Hosta La Vista

Betsy Peterson and Mandy Olson

A podcast all about the friendship plant-the beloved Hosta! Hosted by sisters, Betsy and Mandy, Hosta la Vista digs into everything Hosta: from hybridizers and home gardeners to plant lore and landscaping tips. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just discovering the magic of these shade-loving beauties, you’re in the right garden. Tune in, grow with us, and celebrate the plant that brings people together-one variegated leaf at a time. New episodes coming soon! Broadcasting from the Midwest, where Hostas thrive and friendships grow.

  1. 2025/10/11

    Gail and David Russo

    Gail & David Russo of The Russo Garden Correction: Gail is incorrectly associated with the Online Hosta Journal at marker 1:28 and again 48:33. She is actually a contributor to the AHS e-Newsletter, a totally different publication that is free to members and non-members. The Journals require a paid membership. Join us for the Season 1 finale of Hosta La Vista, where we’re heading to Cedarville, New Jersey, to visit Gail and David Russo—creators of The Russo Garden. This special episode dives into their multi-habitat paradise, complete with sunny and shady beds, ponds, water features, and a stunning array of hostas and daylilies. It's a garden built on passion, diversity, and endless exploration. The Russos are known not only for their lush landscapes but also for their seed work—Gail crops and sells hosta seeds through Facebook's Seed Growers group. They even start seedlings through the winter, sometimes selling them or collaborating with a nursery to grow and market them. Gail is also stepping into the spotlight with her new articles for the AHS e-newsletter, which publishes quarterly and is free for readers. She’s eager to highlight more gardeners' stories, and hopes listeners will reach out if they’d like to be featured in future editions. Read her July issue here: ⁠https://americanhostasociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/July2025.pdf⁠ From seed-growing tips to fall garden prep, from seasonal care wisdom to how they share their garden with visitors, this episode is a treasure trove of insight and inspiration. Stay connected with Hosta La Vista: ​Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so Season 2 finds you first.​Have thoughts or stories to share? Email us anytime at hostalavistapodcast@gmail.com.​Catch our updates and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.Come grow with us—this is one last bloom before the season ends and thank you to all of you who gave our podcast a try this year. We are grateful and hope you enjoyed it. We look forward to season two! Betsy and Mandy

    50分
  2. 2025/10/04

    Sebright Gardens

    West Coast Wonders—Mandy’s Trip to Sebright Gardens with Kirk Hansen This week on Hosta la Vista, Mandy escapes the Midwest's heat to trek into the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley—and we're all along for the ride. After visiting in August, she returns brimming with stories from Sebright Gardens, a true botanical treasure near Salem that cultivates over 1,000 hosta varieties alongside hardy ferns and elegant epimediums—making it one of the largest and most immersive shade-garden nurseries west of the Mississippi. We sit down with co-founder Kirk Hansen to explore how four acres of magical display gardens began as a private passion project in 2003 and grew into a source of inspiration for gardeners everywhere. Learn what it takes to curate more than a thousand shade-loving beauties (plus hundreds of companion plants!), what the visitor experience feels like, and how Sebright manages to ship plants beyond Oregon’s borders. Whether you’ve walked their pathways yourself or are hosting hostas in spirit, this episode delivers plant-spiration straight from the Pacific Northwest. Join us for tales of mossy paths, towering hosta mounds, and the man behind the hostas—Kirk Hansen of Sebright Gardens. Connect with Hosta la Vista: Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode Send your hosta questions or road-trip stories to hostalavistapodcast@gmail.com Find us on Facebook, and Instagram by searching Hosta la Vista Podcast

    30分

番組について

A podcast all about the friendship plant-the beloved Hosta! Hosted by sisters, Betsy and Mandy, Hosta la Vista digs into everything Hosta: from hybridizers and home gardeners to plant lore and landscaping tips. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just discovering the magic of these shade-loving beauties, you’re in the right garden. Tune in, grow with us, and celebrate the plant that brings people together-one variegated leaf at a time. New episodes coming soon! Broadcasting from the Midwest, where Hostas thrive and friendships grow.