I’ve always been a plant lover. Having a father who made our backyard a vegetable garden each summer was my start. From vegetables to perennials became a natural progression for me. Joining the local organic gardening club, becoming an Advanced Master Gardener, building a greenhouse and growing new vegetables and perennials were to follow. Years later, a chance meeting with the ‘Hosta Lady’ at Royal Oak’s Farmers Market helped forge a new friendship and interest in a new perennial.  I’ve now been hybridizing hosta for the past 20 years and still feel the joy of watching the season’s first seedlings arise from their dark moist bed. Having been fortunate enough to have Pauline Banyai as my mentor, certainly helped. From the beginning my interests in hybridizing streakies was of major interest to me. I was often told that this interest would change as time went on but in reality my interest in streaky plants has not subsided. Of course I do enjoy hostas of all colors, shapes and sizes. My current hybridizing interests lie with developing streakies with a ruffled edge.  In addition I always look to add great substance to all of my plants.