Alisa Bowe Lenhardt: Hosta Show Judging, HVX Warning, Flower Arranging & the Art of the Hosta Leaf

This week on Hosta la Vista, we welcome Alisa Bowe Lenhardt — hosta grower, fine artist, nationally certified hosta show judge, flower arranging expert, and member of the legendary Bowe family from Ohio, one of the most respected names in the hosta hybridizing world.Alisa brings a perspective on hostas that is genuinely unlike anyone we've had on the pod. Yes, she grows them and judges them at the highest level — including this weekend at the American Hosta Society's annual convention in Peoria, Illinois — but she also sees hostas through an artist's eye. Her fine art has been displayed at the Pittsburgh Art Museum, and that same eye for color, texture, form, and composition shapes the way she evaluates a hosta leaf on a show table and arranges them in a vase.We dig into what it actually takes to become a nationally recognized hosta show judge — what judges are really looking for when they walk a show table, how leaves are evaluated for size, color, substance, and presentation, and what separates a blue ribbon leaf from a best in show. Whether you've never entered a hosta show or you're a seasoned competitor, Alisa's insider perspective will change how you look at the plants in your own garden.Alisa also has her own registered hosta cultivar, and we talk about what it means to bring a named variety into the world — the patience, the selection process, and the pride of seeing your plant in someone else's garden.One of the most important moments in this episode is Alisa's warning about HVX — Hosta Virus X. As someone who sees hundreds of hostas at shows and nurseries, she explains just how easy it is to miss the early signs of this devastating and incurable virus, what to look for, and why even experienced growers get fooled. If you grow hostas, this is essential listening.We also talk about flower arranging with hosta foliage — how the bold leaves, varied textures, and striking colors of hostas make them exceptional material for arrangements, and why hosta leaves outlast almost any cut flower you pair them with. Alisa shares how to think about hostas not just as garden plants but as living art.And for anyone just getting started with hostas, Alisa has practical, encouraging advice on where to begin, what to look for, and how the world of hosta shows can take your passion to a whole new level.This is a rich, inspiring conversation with a woman who lives at the beautiful intersection of horticulture and art. [email protected] on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Facebook & Instagram