Should you be curious as to where the "Hosta Ball" came from, forthwith is the tale. In 1985 the American Hosta Society Convention was held in Chesterland, Ohio. Jean and I looked for a unique idea to encourage early registration. We decided on a hosta pin.
The cover design used for the 1971 and ’72 Hosta Bulletins seemed most appropriate. Jack Craig provided the design – he had copied it from an ancient Japanese book. It was originally used on the back of a Japanese hand mirror, a possession enjoyed by many Japanese women. (There is a delightful children’s story from Japan which centers around just such a hand mirror: painted on the back side were leaves, birds and flowers. Centuries ago mirrors were only found in the large cities of Japan, so there is little wonder they seemed almost miraculous to the country peasants. Thus evolved this story which took place in Matsuyama in the Province of Echigo.)
The American Hosta Society Bulletin design consisted of a round ball with four hosta leaves below and one above with two flower scapes. A local artist adapted this illustration for a cloisonné pin which was made by the GWI Corporation of New Jersey. The leaves on the bottom were green, blue, green, blue, the upper leaf yellow. The flowers were pink on the left, white on the right – all on dark blue background.
Pins were gifts to the first fifty who signed up for the convention. The rest were sold to those interested to help defray convention expenses.
Bill Zumbar, who helped us with the convention, had the design put on the leaf show ribbons, a practice which continues today.
by Peter Ruh
Chesterland, Ohio
Reprinted from The Hosta Journal, 1993, Volume 21 Number 1, page 21
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