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 fangirling — and we make no apologies. We are joined by the one and only Olga Petryszyn of Northern Indiana — known worldwide as The Hosta Lady, winner of the prestigious Eunice Fisher Distinguished Hybridizer Award, Master Judge of the American Hosta Society, and the creative force behind some of the most beloved hosta cultivars in existence.

Olga's journey into hybridizing began in 1986 under the guidance of master gardener and Art Institute of Chicago professor Bill Brincka — a mentor and dear friend whose influence on her craft and her life cannot be overstated. It was Bill who first opened her eyes to what hostas could become, and the hosta world has never been the same since.

Her Americana Collection includes some of the most recognizable cultivars in the hosta world — Niagara Falls, Coast to Coast, Manhattan, Grand Canyon, Key West, Blue Hawaii, Chesapeake Bay, Golden Gate, Gone with the Wind, Mississippi Delta, Gotham, All That Jazz, Dawn's Early Light, Old Faithful, Brother Stefan, and more. Coast to Coast was the 2020 Hosta of the Year. Brother Stefan was the 2017 Hosta of the Year. If you grow hostas, you almost certainly grow Olga.

Topics covered:

• The origin story of the Americana Collection — from watercolor paintings to world renowned hostas
• The art and science of hosta hybridizing — form, color, texture, and genetics
• The influence of mentor Bill Brincka on Olga's life and career
• Cultivar spotlights — Niagara Falls, Coast to Coast, Brother Stefan, Key West, Blue Hawaii and more
• The Eunice Fisher Distinguished Hybridizer Award
• Growing giant hostas — tips from the master herself
• What makes a hosta worthy of introduction to the market

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