"The Insider" E-News

	Featured hosta!  Paradise Island! Paradise Island is a sport of 'Fire Island' discovered by Marco Fransen of Holland.  It emerges in the spring with a brilliant yellow center with a narrow, contrasting, dark green edge.  The red petioles (stems) bleed into the base of the leaf.  As with the parent plant, as the temperatures increases (mid-June in Minnesota) the brilliant yellow leaf interior changes to chartreuse, but the dark border remains.  Lavender flowers top the clump in late summer.

	Beautiful NEW hostas just arrived! While supplies last!  Note that with the economy the way it is, I have been reducing my order size when I purchase new plants.  Please see the list below for the new additions.   We now sell "Advanced Starter" hosta that were grown in Elle pots (biodegradable paper sleeves that are air, water, and root permeable).  Almost all have been “vernalized," or been through dormancy.   They are generally at least 6 to 8 months old.  We do not usually ship the Elle pots with your order to save you the shipping costs.   Most of our "Mature Divisions" are almost ready to ship!  We had a slower start to spring, but they are looking great!  We hope to start shipping division orders as soon as possible.

	We appreciate your business and positive word-of-mouth. I hope you enjoy watching your hostas pop out of the ground and grow as much as I do.  One of the highlights of my day is seeing a greenhouse full of Starter TC that have grown from the previous day!  They all have different structures, forms, colors and more, even when they are only one inch tall.

	Thanks for joining The Hosta Insider, which has thousands of readers around the world! Our newsletters cover topics such as: Special hosta sales New hostas for sale Hosta gardening information You can read past e-mail newsletters for gardening tips.

	SPECIAL MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND RETAIL SITE HOURS Sunday, 5/24: 11am-5pm Monday, 5/25: 9am-2pm Exclusive for Hosta Insider Readers, we will be open on Monday, May 25 from 9am to 2pm.  One of the big frustrations of running this business is that I cannot be everywhere at once!  I try to be at our retail site all of the time but at times other responsibilities pull me away, in particular at this time of year.  I will, however, be there from 9-2 on Monday to visit and answer your questions.  Please feel free to stop by!  Also, mention this email article and get a free hosta with a $30 purchase!

	New varieties have arrived in the past few weeks! They are absolutely beautiful! View all the new in 2009 hostas! Starter Hostas (TC) (6 to 30 months old) Paradise Island Tortifrons   Advanced Starters Ann Kulpa Aristocrat August Moon Blue Ivory Clovelly Dancing in the Rain Deja Blue Dream Weaver Elegans Eye Declare Fair Maiden Fireworks Fantasy Island Great Expectations Harpoon Heavenly Tiara Hi Ho Silver High Society Independence Island Charm Ivory Coast June Fever Little Sunspot Maui Buttercups Niagara Falls Orange Marmalade Parhelion Pineapple Upsidedown Cake Princess Anastasia Red Hot Poker Remember Me Robert Frost Rootin Tootin Royal Standard Sagae Singing in the Rain Stained Glass Sweet Innocence The Razor’s Edge Thunderbolt Vim and Vigor

On behalf of my workers and myself, thanks very much for your business and telling your friends about our company!   Have a happy Memorial Day and if you're nearby I hope to see you at our retail site!  No pressure, ever, to purchase, just enjoy and say hi! Tom Carlson, President HostasDirect, Inc. P.S.  We greatly appreciate any photos you can offer including clumps, leaves, blooms, gardens, containers and others.  Thanks again!

Copyright 2009, HostasDirect, Inc.