EPISODE · Sep 27, 2025 · 35 MIN
Danny Lawson Wichita | Every AHS Hosta Display Garden, The Hosta Journal & a Kansas Legacy
from Hosta La Vista · host Betsy Peterson & Mandy Olson | Hosta Shade Gardening Podcast
Most hosta enthusiasts dream of visiting a few great gardens. Danny Lawson of Wichita, Kansas visited every single AHS sanctioned hosta display garden in the United States and Canada. Every. Single. One. And we caught him just before he crossed the finish line.Danny is the Editor of The Hosta Journal, President of the Wichita Hosta Society, and one of the most quietly respected voices in the American hosta community. He was also instrumental in bringing the AHS display hosta garden to Botanica — Wichita's beloved botanical garden — putting his hometown firmly on the national hosta map.In this conversation we dig into his journey from curious collector to seasoned curator, what goes into producing one of the most respected plant publications in the hobby, his favorite cultivars, and the stories and friendships built across a lifetime of visiting the finest hosta gardens in North America.We also play our signature Finish the Rhyme challenge and a This or That segment — because even the most serious hosta people know how to have fun.Topics covered:Visiting every AHS sanctioned hosta display garden in the US and CanadaThe AHS hosta garden at Botanica in Wichita, KansasEditing The Hosta Journal — behind the scenes of a world class plant publicationThe Wichita Hosta Society and shade gardening in the Great PlainsFavorite hosta cultivars and what makes a standout shade gardenBuilding community through the American Hosta Society display garden programFollow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. Got questions or a story to share? Email us at [email protected], or find us on Facebook and Instagram at Hosta La Vista Podcast.
What this episode covers
Most hosta enthusiasts dream of visiting a few great gardens. Danny Lawson of Wichita, Kansas visited every single AHS sanctioned hosta display garden in the United States and Canada. Every. Single. One. And we caught him just before he crossed the finish line.Danny is the Editor of The Hosta Journal, President of the Wichita Hosta Society, and one of the most quietly respected voices in the American hosta community. He was also instrumental in bringing the AHS display hosta garden to Botanica — Wichita's beloved botanical garden — putting his hometown firmly on the national hosta map.In this conversation we dig into his journey from curious collector to seasoned curator, what goes into producing one of the most respected plant publications in the hobby, his favorite cultivars, and the stories and friendships built across a lifetime of visiting the finest hosta gardens in North America.We also play our signature Finish the Rhyme challenge and a This or That segment — because even the most serious hosta people know how to have fun.Topics covered:Visiting every AHS sanctioned hosta display garden in the US and CanadaThe AHS hosta garden at Botanica in Wichita, KansasEditing The Hosta Journal — behind the scenes of a world class plant publicationThe Wichita Hosta Society and shade gardening in the Great PlainsFavorite hosta cultivars and what makes a standout shade gardenBuilding community through the American Hosta Society display garden programFollow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. Got questions or a story to share? Email us at [email protected], or find us on Facebook and Instagram at Hosta La Vista Podcast.
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Danny Lawson Wichita | Every AHS Hosta Display Garden, The Hosta Journal & a Kansas Legacy
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