PODCAST · leisure
Hosta La Vista
by Betsy Peterson and Mandy Olson | Hosta Shade Gardening Podcast
A Hosta and shade gardening podcast for growing beautiful, low-light landscapes. Sisters Betsy Peterson and Mandy Olson explore Hosta varieties, care, shade garden design, and companion plants that thrive where the sun doesn’t. Get practical tips on shade perennials, Hosta cultivation, slug and deer resistance, plus the joy of building a Hosta garden. Featuring weekly interviews with top hybridizers, nurseries, and collectors across the country. New episodes every Saturday during the growing season.
Episodes
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Uniquely Hostas: Justin & Andrea Geske on Their Big Move, Hosta Hybridizing, Tissue Culture & Jeff Miller's Legacy
Big changes are coming for Uniquely Hostas! In this episode of Hosta la Vista: The Friendship Plant Podcast, we sit down with Justin and Andrea Geske to discuss an exciting new chapter for their business as they prepare for a major move this September. Justin shares the story of how he and Andrea...
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Inside a Hosta Tissue Culture Lab: Rob Mortko Shares Secrets of TC, Sports & Future Introductions
Ever wonder how thousands of your favorite Hostas make their way from a single plant into gardens across the country? This week on Hosta La Vista: The Friendship Plant Podcast, we're joined by Rob Mortko, owner of Made in the Shade Tissue Culture Lab, President of the Midwest Regional Hosta...
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Inside The Hosta Stop: Award-Winning Seedlings, Streaked Hostas & Family-Powered Hybridizing
What started with a Father's Day gift has grown into one of the Midwest's most beloved Hosta destinations. In this episode, Betsy and Mandy welcome nearly the entire Giese family—Mike, Kelly, Michael, Christina, Carisa, Kyle, and even a few grandkids—from The Hosta Stop Gardens in Plover,...
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Our First Hosta Convention: Midwest Regional Hosta Society 50th Anniversary Recap from Madison, Wisconsin
In this special mid-week episode of Hosta La Vista: The Friendship Plant Podcast, Betsy and Mandy recap their trip to the Midwest Regional Hosta Society's 50th Anniversary Convention, held July 9–12 in Madison, Wisconsin. From educational sessions and garden tours to hosta shopping and connecting...
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Nick Ternes of Botanophilia: Hostas, Shade Gardening, Trees & Plant Hybridizing
This week on Hosta La Vista: The Friendship Plant Podcast, Betsy and Mandy welcome Nick Ternes, owner of Botanophilia LLC, hosta hybridizer, nursery owner, garden educator, speaker, and self-described plant geek. Known throughout the gardening world for his deep knowledge of hostas, shade...
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Lonna Engel of The Painted Leaf Hosta Garden: Building a 900+ Hosta Collection in Pennsylvania
Step into The Painted Leaf Hosta Garden with Lonna Engel, whose Williamsport, Pennsylvania hosta garden has grown from a single bed in 2016 into a spectacular collection of more than 900 hosta cultivars. From miniature hostas to giant specimens spanning 7 feet across, Lonna has transformed her...
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Jonathan Hogarth: Chelsea Flower Show GOLD Medal Winner, Miniature Hostas & the UK's National Collection
What does it take to earn a Gold Medal at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show? This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and Mandy welcome Jonathan Hogarth of Hogarth Hostas, holder of the UK's National Collection of Small and Miniature Hostas and newly crowned RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal...
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Native, Non-Native, or Invasive? Making Sense of the Garden Debate with Neil Diboll of Prairie Nursery
Hosta lovers, have you ever been told that your garden should be "all native"? Or wondered where hostas fit into today's growing native plant movement? In this thought-provoking episode of Hosta La Vista: The Friendship Plant Podcast, Betsy and Mandy sit down with native plant pioneer Neil…
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Shade Garden Secrets with Stacy Ling of Bricks 'n Blooms: Companion Plants, Pollinators & Season-Long Color
Do your shade gardens look amazing in June but tired and empty by midsummer? Wondering how to keep color, texture, blooms, butterflies, and hummingbirds coming all season long—even when deer and rabbits threaten your hard work? This week on Hosta la Vista: The Friendship Plant Podcast, Betsy...
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Hosta Hybridizing 101: A 'Best of' Season 1 with David Teager, Olga Petryszyn, Don Rawson & David Bowe
Ever wondered how new Hostas are created? How hybridizers choose parents, make crosses, evaluate seedlings, and decide which plants are worthy of registration? In this special "Best of Season 1" episode of Hosta la Vista, we're bringing together some of the most respected voices in Hosta...
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Horticultural Therapy and the Healing Power of Plants
Horticultural therapy is changing the way we think about health, healing, and well-being. In this episode of Hosta la Vista, hosts Betsy and Mandy talk with Chris VandenBosche, a Pittsburgh-area Master Gardener and registered horticultural therapist, about what horticultural therapy is, how...
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2026 American Hosta Society Convention Recap: Groovy Plants Ranch, Leaf Show Legends & Hosta Heaven in Dublin, Ohio
In this episode, we take you inside the 2026 American Hosta Society Convention in Dublin, Ohio (June 10–13), with firsthand insights from attendees Cheryl Lockhart, Andy Marlow, Susan Ragsdale, and Julie Lewter. Whether you attended or missed it, this recap covers everything hosta lovers care...
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Doug Ruff Part 2 Hosta Hybridizer Interview : Breeding Blushing Hostas with Anthocyanin Color
Join Hosta la Vista this week for Part 2 of our exclusive interview with renowned hosta hybridizer Doug Ruff — the breeder behind some of the most sought-after hosta cultivars on the market, including Hosta- Bloodline, Light the Match, Electric Fire, Violet Blue, and many more. Doug is at the...
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Doug Ruff Part 1: Bloodline Hosta Creator- Inside His Private Hosta Hybridizing Program (Part 1)
In Part 1 of this special podcast episode, we visit Hosta hybridizer Doug Ruff at his home for an exclusive, nearly two-hour tour of his private breeding program. Best known as the creator of the wildly popular and hard-to-find Bloodline Hosta, Doug gives us a rare behind-the-scenes look at the...
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How the 2026–2027 Super El Niño Could Affect Gardens
What exactly is a “Super El Niño,” and should gardeners across the United States be paying attention? In this episode of Hosta la Vista, sisters Mandy and Betsy sit down with Pam Knox, agricultural climatologist and Director of the Weather Network at the University of Georgia, to unpack the...
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Hosta Diseases Explained: HVX, Tobacco Rattle Virus, Nematodes & Testing with Brett Arenz
Worried your hosta might be sick? Wondering if those strange streaks, spots, or browning leaves are Hosta Virus X (HVX), tobacco rattle virus, nematodes, or something else? This episode is for every hosta gardener. This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and Mandy are joined by Brett Arenz, Director…
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Who Tells Your Story: Dr. Warren I. Pollock and the Legends of the American Hosta Society
Every community has its founders. Its visionaries. Its quietly devoted souls who showed up, dug in, and gave everything to something they loved. But someone has to remember them — and someone has to tell their story. In this rare and deeply personal episode, we sit down with Dr. Warren I. Pollock…
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Christina Brinkmann: Germany's Hosta Hybridizer Behind the Chris' and German Lines
Meet Christina Brinkmann — the passionate hosta hybridizerfrom Gütersloh, Germany, who has been quietly revolutionizing the hosta world since 2013. With over 2,900 hosta varieties growing in her garden alongside thousands of seedlings, Christina is one of Europe's most exciting and innovative...
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Body Shop Botanist: Al Ritchey of Al's Auto Body & Arboretum
Only hosta people would find this perfectly normal. Pull into a working auto body shop on a back road in Walworth, Wisconsin — the smell of primer in the air, cars in the bays — and then walk around back to discover one of the most breathtaking hosta arboretums in the Midwest. That's exactly what...
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The Ultimate Hosta Weekend? Doug Beilstein on World Cup, Road Rage & the 2026 American Hosta Society Ohio Convention
Welcome to a special midweek episode of Hosta La Vista for hosta lovers, shade gardeners, perennial enthusiasts, plant parents, cut flower fans, and anyone who finds joy in beautiful gardens. The countdown is on for the upcoming American Hosta Society Ohio Convention happening June 11–13 in…
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Bob Solberg of Green Hill Hostas | The Man Who Created the Hostas Everyone Grows Hybridizing Guacamole, Curly Fries & the Future of Hosta Breeding
If you've ever grown Guacamole, Curly Fries, or First Frost, you've already met Bob Solberg's work. In this Season 2 premiere of Hosta La Vista, we sit down with the legendary hybridizer behind Green Hill Hostas — a nursery that grew from a backyard passion project into one of the most respected...
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We're Back! Hosta Vista Podcast Season 2 Premieres May 9th
Hosta Vista Podcast — Season 2 premieres MAY 9TH! Every Saturday all summer long, your favorite hosta and gardening podcast is back with new episodes featuring plant experts, nursery owners, landscape designers, and disease specialists. If you're a plant parent who started with a monstera and is...
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Hosta La Vista is Back | Season 2 Preview & What's Coming This Spring
We know January can feel like the longest month in the garden calendar — so consider this your little dose of green in the grey. Betsy and Mandy are back with a Season 2 preview episode of Hosta La Vista: The Friendship Plant Podcast, and we have a lot to look forward to together. We're hard at...
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Hosta Seeds, Frost Tips & a New Jersey Garden Tour | Gail & David Russo of The Russo Garden
Protect your hostas from frost with a cardboard box — that's just one of the practical gems Gail Russo shares in this Season 1 finale of Hosta La Vista. We're visiting Gail and David Russo of The Russo Garden in Cedarville, New Jersey, for a deep dive into their stunning multi-habitat landscape...
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1,000+ Hostas in Oregon! Mandy Visits Sebright Gardens in the Willamette Valley & It Did Not Disappoint
Ever wondered how to manage irrigation in a shade garden, or what it looks like when someone turns a passion project into one of the most remarkable nurseries in the country? This episode has answers. Mandy made the trip from the Midwest to Salem, Oregon to walk the four acres of display gardens…
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Danny Lawson Wichita | Every AHS Hosta Display Garden, The Hosta Journal & a Kansas Legacy
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...
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Josh Spece of In The Country Garden & Gifts | 700+ Hosta Varieties, Family Nurseries & What's Next
Tucked away outside of Independence, Iowa, In The Country Garden & Gifts is the kind of place serious hosta collectors love — a family-run nursery with over 700+ hosta varieties, a carefully curated collection of rare and exclusive offerings, and a reputation that has been quietly growing into...
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Lazy Toad Farm | Minnesota Hostas, Handcrafted Pickles & the Most Entertaining Farm in the Midwest
Introverted: But willing to talk hostas. That pretty much describes Joe Rand and Todd Fussy of Lazy Toad Farm in Clearwater, Minnesota, and honestly, it might describe you too if you're listening to this podcast. This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and Mandy sit down with the dynamic duo behind…
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The Excellent Midwest Hosta Visit | 10 States, 2,500 Miles & the Some of the Best Hosta Nurseries Worth Visiting
Let's set the scene. Two women from North Alabama. One Mitsubishi Outlander. Nine days. Over 2,500 miles. And at some point along the way, a very serious conversation about whether clothes were really necessary for the rest of the trip or if that suitcase space could be better used for hostas....
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David Teager Delaware | Hosta Seedlings, Diseases, Show Judging & the Delaware Valley Hosta Society
If you've ever watched a hosta seedling push through soil for the first time, wondered what that strange spot on your hosta leaf means, or stood nervously beside a show table hoping your entry would impress a judge — David Teager has something to say to you. This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and...
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Hornbaker Gardens | Illinois Prairie Roots, Hostas & a Family Nursery Worth the Road Trip
If Hornbaker Gardens isn't already on your must-visit list, it's about to be. This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and Mandy sit down with Dave Hornbaker, second-generation co-owner of one of Illinois' most beloved destination nurseries — a place that grew from a dream on a patch of prairie into a...
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Chuck Doughty of Cochato Nursery: Hosta Care, Growing Tips & Leading the American Hosta Society
This week on Hosta la Vista, we sit down with Chuck Doughty — owner of Cochato Nursery in Massachusetts and newly elected President of the American Hosta Society. Chuck is a 35-year veteran of the hosta world, a hybridizer, collector, grower, and one of the most passionate voices in the hosta...
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Hosta Photography & The Hosta Journal: Andy Marlow on AHS Leadership & Getting 'Bobbed'
If you've ever been quietly talked into doing something for the hosta world by someone who made it sound completely reasonable at the time — congratulations. You've been Bobbed. This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and Mandy sit down with Andy Marlow of Hopkins, Minnesota — former President of the...
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Heavenly Hostas Minnesota | Kathy Pedersen on Cottage Shade Gardens, Hosta Collecting & Hideko Gowen
If you've ever dreamed of a garden that feels like it was conjured rather than planted — with winding paths, handcrafted sculptures, a waterfall, a pond, tucked away sheds built by hand, and hostas around every corner — Kathy Pedersen's Heavenly Hostas in Shakopee, Minnesota is exactly that…
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Horticultural Therapy, Hosta Societies & Healing Through Gardening | Barb Rauckhorst of North Coast Hosta Society
What if gardening wasn't just a hobby — but a path to healing? This episode of Hosta La Vista goes somewhere a little deeper than usual, and we think it might be one you'll want to share. This week, Betsy and Mandy head to Cuyahoga County, Ohio to sit down with Barb Rauckhorst — President of the...
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Dr. Mary Albrecht: Hosta Science, Shade Garden Wisdom & the Joy of the Hosta Community
This week on Hosta la Vista, we sit down with Dr. Mary Lewnes Albrecht — horticulture professor, Master Gardener, botanic garden volunteer, communications director of the East Tennessee Hosta Society, and Vice President of Genus for the American Hosta Society. Mary brings a rare combination of...
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Don Rawson: Hosta Hybridizing Secrets, HVX Warning, Red & Purple Hostas & the Future of the Friendship Plant
This week on Hosta la Vista, we sit down with Don Rawson — hosta hybridizer, curator of the legendary Hosta List database, creator of the Hostas of Distinction website, and one of the most quietly influential figures in the entire hosta world. Don grows on four acres near Grand Rapids, Michigan,...
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Olga Petryszyn — The Hosta Lady | Hosta Hybridizing, Americana Hostas & Watercolor Art
Before Niagara Falls existed, Olga Petryszyn painted it. Before Coast to Coast was growing in gardens from sea to shining sea, she dreamed it into being on watercolor paper. Then she spent decades making every single one of them real. This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and Mandy are fully...
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Growing Hostas in Florida:Zone 9-11, Overwintering Tips with Renowned Hybridizer Dr. David Bowe
Can you grow hostas in Florida? In Zone 9? Zone 10? Zone 11? David Bowe has tried. And in this episode he tells you exactly what he learned. This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and Mandy sit down with hosta hybridizer David Bowe — a man who spent decades breeding some of the most…
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American Hosta Society Convention 2025: Field Reports, Highlights & Hosta Community
Welcome to a special midweek edition of Hosta La Vista — the podcast devoted to the world of hostas, shade gardening, and the people who make this community so special. In this episode, we’re bringing you exclusive highlights and on-the-ground field reports from the American Hosta Society...
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Hosta La Vista Goes Across the Pond | Ben Matthews & the British National Hosta Collection in Worcestershire
Pack your wellies and a good umbrella — Hosta La Vista is heading to England. This week Betsy and Mandy cross the Atlantic to sit down with Ben Matthews of Worcester, England — curator of one of the most fascinating and historically significant hosta collections in the world. Ben holds the Plant...
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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...
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Meet Your Hosts - Betsy & Mandy: Two Sisters, Two Climate Zones & One Obsession with Hosta Plants
Every podcast has an origin story. This is ours. Welcome to the very first episode of Hosta la Vista — the only podcast dedicated entirely to hosta plants, hosta care, and the growers, collectors, and hybridizers who love them. If you're looking for the perfect shade garden plant, a low…
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Welcome to Hosta la Vista-A podcast for shady plant people
Get a sneak peek into Hosta la Vista, the podcast where the shade is cool and the friendships are perennial! Meet your hosts, Betsy Peterson and Mandy Olson — two Hosta-loving sisters who are here to celebrate The Friendship Plant with weekly chats, special guests, and plenty of leafy laughs....
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A Hosta and shade gardening podcast for growing beautiful, low-light landscapes. Sisters Betsy Peterson and Mandy Olson explore Hosta varieties, care, shade garden design, and companion plants that thrive where the sun doesn’t. Get practical tips on shade perennials, Hosta cultivation, slug and deer resistance, plus the joy of building a Hosta garden. Featuring weekly interviews with top hybridizers, nurseries, and collectors across the country. New episodes every Saturday during the growing season.
HOSTED BY
Betsy Peterson and Mandy Olson | Hosta Shade Gardening Podcast
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Hosta La Vista have?
Hosta La Vista currently has 46 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Hosta La Vista about?
A Hosta and shade gardening podcast for growing beautiful, low-light landscapes. Sisters Betsy Peterson and Mandy Olson explore Hosta varieties, care, shade garden design, and companion plants that thrive where the sun doesn’t. Get practical tips on shade perennials, Hosta cultivation, slug and...
How often does Hosta La Vista release new episodes?
Hosta La Vista has 46 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Hosta La Vista?
You can listen to Hosta La Vista on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Hosta La Vista?
Hosta La Vista is created and hosted by Betsy Peterson and Mandy Olson | Hosta Shade Gardening Podcast.
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