My photo of year two Grape Fizz was accepted into the hosta library - yeas! "She" was in absolutely pristine condition on the day of her photo shoot. Speaking of photos -- why isn't there a category for best photograph??? This hosta unfortunately doesn't bloom until early September, and I'm looking forward to its lovely large purple and white stripe flowers.

DD

This post was edited by DelawareDonna on Tue, Jul 23, 13 at 10:58

Nice hosta DD. I think they are trying to keep the contest simple.

Gone with the Wind and Sleeping Star are two I went to look up that are missing.

Beverly

Here is a message from the Hosta Library:

Because of some confusion about photos that have not been accepted for the photo contest, what to enter has been clarified and a list of prizes from generous donors is now posted as well. Please read the rules here:
Just to clarify... what qualifies as a valid entry in this contest:
1. Any photo of a hosta not yet in the library
2. No commercial nurseries can enter
3. No hybridizers can enter their own seedlings unless it has been donated to an auction or otherwise is in more than their own garden.
4. No plant names containing streaked, splashed, or supreme will be accepted , unless the plant has been accepted for registration with that in the name, as in 'Iron Gate Supreme'.
5. Any hosta already in the Hosta Library, will be accepted as a valid entry IF there is only a leaf photo of it or IF there isn't already a photo of more than a single division. Photos of mature clumps will count ONLY if there is a small tc photo there or if there is only a leaf photo there or if there is a single division represented. If there is as much as a double division already in the Library, a mature clump photo will not count in the contest.
6. Please check the list of already accepted entries. Only the first entrant will get credit for a given cultivar in need of a 1.First photo or 2.A photo of more than a single division. Each day, the list of accepted entries from the previous day are posted. Those entries not accepted are only posted for 1 day, then they are removed, as the list is quite long with only the accepted entries listed.
To donate photos directly to Bob, please use the same method that is always available to donate photos, right under the alphabet on the right side...
"Donate Photos Email here"
If you use and appreciate being able to use the Hosta Library and would like to donate a prize, please use a link on the contest page to do so.
More than 350 contest entries have been accepted! More than 25 entrants have had at least one cultivar photo accepted in the contest. The entrants who have the highest number of photos accepted will be in contention for the top 3 prizes. After the top three have chosen their prizes, the remaining entrants will be in a random drawing for a prize.
The contest runs thru the last day of July. If you grow a hosta not featured in the Hosta Library that meets the contest rules, please enter the photo for credit and a chance in the drawing. If you want to donate a photo that does not meet the contest rules, use the link that is always right beside the Auction link on the home page "Donate Photos Email here".
http://www.hostalibrary.org/firstlook/PhotoContestPrizes.htm
Feel free to post on all hosta forums. :-)
The Hosta Library Team

Lakeside Foaming Sea isn't there.
Jan

Does that mean, that some recent introductions were from plants which did not reach maturity yet, and therefore pictures of mature plants did not exist yet?

I know this will fall on some deaf ears, but many of the hosta photos need replacing. When they were posted, it was better than nothing, but they aren't really good specimens or good photos. I realize that some people would be offended if their photo was removed, but I've seen better photos here than are in the library.

I also thought this was to be a contest. I thought that meant the best photos would be posted, not the first one.

Of course, that's just my "snarky" opinion.

bk

I don't know that pics need to be removed, but I certainly would like to see some better pics of more mature ones in there.

I agree with you bk. I personally think that the photography is a very important aspect of the contest. A beautiful photo can influence your decision to purchase a hosta. How can you compete with the few folks who have very extensive hosta collections and have entered 50 to 60 photos. That they are going to win the top prizes is a given. Another "snarky" opinion.

DD

Last time I looked the HL was operated with no cost to me.....hmmm......thank you Bob....you run your contest anyway you want. And thank you to all the donors that help the HL stay available for free. It seems pretty clear the contest goals (as they have been clarified) was not about the best picture, but rather a trigger to get people to participate and restock the shelves of the library with missing cultivars and missing mature plant pics. In an ideal world, all these photos would have already been sent to Bob before now without any contest needed.

Grateful Paul

I'm with you, Paul.

Grateful Don B.

Bernd- You have a point there. Too many new introductions are being marketed and sold w/o having been grown to maturity. A cool looking tc sport or seedling grows for 2 or 3 years and shazzam, get it out and sell it. Once I took the time to read thru the AHS "New Registrations" booklet only to discover that in some of the descriptions, it would say 3 yr. old seedling, or a sport that was discovered a year ago. No one knows how it will perform in backyards under different growing conditions.

I rather enjoy some of the rattier photos of some hostas. It shows me how one will look under under different growing conditions. Carol Brasher used to take the photos for Mary Chastain's old website. Every one of them looked breathtaking. I bought a bunch and some were indeed beautiful, but not all. Sometime I get totally taken in by a leaf photo, only to not like the plant in more or less shade/sun.

I wish one couldn't register or market a hosta that hadn't been grown out for 5 years, But I am dreaming again.

Thanks BOB for all your diligent efforts in organizing and keeping up your fabulous resource The Hosta Library.

-Babka

Babka, I would like to see as many as possible pics of the hostas I'm thinking about buying. As I mentioned in another thread, I've been sold on a particular hosta glamour shot that gets widely published, only to find it rather blah looking when I actually grow it. That's why I always use the google image search first and foremost, which usually leads me to various forums.

Yes, Paul. You're absolutely right. It's Bob's library and he can do anything he wishes with it.

bk