In this episode of Hosta La Vista, we sit down with the one and only David Bowe — a standout hybridizer in the Hosta world whose signature style, sense of humor, and eye for the unusual have earned him a loyal following and a garden full of unforgettable plants.
David has registered over 30 hosta cultivars, many of which share his signature flair for wordplay and personality-packed names. From Summer Rainbow to Beau Brummell, Cupid's Bow to Bottle Rockets, his hybrids aren’t just beautiful — they’re memorable. In our conversation, David opens up about what it’s like to watch a tiny seedling become a named variety, how he chooses which plants make the cut, and why he doesn’t take himself too seriously in a field full of perfectionists.
But David’s story takes a surprising turn — after decades of Hosta hybridizing, he relocated to Florida, where the blazing Zone 9 heat makes growing Hostas nearly impossible. We talk about the challenges of leaving a Hosta-filled garden behind, and how that shift pushed him into experimenting with heat-loving native plants, applying the same hybridizing curiosity and patience in a whole new climate.
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Whether you’re a collector, a hybridizer-in-training, or just someone who appreciates a Hosta with a sense of humor, this episode is a celebration of creativity, persistence, and pure plant joy.
So grab a cold drink, put your feet up, and join us for a fun, insightful, and pun-filled chat with David Bowe — where every Hosta has a story, and every story has a twist.
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