From container design in extremes, top tools that the pros use to the ever-popular Container Showdown, be inspired to create the containers of your dreams…

The Seminars by Category are listed in chronological order. Please check the Seminar Schedule for a full list of all our seminars. No ticket refunds for Speaker cancellation.

All seminars at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival are FREE with your ticket!

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Container Showdown: Wednesday

Justin Henderson - Executive Director and Head Gardener at Lakewold Gardens in Lakewood, Washington

Sue Goetz - Owner Creative Gardener, Author Complete Container Herb Gardening

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 / 11:00 AM / Main Stage


  

Toolbox Essentials - Must Have Tools for Container Gardening

Cindy Funes - Container Designer, Owner Garden Revelry LLC, President, Digging In Association

Cindy shares her wisdom accumulated as a successful container designer and business owner for 18 years. Save time, effort and frustration by using the tools the pros use. In this DIY session, Cindy shares her favorite gardening tools and how to use them. Learn the benefits of proper selection of use to rev up your container design projects. Whether you're planting two porch pots on either side of your door or running your own design business, this memorable presentation will make your (container design) life easier for years to come.
Thursday, February 20, 2025 / 10:00 AM / DIY Stage

 

Container Showdown: Thursday

Kim Stoddart - Award-winning UK journalist and authority on resilient gardening. Editor Amateur Gardening magazine.

Allison McManus - Co-owner/co-host Spoken Garden, Co-Author The First Time Gardener.

Thursday, February 20, 2025 / 11:00 AM / Main Stage


  

Celebrity Edition Container Showdown

Christina Salwitz - Award-winning garden writer and author, Container and Landscape Designer

Mary-Kate Mackey - Garden Author

Thursday, February 20, 2025 / 1:00 PM / Main Stage


  

ROCK ON!

Patrick R. Ryan - Master gardener, musician and education specialist at Alaska Botanical Garden

Hypertufa containers are the perfect homes for alpines, succulents, dwarf hostas, dwarf conifers, and more. Perhaps you’ve admired these beautiful troughs in other gardens but thought they’d be too hard to make. Patrick Ryan, from the Alaska Botanical Garden, shows you the techniques and easy skills needed to construct long-lasting, weatherproof, hypertufa containers. 

This demonstration includes building an actual trough right before your eyes, and a handout with a recipe and complete instructions. You’ll leave with the confidence to build an artistic—yet inexpensive—container to display your own garden treasures for your friends to admire.
Thursday, February 20, 2025 / 1:30 PM / DIY Stage

 

Small Space Solutions with Epic Gardening: Porch Pots

Erin Schanen - Gardener, writer, video creator and founder of The Impatient Gardener

Join the team from Epic Gardening and their friends for a daily dose of Small Space Solutions. Each day at 4pm on the Main Stage, tips and tricks will be provided to gardeners working with limited gardening space. From growing your own groceries to grow bags to trellising, smart seed starting for smaller plants to containers that go-go-go... join this fun, interactive session daily and enjoy new ideas and insights from the experts at Epic Gardening!

Thursday, February 20, 2025 / 4:00 PM / Main Stage

 

Container Conundrums: Mastering the Art of Extreme Design

Christina Salwitz - Award-winning garden writer and author, Container and Landscape Designer

Mary-Kate Mackey - Award-winning author, speaker and educator

Fabulous containers are the finishing touch to any garden, but sometimes they need to be placed in extreme locations—blaring hot sun, deep shade, or high winds. The Personal Garden Coach Christina Salwitz and garden author Mary-Kate Mackey have teamed up to present the techniques to unleash your creativity in challenging garden spaces. The talk will include choice plant combinations and innovative solutions for these situations, as well as practical maintenance tips for your extreme garden masterpieces.
Thursday, February 20, 2025 / 4:30 PM / Rainier Room


  

Container Showdown: Friday

Kamili Bell Hill - Planterior designer, author, founder of PlantBlerd

Riz Reyes - Horticulturist, Floral Designer, and owner of RHR Horticulture

Friday, February 21, 2025 / 11:00 AM / Main Stage


  

Container Showdown: Saturday

Barb Wise - Horticulturist and author, Container Gardening for All Seasons

Richie Steffen - Executive Director, Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden

Saturday, February 22, 2025 / 11:00 AM / Main Stage


  

Container Showdown: Sunday

Marcus Bridgewater - aka Garden Marcus, author, speaker

Carissa Kasper - founder of Seed & Nourish Garden Design

Sunday, February 23, 2025 / 11:00 AM / Main Stage