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 — scholar, writer, and one of the most beloved figures in the American Hosta Society — for a conversation that is as much about people as it is about plants. Warren reflects on a lifetime of friendship with the icons who built the hosta world: Alex Summers, John and Gertrude Wister, Eunice Fisher, Gunther Stark, Russ O'Hara, David Teager, Don Rawson, Gail Hartley Alley, and the legendary Ben Zonneveld of the Netherlands — among many others whose passion and dedication shaped a community that endures to this day.

He also pays heartfelt tribute to the late Marilyn Romenesko — devoted horticulturist, past President of the Delaware Valley Hosta Society, and a force of warmth and excellence in the hosta world — whom Warren remembers with tremendous fondness and respect.

These are the people who were in the room where it happened — and Warren was right there with them.

This isn't a technical episode. It's a tribute. It's a memory. It's one of the most moving conversations we've ever had the privilege of recording, and we think you'll feel that from the very first minute.

Topics covered in this episode:

• The early days of the American Hosta Society and the remarkable people behind it
• Warren's personal friendships with the pioneers who made it all happen
• Stories, memories, and tributes to the legends of the hosta world
• A special remembrance of Marilyn Romenesko and her legacy in the Delaware Valley Hosta Society
• The international reach of the hosta community, including friendships across the globe
• Gail Hartley Alley's vital role in hosta registration and record-keeping
• How passion, friendship, and community built one of horticulture's most devoted societies

If you love hostas, you love the people who loved them first. Don't miss this one.

Perfect for: American Hosta Society members, hosta collectors, Delaware Valley Hosta Society members, shade gardeners, perennial plant enthusiasts, garden history lovers, garden podcast fans

Audio credit: Music by Tomasz Redman and gnate-saint.