Pine Township near Michigan City in Porter County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Hostas on a Grand Scale
Photographed by Daniel Barriball, April 3, 2025
1. Hostas on a Grand Scale Marker
William Brincka planted his first hostas in 1982 and quickly became smitten. He loved what he described as "the tropical lushness of their foliage and their incredible diversity of color, size, and form." The following year, he planted 170 varieties, the beginnings of his famed hosta garden.
Today, you'll find more than 400 varieties of hostas here. Several of them are cultivars that Brincka himself developed and registered. As you walk through the hosta garden, notice how Brincka placed the hostas to take advantage of each variety's unique coloring, texture, size, and shape.
"I'm not trying to imitate a Japanese garden, but there are some Oriental elements here, particularly the hostas themselves, most of which originated in Japan." -William Brincka
Brincka appreciated the natural patterns in all parts of his garden. He rejected using herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals
this page online
Erected by Porter County Parks & Recreation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1982.
Location. 41° 39.569′ N, 86° 59.126′ W. Marker is near Michigan City, Indiana, in Porter County. It is in Pine Township. It can be reached from East Furness Road. The marker is located along Trail 1 in Brincka Cross Gardens County Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 427 E Furness Road, Michigan City IN 46360, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northwest Indiana, specifically on the Indiana Dunes and Lake Michigan Shore, and in the Calumet Region. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the
Photographed by Daniel Barriball, April 3, 2025
2. Hostas on a Grand Scale Marker with the hosta garden
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A Passion for Beauty (within shouting distance of this marker); The Meadow (within shouting distance of this marker); A Host of Daffodils (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Furnessville Cemetery Veterans Memorial (approx. 1.6 miles away); Edwin Way Teale (approx. 1.6 miles away); House Of Tomorrow: 'America's First Glass House' (approx. 1.9 miles away); The Armco-Ferro House: Mass Produced And Affordable (approx. 1.9 miles away); Century Of Progress Homes: Historic District (approx. 1.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Michigan City.
More about this marker. Cultivars photo caption: Brincka registered several hosta cultivars with the American Hosta Society, including Hosta "Bill Brincka," which he introduced in 1988.
Flowers photo caption: While hostas are perhaps best known for their shade-tolerant foliage, they bear beautiful flowers as well. The flowers attract native wildlife, like hummingbirds and pollinators.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 11, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 6, 2025, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. This page has been viewed 140 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 6, 2025, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
