Don and Pam Rawson live on four country acres near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Together, they grow hundreds of hosta cultivars along with an assortment of other companions. While they do not operate a nursery, the Rawsons often host tours for local garden clubs.
Don enjoys hybridizing on the side, making several thousand crosses during the summer, and growing many hosta seedlings in the winter. The first Rawson introductions include H. ‘Rhino Hide’ and H. ‘Gabriel’s Wing’, followed by many others.
The goals of the Rawson hosta hybridizing program are quite diverse and ambitious – ranging from variations in leaf shapes, colors, texture, and sizes to working with hosta flowers. However, one criterion first established by the Rawsons is that all new introductions must be distinct in one or more ways from other cultivars. Therefore, those who purchase a Rawson introduction can be assured the new plant is easily distinguishable from those hostas which may already be in your garden. We think that you will agree!
Don serves as president of the West Michigan Hosta Society and was the co-chair of the 2021 AHS National Convention. In addition, he is co-chairman of the AHS Nomenclature Committee and compiles the list of miniature hostas for the AHS website.
He is responsible for two publications- The Hosta Lists and the Hosta Hybridizer’s Manual. The Hosta Lists is a compilation of more than 100 individual lists of hostas based upon various characteristics. This resource represents over two decades of work on Don’s part and currently includes 29,000+ entries. The second booklet - the Hosta Hybridizer’s Manual - is a collection of articles from various authors and well-known hybridizers.
Don digs a hosta in preparation for tissue culture production.
Newly planted hosta seedlings are lined out in summer.
Seedlings putting on good growth in their second year.
Here, three-year-old seedlings are maturing nicely.
The trial area always attracts the attention of garden visitors.
Hosta guru Bob Solberg stops by to evaluate seedlings.
