.

Madeyna,
I believe that is a deer stand in pic 7,
so a 'look out' is the accurate description ;-)

Guess we lost Ludi again?
Oh LUUUUUDDDDIIIII! come on back, you heah? :)
I'd love to visit Hallsons in early June. Sounds like the perfect time to be in MI.

If I go to Hosta College, the nurseries won't be open nor hosta growing then. What a bummer for me. But, meeting the people would be great under any circumstances.