Each Convention selects a special Hosta (or two) that are given to the attendees as a gift from the convention committee – a unique hosta not yet ‘on the market’ to plant in their own gardens as a reminder of the time spent with fellow hosta enthusiasts at the annual convention. This year we have chosen to celebrate two New England hybridizers who are truly making their ‘mark’ on the Hosta World.
Hosta ‘Madison’
Madison is a Deane’s Dream seedling that was registered in 2011 by Matthew Sanford. This will be the first limited release of this outstanding blue hosta. Madison has a vase shaped habit similar to Deanes Dream but is much bluer and in some years and careful plant placement the blue can persist well into October. Wow! The leaves are wavey with whitish undersides and petioles take on a purple hue with purple flecks along the petiole. Madison is a medium sized hosta perfect for the front or middle of the border. Madison’s plant height is approximately 24 inches and width is approximately 36 inches. The flower scapes rise to about 32 inches and produce pale lavender colored flowers. Madison has been fertile both ways and has produced some intense blue offspring seedlings. Most importantly, Madison will stand out like a blue beacon in any landscape.
Hosta ‘Old North Church’
‘Old North Church’ gets its name from the famous Bostonian church’s red bricks encased by white mortar and the flashing lanterns from that historical evening many years ago at the birth of our country. This impressive hosta displays beautifully wavy, kelly-green leaves edged in white atop tall, visible red petioles. Each lovely leaf is held up high, as if on alert, to capture the attention of all who happen by. Old North Church was selected by the 2024 AHS Convention Committee as one of the convention’s gift plant. It is a seedling Rick raised in 2019 out of (streaked Lakeside Cranberry Relish x MangoMango).
OLD NORTH CHURCH
New England/American Historical Context – Paul Revere’s signal “One if by land, and two if by sea,” and the midnight ride of Paul Revere.
The Old North Church is located in the North End neighborhood of Boston, built in 1723. Fifty two years later, on the evening of April 18, 1775 two lanterns were lit and hung on the Church steeple as the signal from Paul Revere that the British were marching to Lexington and Concord by sea across the Charles River and not by land. This momentous event ignited the American Revolution.