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Re: [PRIMROSES] Welcome to New Members

Dear Sherryl and fellow shade gardeners,

My name is Jim Dixon--I live in Detroit, MI (z6) close to the Detroit River in
an historic neighborhood of large, gracious homes built around the turn of the
century.  I have about 2/3 acre much of which is filled with house and garage.
I have quite a bit of shade, and am patiently waiting for trees to grow so
that my shade is increased.

I hate roses.

I work in the medical field and am not ready to retire for about 17 years yet,
and by that time I want to have a garden worthy of the name.  I am
particularly interested in Hosta, and have been growing them since before I
knew what they were.  My first were given to me by a neighbor who had these
dense clumps growing all around her house, so of course I planted them on the
south side of the house where no water falls except rain, and there is about a
6" space between the sidewalk and the house.  They are still there 20 years
later--I just don't seem to get around to moving them.

I belong to several Hosta groups, and am President (!) of the Metro Detroit
Hosta Society (that and a buck gets you a free cup of coffee!).  My garden, as
intimated above, has a long way to go before I want anyone to look at it.  I'm
still not recovered from the garage construction project which has been going
on since November '96 and has had major portions of the backyard torn up with
utility trenches and piles of dirt.  I'm hoping for great strides this comming
summer.

I am also interested in shade companion plants such as ferns, dwarf connifers,
helibores (sp?) etc.  I was urged by Clyde Crockett to join this group--he's a
most knowledgable hostaholic from Indianopolis who I met at the American Hosta
Society National Convention this past June.  He can be somewhat abrasive at
times, but he has an interesting sense of humor and is very knowledgeable
about Hosta.

I have been fortunate in having many new friends interested in hosta who have
guided me over the years.  Some live in my neighborhood and others I've met
through Metro Detroit.  I consider myself a little beyond beginner, but in no
way any kind of expert on much of anything.  (Except perhaps broken
bones--which I trust we won't be getting into here!)  I did take a Master
Composter class this year--and it amuses me still that you have to take a
class in how to make dead stuff rot, but I guess that that is part of our
society--and I did learn quite a bit.

Anyway, I hope to learn more here, and hope to be able to contribute something
now and then to the group.

Jim
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