Last summer, I bought several hosta on the auction site from Rob. The plants arrived healthy and with really nice roots. I recived the following from him in case anyone else is interested. I am considering joining since there is nothing to lose. I did think it was interesting that the $25/year can accrue over several years and be used for more expensive purchases if so desired. Thoughts, anyone?

Sorry this is long, but thought I should forward the entire email:

Hi, I am Rob Canning . I purchased Lakeside Acres from Mary Chastain last year and moved the business and yes all the plants to Michigan. I will be continuing on the business

as Lakeside Acres and will continue to hybridize with Marys breeding stock and introduce the many finished plants Mary grew. I have been asked by many people so " What Now".

The first thing that I wanted to do was find a new way to get the best plants ( Not only Lakesides) to the people that love them the most. Unfortunately the best plants are usually

the most expensive. Mary offered Originator Stock ( OS) plants and due to the natural limitations of propagating plants by division her plants can remain scarce and pricey for many

years after introduction. Most will wait until a tissue culture producer gets it and produces it for a cheaper price. Unfortunately this gives little reward to the hybridizer. Everyone

should have great respect for all of the hybridizers that through their countless hours and years of dedication have allowed all of us to add amazingly beautiful plants to our gardens.

Talking to Mary about her experience with the business side of growing and selling hostas was very eye opening to me. I wish that her incredible creative talents could have been solely

dedicated to hybridizing instead of having to deal with big growers getting her plants and mass producing them and undercutting her sales. But the fact is we all buy TC plants produced

by the big growers and are happy to get them at an affordable price. The work that the big growers do has exponentially grown the market for hosta. I only wish that a longer evaluation

was given to a lot of the TC sports and plants created by chemical means ( Tetraploids, etc.) I think it is interesting that most of the patented hosta were not grown from seed. To put a

patent on a hosta costs a lot of money and takes even more money to enforce it. I decided not to fight the system but work with it. I will continue to offer both new and past registrations in

OS. I will also be offering all of the new plants from TC to make them affordable. To get them to the people that love them the most I am creating Club Lakeside.

As a member of Club Lakeside you will get the first opportunity to purchase plants that have never been offered before and get greatly reduced prices on prior registrations that have been too

expensive for most. Great care and evaluation will be taken to see that all TC plants are true to name. The first plant to be offered will be L. Paisley Print. While not a new introduction it is

a plant that has been scarce and unaffordable to most. The OS plant sells for $150.00 and the TC plant will sell for $35.00 to Club members only during its initial offering in spring 2010.

L. Paisley Print is the first Lakeside to be patented . ( Walters Gardens for Mary Chastain). The first new introduction will be LS. Foot Prints ( Picture on the Hosta Library) and will start

becoming available spring of 2011. I will distribute them on a first join- first ship basis until all Club orders are filled. Club members will also get discounts on all of the non-Lakeside plants

we sell also. I will also be asking the Club to " Name new Plants" and make special offers and listen to find out what plants you want in the future.

To join there is an annual fee of $25.00 that can be fully applied towards any purchase from Lakeside Acres. Join early membership is limited. By joining early you will help me get more plants

into production at greater quantities and ready for you to purchase. Greater quantities will mean lower prices for everyone. The deadline for joining will be April 1, 2010 to be eligible to get

LS. Paisley Print. The membership fee can be accrued from year to year so you will never lose your money. An email account is required as we are a "Green" company trying to go paperless.

I will send email updates with prices and availability. To join please send a check or money order payable to "Lakeside Acres " at 1381 Edgewater Dr. Fenton, MI. 48430 .

If Paypal is preferred send payment to robslakesidehostas@gmail.com Please include or send an email to robslakesidehostas@gmail.com with your email address. I will send you a

confirmation with your club membership number. If you have any questions please contact me at robslakesidehostas@gmail.com Please put "Club Lakeside" in the subject box.

Thanks, Rob Canning