Name: Official Northwest Flower & Garden Festival
Start: 0001-01-01
End: 0001-01-01
Location: Seattle Convention Center

February 19-23, 2025

Seattle Convention Center

705 Pike Street, Seattle, WA

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From native annuals to native pollinators… find new ways to support the ecosystem in your garden and beyond with this year’s amazing speaker lineup…

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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Great Plant Picks: Plants for Pollinators Richie Steffen - Executive Director for the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden Our gardens are built for beauty but serve as a resource for our regional wildlife. Our gardens can be a haven for honeybees and native pollinators with the addition of a varied and diverse selection of plants. Great Plant Picks (www.greatplantpicks.org ) is a regional resource that focuses on plants that thrive in our maritime Pacific Northwest climate. Learn about some of the best performing pollinator friendly plants that will flourish in your garden and how to create a space that encourages healthy pollinator populations. Wednesday, February 19, 2025 / 1:00 PM / Main Stage	Great Plant Picks: Plants for Pollinators Our gardens are built for beauty but serve as a resource for our regional wildlife. Our gardens can be a haven for honeybees and native pollinators with the addition of a varied and diverse selection of plants. Great Plant Picks (www.greatplantpicks.org ) is a regional resource that focuses on plants that thrive in our maritime Pacific Northwest climate. Learn about some of the best performing pollinator friendly plants that will flourish in your garden and how to create a space that encourages healthy pollinator populations. Wednesday, February 19, 2025 1:00 PM
Boost Biodiversity in Your Garden with Insect-Friendly Habitat Amy Campion - Co-author Gardening in the Pacific Northwest: The Complete Homeowner's Guide News of crashing insect populations may make you feel hopeless about the future. However, there are many things you can do to make a real difference in improving insect biodiversity where you live. In this talk, you'll learn simple steps you can take to create more insect-friendly habitat in your garden, and you'll meet some of the fascinating creatures that show up when you welcome them in. Wednesday, February 19, 2025 / 12:00 PM / Hood Room	Boost Biodiversity in Your Garden with Insect-Friendly Habitat News of crashing insect populations may make you feel hopeless about the future. However, there are many things you can do to make a real difference in improving insect biodiversity where you live. In this talk, you'll learn simple steps you can take to create more insect-friendly habitat in your garden, and you'll meet some of the fascinating creatures that show up when you welcome them in. Wednesday, February 19, 2025 12:00 PM
Gardening with PNW Hardy Native Annuals Paul Bonine - Native plant grower, expert and owner Xera Plants, Portland, Oregon Discover the history and overview of native hardy annuals, a class of plants whose native territory has shrunk to endangered levels. Often overlooked and forgotten, this category of plant is equally important to native pollinators as all other categories combined - trees, shrubs, perennials. They were once widespread and, aside from their importance to pollinators< they have beautiful and practical uses in the garden. They may be employed as a winter weed blocking cover crop for example. Paul will show you where to get plants and seed, how to identify them, (and their seedlings) and how to save seed and insure that they self sow. They have specific requirements for germination and I'll unlock all of those secrets to ensure success. This is a precious and important class of native plants that should be included in every Pacific Northwest garden. Thursday, February 20, 2025 / 12:00 PM / Hood Room	Gardening with PNW Hardy Native Annuals Discover the history and overview of native hardy annuals, a class of plants whose native territory has shrunk to endangered levels. Often overlooked and forgotten, this category of plant is equally important to native pollinators as all other categories combined - trees, shrubs, perennials. They were once widespread and, aside from their importance to pollinators< they have beautiful and practical uses in the garden. They may be employed as a winter weed blocking cover crop for example. Paul will show you where to get plants and seed, how to identify them, (and their seedlings) and how to save seed and insure that they self sow. They have specific requirements for germination and I'll unlock all of those secrets to ensure success. This is a precious and important class of native plants that should be included in every Pacific Northwest garden. Thursday, February 20, 2025 12:00 PM
Designing and Planting Your Shade Garden Jenny Rose Carey - Renowned gardener, educator, historian, and author This seminar will take the gardener through the stages from planning to the selection of plants that will thrive in shade conditions to the steps needed for successful planting. Shade gardens can bring special delight to any garden area. The keys to success for your shade gardens are good design and proper planting. Jenny Rose will take you through the easy-to-follow steps for planting a successful shade garden. Friday, February 21, 2025 / 10:45 AM / Hood Room	Designing and Planting Your Shade Garden This seminar will take the gardener through the stages from planning to the selection of plants that will thrive in shade conditions to the steps needed for successful planting. Shade gardens can bring special delight to any garden area. The keys to success for your shade gardens are good design and proper planting. Jenny Rose will take you through the easy-to-follow steps for planting a successful shade garden. Friday, February 21, 2025 10:45 AM
Mini Meadows: Grow a Little Patch of Colorful Flowers Anywhere around Your Yard Mike Lizotte - Author, "Seed Man" and owner of American Meadows The word “meadow” conjures images of wide expanses of land, but a mini meadow — a kind of informal flower garden started with seed sown directly into the soil — can be any size; plus, it’s fun, easy to grow, and good for the planet. With as little as 50 square feet and for less than $20, gardeners can plant a colorful meadow that demands little in the way of space, mowing, or maintenance, uses less water than a traditional lawn, and provides habitat for pollinators — not to mention a natural exploration space for children. Friday, February 21, 2025 / 2:45 PM / Hood Room	Mini Meadows: Grow a Little Patch of Colorful Flowers Anywhere around Your Yard The word “meadow” conjures images of wide expanses of land, but a mini meadow — a kind of informal flower garden started with seed sown directly into the soil — can be any size; plus, it’s fun, easy to grow, and good for the planet. With as little as 50 square feet and for less than $20, gardeners can plant a colorful meadow that demands little in the way of space, mowing, or maintenance, uses less water than a traditional lawn, and provides habitat for pollinators — not to mention a natural exploration space for children. Friday, February 21, 2025 2:45 PM
Revered Roots, Ancient Wisdom on Wild, Native and Medicinal Plants LoriAnn Bird - Indigenous Metis herbalist and educator This workshop will uncover knowledge of ancestral plants and medicines and how to incorporate them into our everyday practices. Stories, practical applications, gifts for our more-than-human relatives, The Rooted Nations. Friday, February 21, 2025 / 5:00 PM / Hood Room	Revered Roots, Ancient Wisdom on Wild, Native and Medicinal Plants This workshop will uncover knowledge of ancestral plants and medicines and how to incorporate them into our everyday practices. Stories, practical applications, gifts for our more-than-human relatives, The Rooted Nations. Friday, February 21, 2025 5:00 PM
Learn About Mason Bees, Their Predators and How to Care for Them Thyra McKelvie - Managing Director & Pollination Program Educator for Rent Mason Bees Bees are becoming an increasingly popular addition to gardens - but not just honeybees. If you’re thinking of hosting bees in your yard, releasing solitary Mason bees should be top on your list. Solitary bees make up 90% of all bees on the planet and are one of mother nature’s best pollinators! On average, each mason bee can visit over 2,000 blooms daily and pollinate 95% of the flowers they land on, in comparison to the meticulous pollen gathering of honeybees who only have a 5% pollination rate. This makes them the unsung heroes of the pollinating world! Not only can they help us grow more food, but their belly flopping pollen-collecting methods make surrounding habitat healthier. Solitary bee activity helps filter out pollutants from air and water streams – increasing overall ecosystem health everywhere these little bees buzz around. Learn more about solitary bees and how to create a healthy habitat for them. Saturday, February 22, 2025 / 9:30 AM / Hood Room	Learn About Mason Bees, Their Predators and How to Care for Them Bees are becoming an increasingly popular addition to gardens - but not just honeybees. If you’re thinking of hosting bees in your yard, releasing solitary Mason bees should be top on your list. Solitary bees make up 90% of all bees on the planet and are one of mother nature’s best pollinators! On average, each mason bee can visit over 2,000 blooms daily and pollinate 95% of the flowers they land on, in comparison to the meticulous pollen gathering of honeybees who only have a 5% pollination rate. This makes them the unsung heroes of the pollinating world! Not only can they help us grow more food, but their belly flopping pollen-collecting methods make surrounding habitat healthier. Solitary bee activity helps filter out pollutants from air and water streams – increasing overall ecosystem health everywhere these little bees buzz around. Learn more about solitary bees and how to create a healthy habitat for them. Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:30 AM
Five Gardening Rules to Ignore David Mizejewski - Naturalist, author and television presenter with the National Wildlife Federation Beautiful gardens and well-designed landscapes are pleasing to the eye and give us a place to enjoy nature, right? Wrong. Though it might look green and natural, the standard American landscape is anything but and often does more harm than good to our planet. But it doesn't have to be that way! National Wildlife Federation Naturalist David Mizejewski will break down the five common gardening practices that hurt the natural world and offer alternatives that will help you create the perfect slice of nature, right outside your door for you and the wildlife that calls your space home, too. Saturday, February 22, 2025 / 10:00 AM / Rainier Room	Five Gardening Rules to Ignore Beautiful gardens and well-designed landscapes are pleasing to the eye and give us a place to enjoy nature, right? Wrong. Though it might look green and natural, the standard American landscape is anything but and often does more harm than good to our planet. But it doesn't have to be that way! National Wildlife Federation Naturalist David Mizejewski will break down the five common gardening practices that hurt the natural world and offer alternatives that will help you create the perfect slice of nature, right outside your door for you and the wildlife that calls your space home, too. Saturday, February 22, 2025 10:00 AM
Dry Gardening in the Pacific Northwest: Tips, Tricks and Plant Selection Ideas Bryon Jones - Horticulturist/Arborist Lead - Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington Let’s talk about Dry Gardening! What plants do you plant when it rains less? How do you prepare your garden for warmer Pacific Northwest Summers? Why would you want to understand the soils your plants thrive in? Come join Bryon as he dives deeper into understanding how you too can create beautiful spaces and be successful with Dry Gardening. Saturday, February 22, 2025 / 12:00 PM / Hood Room	Dry Gardening in the Pacific Northwest: Tips, Tricks and Plant Selection Ideas Let’s talk about Dry Gardening! What plants do you plant when it rains less? How do you prepare your garden for warmer Pacific Northwest Summers? Why would you want to understand the soils your plants thrive in? Come join Bryon as he dives deeper into understanding how you too can create beautiful spaces and be successful with Dry Gardening. Saturday, February 22, 2025 12:00 PM
Bird-Friendly Gardening Jen McGuinness - Author, photographer, blogger at FrauZinnie.com Learn how to make your garden spaces - small, medium or large - more welcoming for songbirds. With an emphasis on organic gardening and native plants, this presentation shares ways to attract common birds and migrators to the garden, emphasizing the components birds need for a safe habitat: food, shelter/nesting areas and access to fresh water. Sunday, February 23, 2025 / 10:45 AM / Hood Room	Bird-Friendly Gardening Learn how to make your garden spaces - small, medium or large - more welcoming for songbirds. With an emphasis on organic gardening and native plants, this presentation shares ways to attract common birds and migrators to the garden, emphasizing the components birds need for a safe habitat: food, shelter/nesting areas and access to fresh water. Sunday, February 23, 2025 10:45 AM
Common Edible and Medicinal Garden Weeds of the PNW Sam Coffman - Author, gardener, herbalist MSAOM, RH[AHG], W-EMT Many common "weeds" in our gardens offer as much - if not more - nutritional density than the plants we grow as food. Many of these weeds also offer great medicinal benefits as well. Rather than trying to eradicate them from the garden, a much more practical approach can be to harvest, prepare, preserve and use them. In this seminar, we will explore several of the most common edible and medicinal plants that are usually seen as garden weeds here in the PNW. Learn some of the best harvesting, preparation and preservation methods of these plants and how to integrate them either into your menu, or how to use them in the home apothecary. Sunday, February 23, 2025 / 1:00 PM / Rainier Room	Common Edible and Medicinal Garden Weeds of the PNW Many common "weeds" in our gardens offer as much - if not more - nutritional density than the plants we grow as food. Many of these weeds also offer great medicinal benefits as well. Rather than trying to eradicate them from the garden, a much more practical approach can be to harvest, prepare, preserve and use them. In this seminar, we will explore several of the most common edible and medicinal plants that are usually seen as garden weeds here in the PNW. Learn some of the best harvesting, preparation and preservation methods of these plants and how to integrate them either into your menu, or how to use them in the home apothecary. Sunday, February 23, 2025 1:00 PM
The Regenerative Garden: Small Scale Permaculture for the Home Garden Stephanie Rose - Award-winning author, Master Gardener, certified permaculture designer, herbalist, and wellness advocate Have you been interested in the ideas of permaculture and regenerative Gardening but don't know where to start? This is the place! Get the first look at the transformation of an urban garden in Vancouver BC from the standard squares of turf grass to a small scale regenerative garden built on permaculture practices. Stephanie Rose, author of the book, The Regenerative Garden: 80 Practical Projects for creating a self-sustaining garden ecosystem, will showcase how your garden can become more regenerative in easy pieces you can begin to apply right away. Sunday, February 23, 2025 / 12:00 PM / Hood Room	The Regenerative Garden: Small Scale Permaculture for the Home Garden Have you been interested in the ideas of permaculture and regenerative Gardening but don't know where to start? This is the place! Get the first look at the transformation of an urban garden in Vancouver BC from the standard squares of turf grass to a small scale regenerative garden built on permaculture practices. Stephanie Rose, author of the book, The Regenerative Garden: 80 Practical Projects for creating a self-sustaining garden ecosystem, will showcase how your garden can become more regenerative in easy pieces you can begin to apply right away. Sunday, February 23, 2025 12:00 PM

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