New England Hosta Society
Devoted to hosta and the gardeners who appreciate them.
Download A Guide to Hosta
To print as a booklet: open in Adobe Acrobat and select "Booklet" and "Both Sides" in the Print dialog.
To print as a booklet: open in Adobe Acrobat and select "Booklet" and "Both Sides" in the Print dialog.
Mission Statement
The New England Hosta Society is a non profit educational society organized to promote, encourage, and foster the development and improvement of Hosta and the public interest therein.
The New England Hosta Society was established in 1982, with Constance Williams
serving as the first President of NEHS (more about our Heritage is provided below).
The Society Meets at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, Boylston, MA.
Meet the NEHS Officers 2023
We deliver great educational programming and fun events to members and the plant-loving public.
To better meet your expectations, we invite you to share your thoughts and ideas
for future programming. Please do not hesitate to connect with one of us at
an upcoming event or send along a note to info@nehosta.org.
To better meet your expectations, we invite you to share your thoughts and ideas
for future programming. Please do not hesitate to connect with one of us at
an upcoming event or send along a note to info@nehosta.org.
President: Tina Rufo, Nashua, NH (tinarufo@aol.com)
Vice President: Robyn LeBuff, Newburyport, MA (lebuff@nehosta.org)
Treasurer: Lauren Patric, Wilbraham, MA (lpatric2757@charter.net)
Recording Secretary: Richard Kimball, Worcester, MA (kimball@nehosta.org)
Membership Chairperson: Helene Wagner, Ashland, MA
Newsletter: Judith Artley, Framingham, MA (artley@nehosta.org)
Hospitality: Tom Voystock (tvoystock@nehosta.org)
Past President: Wes Straub, Cotuit, MA
Trustees: Janice Ferenchick, Northborough, MA; Nadine Proctor, Northborough, MA; Chris Sargent, Lowell, MA
NEHS Bylaws
Vice President: Robyn LeBuff, Newburyport, MA (lebuff@nehosta.org)
Treasurer: Lauren Patric, Wilbraham, MA (lpatric2757@charter.net)
Recording Secretary: Richard Kimball, Worcester, MA (kimball@nehosta.org)
Membership Chairperson: Helene Wagner, Ashland, MA
Newsletter: Judith Artley, Framingham, MA (artley@nehosta.org)
Hospitality: Tom Voystock (tvoystock@nehosta.org)
Past President: Wes Straub, Cotuit, MA
Trustees: Janice Ferenchick, Northborough, MA; Nadine Proctor, Northborough, MA; Chris Sargent, Lowell, MA
NEHS Bylaws
2023 Photo Contest - 1st Place
Best Hosta Landscape - photo by Kathie Sisson
Best Hosta Companions - H. 'Liberty' and dianthus - photo by Kathie Sisson
Best Creative Hosta (tie) - H. plantaginea in ceramics - photo by Tom Voystock
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Best Creative Hosta (tie) - H. 'Sum and Substance' flower, - photo by Chris Sargent
Best Non-Variegated Hosta - H. 'Lakeside Butter Ball' - photo by Robyn LeBuff
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Best Hosta Leaf - H. 'Earth Angel' - photo by Chris Sargent
Best Variegated Hosta - H. 'Liberty' - photo by Robyn LeBuff
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New England Hosta Society's Heritage
Where it all began! Frances Ropes Williams was born on July 23, 1882 and died in October 1969, at the age of 86. She grew up in Salem, Massachusetts, and was a longtime resident of nearby Winchester with her husband Stillman P. Williams. She began hybridizing hostas in the 1950s and was recognized as one of the first major hosta hybridizers in the United States, undoubtedly because both she and her daughter, Constance "Connie" Williams were meticulous record keepers.
The influence of Frances Williams on the world of hostas, especially through her daughter, can hardly be overemphasized. Some time after Frances' death, Constance became a founder and first President of the New England Hosta Society, which was established in 1982. Connie continued the dedicated work of her mother as she corresponded with many hosta enthusiasts, donated the massive records of her mother to the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and registered most of her mother's hosta.
Frances Williams was active in the Herb Society of America and became the curator of its Herbarium. In 1952, she received the first Award of Merit given by the Society and in 1959, the New England unit of the Society made her an honorary member. Probably through this connection Mrs. Williams donated hostas to the hosta garden at the Case Estates of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, in Weston, Massachusetts. In 1992, the hostas were given to the Viles Arboretum (formerly the Pine Tree State Arboretum) and transplanted by the Maine Hosta Society.
Frances Williams exhibited at the shows of the Massachusetts Horticulture Society where she won awards, including a bronze medal in 1953. In the summer of 1969, she received a citation from the newly established American Hosta Society "for inspiring others with the love of hostas". Her photos appeared in The Genus Hosta in Swedish Gardens and her articles were printed in the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens' Plants and Gardens and in other gardening magazines.
The discovery and naming of H. 'Frances Williams' is often repeated, but fortunately, we have the story from Connie's records that subsequently led to discovering H. 'Yellow Edge', later named H. 'Frances Williams'. This give us an insight into the difficulties hybridizers have faced.
Frances Williams was a very vigorous and active woman up until her death. The following list of Frances Williams' hostas is a testament to her hybridizing success and to our New England Hosta heritage. Four hostas remember her great-grandmother, granddaughter and two daughters (H. 'Betsy King', H. 'Carol', H. 'Connie', H. "Louisa'). H. 'Beatrice', H. 'Betsy King', H. 'Carol', H. 'Charldon', H. 'Connie', H. "Dorothy', H. 'Frances Williams', H. 'Green Piecrust', H. 'Green Ripples', H. 'Louisa', H. 'Sentinels', H. 'Sprite', H. 'Sunlight.
Contributed by Barbara Jones and Carolyn Schaffner
Reprinted from the 2011 NEHS hosted AHS Convention's Handbook
The influence of Frances Williams on the world of hostas, especially through her daughter, can hardly be overemphasized. Some time after Frances' death, Constance became a founder and first President of the New England Hosta Society, which was established in 1982. Connie continued the dedicated work of her mother as she corresponded with many hosta enthusiasts, donated the massive records of her mother to the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and registered most of her mother's hosta.
Frances Williams was active in the Herb Society of America and became the curator of its Herbarium. In 1952, she received the first Award of Merit given by the Society and in 1959, the New England unit of the Society made her an honorary member. Probably through this connection Mrs. Williams donated hostas to the hosta garden at the Case Estates of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, in Weston, Massachusetts. In 1992, the hostas were given to the Viles Arboretum (formerly the Pine Tree State Arboretum) and transplanted by the Maine Hosta Society.
Frances Williams exhibited at the shows of the Massachusetts Horticulture Society where she won awards, including a bronze medal in 1953. In the summer of 1969, she received a citation from the newly established American Hosta Society "for inspiring others with the love of hostas". Her photos appeared in The Genus Hosta in Swedish Gardens and her articles were printed in the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens' Plants and Gardens and in other gardening magazines.
The discovery and naming of H. 'Frances Williams' is often repeated, but fortunately, we have the story from Connie's records that subsequently led to discovering H. 'Yellow Edge', later named H. 'Frances Williams'. This give us an insight into the difficulties hybridizers have faced.
Frances Williams was a very vigorous and active woman up until her death. The following list of Frances Williams' hostas is a testament to her hybridizing success and to our New England Hosta heritage. Four hostas remember her great-grandmother, granddaughter and two daughters (H. 'Betsy King', H. 'Carol', H. 'Connie', H. "Louisa'). H. 'Beatrice', H. 'Betsy King', H. 'Carol', H. 'Charldon', H. 'Connie', H. "Dorothy', H. 'Frances Williams', H. 'Green Piecrust', H. 'Green Ripples', H. 'Louisa', H. 'Sentinels', H. 'Sprite', H. 'Sunlight.
Contributed by Barbara Jones and Carolyn Schaffner
Reprinted from the 2011 NEHS hosted AHS Convention's Handbook
Steve Greene receives the Alex J Summers Distinguished Merit Award at the 2018 AHS Convention in Philadellphia. AHS President Gregg Peterson, and VP of Awards & Honors, Paula Lehtola, present Steve with the award . Steve chose H. Reflected Glory as his Distinguished Merit Hosta.
Steve is the fourth NEHS member to receive this honor.
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Past NEHS Presidents:
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Garden of Rick and Sheila Goodenough
