February 19-23, 2025

Seattle Convention Center

705 Pike Street, Seattle, WA

2025 Speakers at a Glance

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

Here are all of the gardening luminaries coming who will be appearing at the 2025 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival.

Want to know more about a speaker? Simply click on their name to find their biography, and either a pop up box will appear or scroll down to the bottom of the Speaker list and the information will be there.

The speakers are listed below alphabetically by last name. All seminars are FREE with your ticket! No ticket refunds for Speaker cancellation.

Ann M Amato

Session 1: Basic Propagation
DIY Stage, 02/19/2025 at 11:45 AM.

Session 2: Vermicomposting
DIY Stage, 02/22/2025 at 3:15 PM.

Horticulturist

Ann lives in Portland, Oregon. When not working as a horticulturist, she tends to her urban oasis, Campiello Maurizio: the Garden of One-of-each- ee. There, she hosts friends in her Mediterranean inspired plant laboratory. Other months of the year you'll find her tending to her indoor plants. She has several hundred in her collection, and as a seed grower and propagator, you never know what she'll be growing next.

Ann is the Production Manager at Secret Garden Growers, and is a part-time Propagation Assistant at Little Prince of Oregon. At 18, she published the book Ancient Forests and Western Man: A Pictorial History of the West Coast. Before horticulture, she earned a BA from Portland State University with a double major in English literature and art history. Years later, she's now finishing an AAS degree in Horticulture at Clackamas Community College. (She's the recipient of three Oregon Nurseries Foundation Scholarships.)

Ann is the former President of the Mount Hood Gesneriad Society. She's been featured on Garden Time TV, and in Wonderground (formerly The Planthunter in Australia), and on many podcasts.

You can learn more about Ann by visiting her website Amateur Bot-ann-ist, her store Spiffy Seeds, Facebook, and Instagram.

Tony Avent

Session 1: Sun and Shade Perennials: I like it, I love it, I want more of it...
Rainier Room, 02/19/2025 at 2:30 PM.

Session 2: Gardening for Biodiversity
Rainier Room, 02/20/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Author, owner Garden Delights Nursery

Tony Avent is a plant collector, plant explorer, gardener, garden communicator, plant breeder, award-winning garden designer, and founder of Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Garden. He has taken over 100 plant expeditions and personally killed over 50,000 plant taxa. Tony and his wife Anita have donated their botanic garden, home, and nursery to North Carolina State University.

Robin Avni

Session: Plant Passions, Best Tips for Growing Cut Flowers.
Hood Room, 2/21/2025 at 1:00 PM

Debra Prinzing and Robin Avni are co-authors of the forthcoming book, The Flower Farmers (Abrams, May 2025)

Robin Avni Co-author of The Flower Farmers (Abrams Books 2025), Robin Avni works with authors and creatives to produce well-organized, informative, and beautifully designed books and publications. She is a creative veteran in the media + high-tech industries, including 15+ years in the media and publishing industry and eight years at Microsoft in design and creative management. Robin has successfully managed innovative, award-winning design teams and high-profile projects as well as receiving numerous national design awards and photo editing honors for her own work. She has produced 18 books, including seven in collaboration with her BLOOM Imprint co-founder Debra Prinzing.

Robin received a BA in journalism from Indiana University, Bloomington, and a Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship at the University of Michigan, a grant program awarded for outstanding achievement in journalism; she holds a Master of Communication in Digital Media from a Master of Communication in Digital Media from the University of Washington with a focus on visual communication.

Kamili Bell Hill

Session: House of Plants
Plant Market, 02/21/2025 at 10 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM.

Session: Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/21/2025 at 11:00 AM.

Session: A Perfect Combination: Creating Stunning Container Arrangements with Houseplants
DIY Stage, 02/22/2025 at 11:45 AM.

Planterior designer, author, founder of PlantBlerd

Kamili Bell Hill, a self-proclaimed "plant mom" wasn't always surrounded by green. After putting her law career on hold, she took a wild ride through everything from event planning to fundraising. When she decided to pursue her true passion of interior design, her life trajectory took off. She quickly realized plants were more than a tool in her style guide, they are your partners in relaxation and self -care—and so PlantBlerd was born. She has curated a community and brand in PlantBlerd across multiple social media platforms that is both inspirational and aspirational. Her combination of wit, encouragement and relatable advice made her debut book "Happy Plants, Happy You” (Cool Springs) an Amazon bestseller. She has graced the pages of LA Times, Architectural Digest, Westchester Magazine, and American Horticulture Magazine; and worked with such brands as New York Botanical Garden, ApartmentTherapy, The Spruce, TastemadeHome, Pinterest. She was named as one to watch by Pinterest Predicts. Speaking engagements include The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival, The Great Grow Along Garden Conference, and PlantCon. Kamili is a graduate of Fairfield University and Quinnipiac University School of Law. She lives in New Rochelle, NY with her husband, two daughters and loads of plants.

Linda Beutler

Session: New Directions for Clematis: Up is Not the Only Option
Plant Academy, 02/21/2025 at 12:30 PM.

Author, Educator, Curator Rogerson Clematis Garden

Linda Beutler grows a great variety of plants on a simple city lot in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Her passion for clematis led to the publication of her first book, Gardening With Clematis (2004) followed by two more Timber Press titles: Garden to Vase (2007), and Plant Lovers Guide to Clematis (2016).

Serving as curator of North America’s only accredited clematis collection - the Rogerson Clematis Collection (FRCC) - since its inception in 2007, Linda is also past-President of the International Clematis Society. In July 2018 she was presented a Golden Clematis Award by the International Clematis Society for her service to the Society and the genus Clematis.

She has been an adjunct instructor of horticulture at Clackamas Community College (CCC) since 1996, specializing in herbaceous perennials (their cultivation and use) and cutting gardens for home and commerce.

Linda lectures internationally (thanks first to Canada and now Zoom) on a variety of gardening topics. Look for her public webinar content at clematisinternational.com/webinars.

Anne Biklé

Session: Secrets of a Plant Whisperer
Hood Room, 02/20/2025 at 1:15 PM.

Gardener, soil health expert, co-author of The Hidden Half of Nature and What Your Food Ate

Anne Biklé is a gardener, soil health expert, and the co-author of The Hidden Half of Nature” and “What Your Food Ate (W. W. Norton & Company 2022).

Anne is a science writer and public speaker drawing on her books and background in biology, environmental planning, and 20-plus years of gardening experience in the west to explore humanity’s tangled relationship with nature. She investigates and writes about microbiomes and other elements of the natural world crucial to the health of plants and people alike through the lens of soil health, food, gardening, and agriculture. Anne is particularly enthralled with the botanical world, finding it an endless source of fascination, and sometimes frustration, but rarely boring. With the help of mulches, organic matter, and microbes she continues to refine and deepen her plant whispering skills.

Anne’s work has appeared in digital and print magazines, including Natural History, Nautilus, and Fine Gardening, newspapers, and radio. She has been a guest on dozens of podcasts and her gardening practices have been featured in independent and documentary films. She is also co-author of The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health (W. W. Norton & Company 2015).

LoriAnn Bird

Session: Revered Roots, Ancient Wisdom on Wild, Native and Medicinal Plants
Hood Room, 02/21/2025 at 5:00 PM.

Indigenous Metis herbalist and educator

LoriAnn Bird is an Indigenous Metis herbalist and educator with a deep knowledge of wild, medicinal and edible plants that grow in everyday spaces. Through LoriAnn’s eyes, our immediate surroundings take on a new life and offer a wealth of untapped nutritional and ecological resources.

LoriAnn’s vision is to continually co-create insightful dialogues, to remediate and reconcile with our Indigenous plants as we reintroduce them into our urban landscapes. By sharing and growing these practices, communities can access our true local foods and medicines, which support collective resilience and deep ecological healing for all species.

As a refugee of the Red River Metis Nation, born and raised on the Coast Salish lands, LoriAnn is deeply grateful to live, play and create primarily on the unceded and traditional territories of the Coast Salish Peoples – xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.

Stefani Bittner

Session 1: The Fragrant Flower Garden
Rainier Room, 02/19/2025 at 1:00 PM.

Session 2: The Fragrant Tea Garden with Rose Loveall, owner of Morningsun Herb Farm
Hood Room, 02/20/2025 at 10:45 AM.

Author, owner Homestead Design Collective

Stefani Bittner is the owner of Homestead Design Collective, a San Francisco Bay Area landscape design firm focused on creating beautiful gardens that provide harvest. Stefani is the co-author of The Beautiful Edible Garden (Ten Speed Press 2013), Harvest: Unexpected Projects Using 47 Extraordinary Garden Plants (Ten Speed Press 2017) and The Fragrant Flower Garden (Ten Speed Press 2024).

Her Homestead team offers a unique and sophisticated approach, using both organic farming and fine gardening skills, for people who want help creating aesthetically designed, organic edible gardens. Homestead provides design, installation, and full-service organic maintenance, harvesting, bee keeping, preserving, floristry and composting services. Homestead is the design team behind the Test Gardens for Sunset Magazine and the chef focused edible gardens for Robert Mondavi and Prisoner wineries. Their gardens can be found in commercial properties, public spaces, and private residences, and their work has been featured in San Francisco Chronicle, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Vogue, Sunset Magazine, Food & Wine, Time Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Modern Farmer, Food52, and Gardenista.com

Diane Blazek

Session: All-America Selections Winners for 2025
Main Stage, 02/23/2025 at 1:00 PM.

Executive Director National Garden Bureau and All-American Selections

Diane Blazek, Executive Director of All-America Selections and National Garden Bureau has been deeply (and happily!) immersed in gardening from an early age. From growing up on a small family farm to her small suburban lot, she is passionate about everything green.

After spending 15 years with Ball Publishing, Diane moved to take on her current role where she can be even closer to the end consumer. Both organizations are in an exciting period of growth and influence both inside and outside the industry. Innovative ideas and progressive programs for consumers, garden communicators, public gardens, and a full range of growers and retailers have benefited home gardeners, master gardeners and hobby farmers.

Jessi Bloom

Session: Celebrity Edition Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/21/2025 at 1PM

Award-winning author and ecological landscape designer, and owner of N.W. Bloom EcoLogical Services

Jessi Bloom is a best-selling author, award-winning ecological landscape designer, and Certified ISA Arborist. As the owner of N.W. Bloom EcoLogical Services, located near Seattle, she has been known as an innovator and leader in the field of permaculture and regenerative design, sustainable construction, and land management field for over 20 years.

Her work has been recognized and received numerous awards by government agencies, green industry organizations, and has made headlines in national media. Jessi's work has been featured in the NY Times, Better Homes & Gardens, Sunset Magazine, Disney, Martha Stewart Living, Mother Earth News, UTNE Reader, Fine Gardening Magazine and PBS’s Growing a Greener World TV. Seattle Times named Jessi a “rockstar in the ecological gardening movement“. Her work as a designer and teacher is also shared with non-profits, schools, government and includes teaching wellness for the body, mind and soul. Her books are used around the world, now in 7 languages!

She lives near Seattle with her 3 kids in their little permaculture paradise, which is full of functional gardens and rescue animals. Jessi is an appointed King County Agricultural Commissioner as we all an executive advisor for the urban forestry programs in the WA State Department of Natural Resources.

Loree L Bohl

Session: #fernsarethenewsucculents
Plant Academy, 02/21/2025 at 11:15 AM.

Author and blogger at theDangerGarden.com

Loree grew up in Eastern Washington exploring the great outdoors with her brothers, hiking with her parents, and following her grandpa around his garden eating snap peas and raspberries. She’s tended gardens of her own in Spokane, Seattle and Portland, and loves learning about regional gardening styles and how climate influences plant choices—garden travel is high on her list of leisure pursuits.

Loree's greatest passion is sharing her enthusiasm for plants and garden design. She’s written for several magazines, was a founding partner at the plant search engine “plantlust.com,” and has served on the board of directors for the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon, and Pacific Horticulture. Loree’s garden has appeared in several publications including Sunset Magazine, and the book; Private Gardens of the Pacific Northwest (Gibbs Smith 2021).

Loree is the founder of the popular blog Danger Garden (dangergarden.com), where she explores her love for agaves, and all things spiky—as well as a fondness for ferns and a good patch of PNW moss. Her first book was Fearless Gardening: Be Bold, Break the Rules, Grow What You Love (Timber Press 2021). Loree practices the fine art of garden cramscaping and is a firm believer there is always room for one more plant.

Paul Bonine

Session: Gardening with PNW Hardy Native Annuals
Hood Room, 02/20/2025 at 12:00 PM.

Native plant grower, expert and owner Xera Plants, Portland, Oregon

Paul grew up in the country southwest of Eugene, Oregon. He started gardening as a child and was lucky to grow up with all indigenous plants. After college at the U of O he moved to Portland, and started the wholesale Nursery with Gregory Shepherd in 2000. In 2103 Xera Plants opened a retail division (no more wholesale). Paul has written two books on plants and numerous magazine articles. He is obsessive about the subject of hardy native annuals.

Marcus Bridgewater

Session: House of Plants
Plant Market, 2/19/2025 at 10 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM

Session: Container Showdown
Main Stage, 2/23/2025 at 11 AM

Closing Session: Tree Meditation
Rainier Room 2/23/2025 at 2:30 PM

aka Garden Marcus, author, speaker

Marcus Bridgewater is an author, speaker and digital creator. He is known across the internet as Garden Marcus for teaching personal growth through plant metaphors. He is also the author of “How to Grow: Nurture Your Garden, Nurture Yourself,” and “Seasons of Growth: A Journal for Well-Being Inspired by Trees.” He has been featured in a variety of press and media including The New York Times, Vogue, and The Drew Barrymore Show.

Erica Browne Grivas

Session: The Easiest Seed-Starting: Winter Sowing and Seed Snails
DIY Stage, 02/21/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Lifestyle journalist

Based in Seattle, lifestyle journalist Erica Browne Grivas explores design, nature, and wellness, seeking to help humans and the planet be happier and healthier. Her feature articles are published in Horticulture Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, and the Seattle Times. Two garden and wellness columns appear in the Madison Park Times and affiliated papers across Washington. She studied Landscape Design at The New York Botanical Garden, going on to work in a Seattle nursery for eight years, and became a Tilth Alliance Sustainability Steward in 2023. Her writing has earned three Gold Medals from Garden Communicators International for excellence in horticultural communication. She has been writing — and gardening — for over 30 years.

Bess Bronstein

Session: Dishing Dirt with Bess and Richie — The Best and Worst for 2025
Main Stage, 02/22/2025 at 1:00 PM.

Bess is a horticultural consultant/educator and ISA Certified Arborist®

Bess is a horticultural consultant, educator, and ISA Certified Arborist® based on the Kitsap Peninsula in Kingston, Washington, with over 35 years of experience in arboriculture, landscape management and garden design. She was an instructor for the Edmonds College horticulture program for 28 years, with a focus on courses in pruning and tree care, plant identification, plant pests/diseases and diagnosis, and soils.

Bess frequently teaches public and professional arboriculture and horticulture courses throughout the Puget Sound, does training for WSU Extension Master Gardener programs, and speaks to garden clubs on a variety of horticultural topics. She holds an A.T.A. degree in Ornamental Horticulture, and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree from the University of Washington. Bess is proud to be a lifetime member of Plant Amnesty, and supports ongoing education in sustainable landscape management practices and tree care.

Andrew Bunting

Session 1: The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show – A Floral Legacy
Traveler’s Tea, 02/21/2025 at 3:30 PM (additional ticket required)

Session 2: Gravel Gardening
Rainier Room, 02/22/2025 at 11:30 AM.

Vice President of Horticulture at Pennsylvania Horticulture Society

Andrew Bunting is Vice President of Horticulture and leads the utilization of planting and design to promote environmentally sound gardening practices at Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PHS). Andrew has elevated each of the departments he oversees and has increased the brand and visibility of PHS through their respective work.

Andrew received his B.S. in Plant and Soil Science from Southern Illinois University. Prior to arriving at PHS, Andrew worked at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Chanticleer Garden, and the Scott Arboretum for a tenure of 27 years. He has received the American Public Gardens Association’s Professional Citation, Chanticleer Scholarship in Professional Development, and the Certificate of Merit from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. He also serves on the Board of Magnolia Society International. Andrew published his first book in 2015, “The Plant Lover’s Guide to Magnolias.”

Andrew enjoys bird watching, travel and, of course, gardening.

Susan Calhoun

Session: Made for the Shade, Creating the Shade Garden of Your Dreams
Hood Room, 02/19/2025 at 9:30 AM.

Journalist and regional reporter for Fine Gardening, award-winning designer, writer, and speaker

Susan Calhoun is a landscape designer with over 27 years of experience. She trained first at Seattle Community College with a degree in Landscape Design and then in the UK at Harlow Carr Botanical Garden. Her gardens have been featured in many publications and she now writes for Fine Gardening Magazine in addition to continuing to create incredible gardens. Susan has been a long-time contributor to NWFGF creating award-winning gardens for seven years.

Susan joined the elite club of garden writers in 2020 with a full eight page feature for Fine Gardening Magazine. Since then, several of the gardens she has created have been featured in the print magazine as full-sized articles written by her.. She has expanded her writing to Regional reports – Northwest Region for the online magazine and is a contributing editor for the print magazine. Her work has been featured in Sunset Magazine, Monrovia Blog, and many other national and local publications.

Speaking at garden clubs and other events has become a new passion. Sharing her love of gardening and the skills she has learned over the years is important to her.

Janit Calvo

Session: How to Build a Miniature Garden to Last for Years
DIY Stage, 02/21/2025 at 11:45 AM.

Building & Serving the Miniature Garden Hobby, Since 2001

Janit Calvo is the originator of the modern miniature garden hobby and president of the Miniature Garden Society. 25 years ago, she combined her two passions, gardening and miniatures, which have since inspired a worldwide pastime and launched a new garden niche.

She started Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center Store in 2001 and has invented her own specialty line of products for the hobby. She is the creator of the Mini Garden Guru blog (minigardenguru.com), to inform and educate, since 2006.

Janit is the author of the two bestselling books on the hobby, Gardening in Miniature: Create Your Own Tiny Living World (2013) and Gardening in Miniature Prop Shop (2015) by Timber Press. The first book has been translated into German, Turkish and Korean.

She established the Miniature Garden Society in 2015, a focused community of like-minded miniature gardeners from around the world.

Janit has won many garden and miniature awards from the Seattle Miniature Show and the Sorticulture Garden Art Festival. She has demonstrated miniature gardening to thousands at the top garden shows throughout the country and at Disney’s Epcot Garden Festival.

Find links to all her work, including videos, ebooks, how-to’s and more, through MiniatureGarden.com.

Amy Campion

Session: Boost Biodiversity in Your Garden with Insect-Friendly Habitat
Hood Room, 02/19/2025 at 12:00 PM.

Co-author Gardening in the Pacific Northwest: The Complete Homeowner's Guide

Amy Campion grew up in Minnesota, but she became a gardener in the Cincinnati area, where she worked at a wholesale nursery for 16 years. In 2013, she and her husband moved to Portland, Oregon. Amy is the co-author of Gardening in the Pacific Northwest: The Complete Homeowner's Guide (Timber Press 2017) along with Paul Bonine. She currently works at Garden Fever in Northeast Portland. Amy writes and speaks about gardening for insects and other wildlife, and she's passionate about helping others make their own gardens more biodiverse.

Jenny Rose Carey

Session: Designing and Planting Your Shade Garden
Hood Room, 02/21/2025 at 10:45 AM.

Renowned gardener, educator, historian, and author

Designing and Planting Your Shade Garden Location Hood Room Session Date - Sorting 02/21/2025 Assigned Time 10:45 AM Edited Session Description Edited Bio Jenny Rose Caarey is an avid hands-on gardener and professional horticulturist. Born in England to a family of botanists and gardeners, she grew up in the countryside and designed her first herb garden at the age of sixteen. She moved with her American husband to the Philadelphia (PA) area and has gardened there ever since.

Professionally, Jenny Rose has been Director of two public gardens: The Ambler Arboretum of Temple University and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Garden at Meadowbrook Farms. Jenny is now devoting her time to writing, speaking, and tending her own four-and-one- half acre garden called Northview where she has lived for over a quarter of a century.

Jenny Rose has authored two books, Glorious Shade (Timber Press 2017) and The Ultimate Flower Gardener's Guide (Timber Press 2022). Her latest book, concentrating on bulbs, is due to be available in early 2025.

Linda Chalker-Scott

Session: Companion Planting - Facts or Folklore?
Hood Room, 02/20/2025 at 9:30 AM.

Author, Ph.D. in Horticulture, ISA and ASCA consulting arborist, WSU Professor

Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott has a Ph.D. in Horticulture from Oregon State University and is an ISA certified arborist and an ASCA consulting arborist. She is WSU’s Extension Urban Horticulturist and a Professor in the Department of Horticulture. She conducts research in applied plant and soil sciences, publishing the results in scientific articles and university Extension fact sheets. She is also actively involved in enhancing the scientific literacy of her audiences by teaching them how to assess the credibility of information from print and online sources.

Linda also is the award-winning author of five books and was featured in a video series — The Science of Gardening — produced by The Great Courses. She also is one of the Garden Professors — a group of academic colleagues who educate and entertain through their blog and Facebook pages. Linda’s educational contributions to science-based information have been recognized by such groups as Garden Communicators International, the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, and the International Society for Arboriculture.

Karen Chapman

Session: Designing with Deer-Resistant Flowers
Hood Room, 02/19/2025 at 2:45 PM.

Author, landscape designer, travel guide & owner of Le Jardinet

Whether on the stage or the page, Karen’s aim is always to inspire, educate and share the fun of gardening with her audience.

After moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1996 she joined Molbak’s Garden & Home as a garden plant specialist before establishing Le Jardinet in 2006. Whilst initially specializing in custom container gardens, Karen now applies that same attention to detail by designing functional and artistic landscapes. Her designs have been featured in many prestigious publications, including Fine Gardening, Sunset, and Better Homes & Gardens. She is co-author of two popular books on foliage- driven design: Fine Foliage (St. Lynn’s Press 2013), Gardening with Foliage First (Timber Press 2017) and , and her latest book is Deer-Resistant Design (Timber Press 2019).

When not designing gardens or writing about them, Karen is usually teaching in workshops around the country, as well as through a number of online courses. She also leads garden tours in her native England, the United States, South Africa and New Zealand.

Sam Coffman

Session: Common Edible and Medicinal Garden Weeds of the PNW
Rainier Room, 02/23/2025 at 1:00 PM.

Author, gardener, herbalist MSAOM, RH[AHG], W- EMT

Sam Coffman (MSAOM, RH[AHG], W-EMT) has been teaching gardening and homesteading skills for over 20 years through his school (The Human Path, AKA Herbal Medics Academy). As both a gardener and an herbalist, one of Sam's goals has been to explore and create methods to grow the highest quality plant medicine and most nutrient dense food in his gardens. Much of his gardening has been to supply his own medicinal apothecary and store. To that end he has worked with numerous methods of growing and composting, from polyculture and forest gardening to vermiculture and black solider fly larvae in order to maximize soil health and quality yields as efficiently as possible.

Sam is a former US Special Forces Medic, a registered herbalist (American Herbalists Guild) and a licensed acupuncturist. He grew up in a very plant-literate environment with parents and grandparents who farmed and gardened goth for a living as well as for year-round sustenance. This early exposuree to gardening translated into Sam himself becoming an avid gardener and plant lover for most of his adult life.

John Coghlan

Session: Oaks for the Future! Evergreen Oaks for Climate Resilience and Beauty in Our Gardens
Plant Academy, 02/21/2025 at 4:45 PM.

Garden designer Vashon Island, Washington

John Coghlan is a designer and gardener based out of Vashon Island, near Seattle. His work focuses on creating gardens that deepen our connection with nature and draw from his many sources of inspiration- native environments, edible plants, English and Japanese garden traditions, and mostly a reckless passion and love for plants.

His 2023 garden for the NW Flower & Garden Show was awarded a gold medal, and attempted to recreate his family‚Äôs home garden on Vashon- a space they share with their dog, their chickens, hundreds of edibles plants and berries, and flowers that bloom throughout the year.

His business, HomeGrown Organics, offers garden design anywhere and everywhere, while his work as a gardener is limited to Vashon Island.

Janice Cox

Session: DIY Flower Seed Paper
DIY Stage, 02/20/2025 at 3:15 PM.

Author Natural Beauty at Home, natural cosmetics expert

Janice Cox is a garden writer and natural lifestyle expert. She is the author of seven books on the topics of growing and using herbs and flowers for health and beauty. Her most recent books are "Beautiful Flowers" and "The Natural Beauty Handbook" both published by Ogden Publications.

She enjoys speaking and teaching workshops at botanical gardens across the country. Janice was the beauty editor for Herb Quarterly magazine for over twenty years and the education chair for The Herb Society of America. Her recipes and ideas have appeared in national publications and online sources. She is a member of Garden Communicators International, The United States Lavender Growers Association, The Herb Society of America, and The National Garden Bureau.

She lives in Southern Oregon, growing zone 8a where she enjoys growing and using her plants, flowers, and herbs.

Kate David

Session: Celebrity Edition Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/21/25 at 1 PM

Award-winning owner and designer of Hello Garden

Kate is the owner, designer, and creative force behind Hello Garden. Founded in 2016 with a goal of connecting people and plants, the business quickly evolved from a Garden Coaching initiative to a full-blown boutique Landscape and Container Design company. Today, Kate's designs can be seen throughout the greater Seattle area and Eastside in both commercial settings and private homes. They believe the foundation of good design is its ability to speak to the people who call that space home and with reverence for the ground it grows in.

Having constructed and receiving a gold medal for their debut Display Garden at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival in 2023, they are returning again in 2024 to continue connecting with their beloved community of plant enthusiasts.

When not working with clients, Kate can be found in the garden, with their nose in a book, or cheering on their loved ones from the sidelines. They are profoundly passionate about an edible education, having written and taught an edible curriculum for elementary school children for six years, and cheerleading success no matter how big or small.

JJ De Sousa

Session: The Gardens of Marrakech
Traveler’s Tea, 02/22/2025 at 3:30 PM (additional ticket required)

Award-winning garden and interior designer

As a garden and interior designer, JJ loves to share her passion for beautiful, functional and colorful spaces through her Portland-based business, digs inside and out. She’s known for mixing things up: combining new with vintage, curated with custom and always eclectic. She has participated in the NWFGS from 2018-23, including several demonstrations and the honor of Best Design Award for both Rock the Kasbah in 2020 and the Balcon d’ Oiseaux et Fleurs 2023 City Living showcases.

JJ’s client, boutique and personal spaces have been featured in Sunset, Atomic Ranch, Garden Design, Better Homes and Gardens, Country Living, Oregon Home, The Oregonian, Mix Magazine and other publications. For over ten years she authored a monthly garden column - The Latest Dirt for NW Renovation magazine - and have recently appeared in the French daily newspaper Le Nouvelle Republique.

Several years ago, JJ purchased a second home in the Loire Valley of France, where she lives and gardens as time permits. Having made many wonderful friends and discovered hidden treasures within the local chateaux, gardens, monuments, markets and restaurants, she now offers exclusive lifestyle tours to this beautiful corner of France.

Lorene Edwards Forkner

Session: Cultivate the Rainbow
Hood Room, 02/19/2025 at 1:15 PM.

Author, maker, speaker, columnist for Seattle Times and GardenRant.com contributor

Lorene Edwards Forkner is a gardener as well as an author, maker, and speaker whose work centers on exploring the wonders of the natural world. She is a regular contributor to the “GROW” column in The Seattle Times’ Pacific NW Magazine and posts every month on Garden Rant (gardenrant.com), an internationally known blog that characterizes itself as “the thinking gardener’s hangout."

Lorene believes that the best gardening lessons—nurturing and connection—are essential to tending an equitable and sustainable society. She lives in an old house near the beach where she tends a tiny plot filled with seasonal pleasures, delicious flavors, and creative experimentation.

She is the author of Color In and Out of the Garden (Abrams 2022) and Growing Great Vegetables in Washington and Oregon (Timber Press 2021) to name a few.

Lorene Edwards Forkner - Book of Color

Kevin Espiritu

Session1 : Seed Starting for Small Spaces
Main Stage, 02/21/2025 at 4:00 PM.

Session 2: The Greatness of Grow Bags
Main Stage, 02/22/2025 at 4:00 PM.

Founder & CEO of Epic Gardening

Kevin Espiritu is the founder and CEO of Epic Gardening, the world’s most-followed gardening brand and online garden store. As a self-taught gardener, Espiritu has spent over a decade producing educational gardening content across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, the Epic Gardening podcast, and blog. He’s amassed over 3.6 million social media followers, 11 million podcast downloads, and 42 million blog visits.

Additionally, Espiritu has authored multiple books, “Field Guide to Urban Gardening: How to Grow Plants, No Matter Where You Live” and “Grow Bag Gardening: The Revolutionary Way to Grow Bountiful Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Flowers in Lightweight, Eco-friendly Fabric Pots.”

His third book, ” Epic Homesteading: Your Guide To Self-Sufficiency On A Modern, High-Tech, Backyard Homestead ” will be released in the spring and chronicles how he converted his urban residence into the Epic Homestead in San Diego, California.

Maria Failla

Session: House of Plants
Plant Market, 2/20/2025 at 10 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM

Maria is a “Plant Killer Turned Plant Lady” on a mission to help everyone successfully care for plants and make the world a kinder and greener place. After learning to care for plants successfully and experiencing the exponential joy caring for plants brought to her life, she founded the Growing Joy with Plants Podcast to learn alongside her listeners as she interviews experts in all aspects of plant care. Growing Joy with Plants has grown into the top Home & Garden Houseplant & gardening podcast in the world, closing in on 3 million downloads and was a 2020 Webby Honoree. In 2022 she authored Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants). Maria spent the last decade as a professional Musical Theater performer and has been seen in Broadway musicals on the Great White Way and around the world. She’s thrilled to now use her voice to help people grow more joy in their lives, through plant care.

Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein

Session: History in Bloom: Finding Harmony in Your Home's Architecture and Garden Design
Rainier Room, 02/22/2025 at 2:30 PM.

Authors, HGTV stars, founders of Cheap Old Houses

Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein are dreamers. They love old things. And they believe that you’re being sold the wrong American dream. Contrary to what everyone else says, you don’t actually need to buy a million dollar house and go into extreme debt to live a satisfying and beautiful life. But don’t just take their word for it — they've brought together over two million people who feel the same way, and who are masters at celebrating the beauty of cheap old houses. Elizabeth's background in architectural history and preservation is at the foundation of all Cheap Old Houses does; Ethan's expertise in marketing and communications has taken their message across the country and around the world, and they have no plans for slowing down!

C.L. Fornari

Proud member of

C.L. Fornari

Session: Party Crashers: Self Seeding Annuals
Hood Room, 02/20/2025 at 2:45 PM.

Author of eight books, host of GardenLine on WXTK (Cape Cod, Massachusetts) award-winning podcast co-host Plantrama

C.L. Fornari is the author of eight books, and the host of GardenLine on WXTK out of Cape Cod, Massachusets. She is a frequent speaker to groups nationwide, including green industry meetings, businesses and audiences with green or black thumbs. C.L. has worked for a family- owned independent garden center for 28 years as a writer and educator, and her favorite time of year is when she can go into the garden and ask, “What’s for dinner?” C.L. grows hydrangeas, vegetables, flowers and other plants at Poison Ivy Acres on Cape Cod. Connect with her at www.GardenLady.com.

Cindy Funes

Session: Toolbox Essentials - Must Have Tools for Container Gardening
DIY Stage, 02/20/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Container Designer, Owner Garden Revelry LLC, President, Digging In Association

Cindy is a certified professional horticulturist, award-winning container garden designer, and owner of Garden Revelry LLC. With over 15 years of experience designing, installing and maintaining container gardens in the Pacific Northwest, Cindy excels in creating unique and lush plantings that complement and transform living spaces. Her background in horticultural instructional support and hands-on plant experience have shaped her client-centric business.

In addition to being a creator, Cindy is dedicated to sharing her passion and know-how through speaking, on-line course offerings, and consulting with homeowners and industry professionals. She loves connecting with people and sharing the benefits of container gardening, as well as the many nuggets of advice she's collected through the years. She never ceases to be awed by the creative potential of each individual, celebrating the unique touches brought to container planting.

Her mission is to foster a love for container gardening, offer practical advice and inspire creativity. When not working, Cindy enjoys spending time in her garden, hiking in nature, playing cards with friends, and hanging out with her family and Tucker, her faithful companion.

Cindy was recently elected as inaugural president for the nonprofit industry group for professional container designers The Digging In Association.

Willi Galloway

Session: Vegetable Garden Journaling
DIY Stage, 02/22/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Author of Grow Cook Eat: A Food Lover's Guide to Vegetable Gardening and the upcoming cookbook Veggies for Breakfast (Spring 2026)

Willi Galloway is an award-winning writer and author of Grow Cook Eat: A Food Lover's Guide to Vegetable Garden Journaling (Sasquatch Books 2012/2025). She began her career at Organic Gardening magazine, where she worked her way up from editorial intern to West Coast Editor. While living in Seattle she actively participated in the urban agriculture movement, earning her Master Gardener certification and serving on the board of directors of Seattle Tilth (now called Tilth Alliance). This work introduced her to hundreds of other urban gardeners, and like many of them, she has grown food in untraditional places, including on the roof of an apartment building, at the Interbay P-Patch and in the sunny front yard of her home.

Willi writes about kitchen gardening and seasonal cooking and has taught joint gardening and cooking classes around the Pacific Northwest, including teaching stints with chef Matthew Dillon at the Corson Building in Seattle. She has also hosted an online garden-to-table cooking show, GROW. COOK. EAT. and she served as the vegetable gardening expert on Seattle's NPR station, KUOW, for eight years. Her garden has been featured in Sunset magazine and she has written for Vegetarian Times and Apartment Therapy. Willi currently lives and gardens in Portland, Oregon.

Mike P Gibson

Session 1: Cut It Up: A Topiary Workshop
Blooms & Bubbles/Main StageMain Stage, 02/19/2025 at 2:30 PM (additional ticket required).

Session 2: Clipping Time: Exploring The Gibson Technique
Rainier Room, 02/20/2025 at 2:30 PM.

World renowned topiary artist

Mike Gibson is a world renowned topiary artist from Youngstown, OH, now living in Columbia, SC, who has over 30 years experience in beautifying public spaces. From starting at a young age, he quickly found his passion which has led him to a successful career as one of the nation's leading topiary artist and educators in the industry. After leading one of the company's top stores as a Sales Manager for Staples, Gibson decided to follow his passion and run his company, Gibson Works LLC, full time in 2019. He has since been featured on HGTV's reality tv show Clipped with Martha Stewart, was previously the artist-in-residence at the famed Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden, and awarded the Garden Scholar award from the APGA. To date, he's created over 600 topiaries across the country. He currently leads lectures, demonstrations, and Topiary Therapy workshops, educating garden communities on the art and therapeutic benefits of topiary.

Sue Goetz

Session: Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/19/2025 at 11 AM.

Session: The Herbal Rosarian
DIY Stage, 02/19/2025 at 1:30 PM.

Owner Creative Gardener, Author Complete Container Herb Gardening

Sue Goetz, CPH, ecoPRO, is an award-winning garden designer, writer, and speaker.

Through her business, The Creative Gardener, she works with clients to personalize outdoor spaces, from garden coaching to complete landscape design. Her garden design work has earned gold medals at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival and specialty awards, including the Sunset magazine, the Fine Gardening magazine, and The American Horticultural Society Awards.

Writing and speaking are other ways Sue shares her love for the garden by offering seminars and hands-on workshops. A published author, Sue shares her passion for herb gardens with her books The Complete Container Herb Gardening, A Taste for Herbs, and The Herb-Lover’s Spa Book.

Kristin Graves

Session: From Clove to Bulb: How to Grow Your Own Garlic!
Plant Academy, 02/22/2025 at 4:45 PM.

Award-winning owner of Fifth Gen Gardens

Kristin Graves is a fifth-generation farmer in Alberta, Canada. She started Fifth Gen Gardens in 2017 with a goal to connect people with local, wholesome food. In the years since, her garden has nourished families throughout central Alberta and has provided many ingredients to chefs at local high end restaurants. In addition to running her vegetable CSA, she focuses on growing fresh garlic and creates artisanal garlic products with a heavy emphasis on farm-foraged ingredients. Kristin is a market gardener, a garlic goddess and a grain farmer all in one, and deeply passionate about growing on the family farm!

Joseph J Grienauer

Session: Alternative Orchid Growing Techniques
DIY Stage, 02/19/2025 at 5:00 PM.

Owner Emerald City Orchids

Joe began his orchid career in 2004 at Baron's Orchids in Morro Bay, CA. In 2008, he started Emerald City Orchids in the garage of a rented house in Seattle's Greenlake neighborhood.

Emerald City Orchids now operates in a retail greenhouse facility in Tacoma, housing the largest selection of different orchid varieties available in the Pacific Northwest.

Joe has been recognized by the American Orchid Society for his contributions towards orchid awareness and education, as well as receiving the Gary Baker Service Award from the Northwest Orchid Society for his contributions to society endeavors, including serving terms as Vice President and President of the NWOS. He currently serves as the orchid society librarian.

Joe has also participated in the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival for many years as a vendor and garden creator. Four of his gardens have been awarded gold medal status.

Robin Haglund

Session: Dream Garden Terrariums
DIY Stage, 02/20/2025 at 11:45 AM.

Educator, Writer & Founder/President Garden Mentors®

Robin Haglund is the founder of gardening education firm Garden Mentors®. Helping you succeed at cultivating great gardening skills and your dream garden is her goal. Robin is has been garden coaching, speaking, teaching, and designing gardens in the PacNW and beyond for over 2 decades.

Robin has developed several popular online courses. In her Gardening Academy she helps you grow better gardening skills with easy, proven lessons for great gardens. In Herbal Happy Hour, she shares garden-to-glass plantings & recipes for crafting tasty, homegrown sippables. She also offers several other programs.

Robin is an HGTV, NWFGF, WALP, and WSNLA award-winning designer, an avid herbalist, a down-to-earth speaker, a popular writer, and a garden media expert guest and contributor.

Robin’s articles, videos, and classes are infused with vibrant anecdotes derived from her lifetime gardening in city and rural gardens across the US, her daily adventures with plants, pollinators, pets, and wildlife, and her garden teaching experiences imparting successful gardening, herbalist and naturalist practices to all levels.

Robin has been featured in The New York Times, PBS’s “Growing a Greener World”, The Seattle Times, Sunset Magazine, Farmer’s Almanac, The Great Grow Along, HGTV’s “Landscaper’s Challenge,” and more.

Justin Hancock

Session: Hunting Houseplants

Rainier Room, 02/21/2025 at 11:30 AM.

Professional horticulturist at Costa Farms

Justin is a professional horticulturist with Costa Farms, a fourth-generation, family-run farm. An avid gardener and plant collector indoors and out, he spent a decade at Better Homes and Gardens as garden editor; he owned and operated an independent garden center in Des Moines, Iowa; and has spent his entire professional career helping educate and inspire people to grow and enjoy plants. His gardening experiences have spanned the country, from Portland, Oregon, to Northern Minnesota to Miami, Florida.

Kiara Hancock

Session: Large Scale Floral Installations
DIY Stage, 02/21/2025 at 1:30 PM.

Acclaimed wedding and floral designer

A powerhouse who juggles being a wife, mom to two amazing girls, and an acclaimed wedding and floral designer. You've probably seen Kiara’s work featured in BRIDES, VOGUE, and Architectural Digest or even caught a glimpse of her on the second season of Full Bloom on HBOMax.

Kiara doesn't just design events; she curates experiences that tell a unique story. A fierce advocate and advisor, she dives deep, connecting with people from all walks of life. You've got a story, and Kiara's here to turn it into a breathtaking event that'll be etched in your memory forever.

She believes the universe put her on this planet to sprinkle more beauty, harmony, and love. So here she is, turning ordinary spaces into emotion- packed wonderlands. Love, desire, joy - they're her muses. If you're a fan of authenticity, humor, intimacy, and trusting your wedding designer like a soulmate, Kiara will be your best friend.

A self-proclaimed realist, Kiara doesn't just stop at creating dream weddings. She's a mentor extraordinaire, guiding small business owners, creatives, and wedding pros at every stage of their journey. With 20+ years of wisdom from corporate America, coaching is basically second nature.

Derek Haynes

Session: House of Plants
Plant Market, 2/19/2025 at 10 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM

Host of Small Space Solutions Daily at 4pm Main Stage

Plant biologist known as "The Chocolate Botanist".

Following in the footsteps of notable Black plant researchers and scientists like George Washington Carver and Percy Julian is no easy task, but Derek Haynes is more than up to the challenge. With a background in plant biology and prior experience in vaccine and therapeutics development using non-traditional plant-based technologies, Derek unquestionably practices what he advocates.

Merging together education, his signature wit and humour, and his keen love for plants and science, Derek’s mission is to pull the traditional knowledge of our ancestors into the mainstream. Known affectionately as "The Chocolate Botanist" on Instagram, Derek has built a community of nearly 16K like-minded people, who have come to respect both his incredible depth of knowledge and the palpable joy he cultivates with the subject matter.

His earnest passion has landed him features in The Guardian, Lifehacker, and has been a guest on renowned podcasts like Black in the Garden and In Defense of Plants. He has also worked with the North Carolina Botanical Gardens in developing educational workshops on botany and plant science. Through his dedicated commitment to fostering community and providing the necessary tools to expand knowledge, Derek is solidifying his place in the plant world—continuing to pave a new and sustainable path for the next generation of young, Black botanists.

Dan Heims

Session: Crazy About Coral Bells! (And Their Allies...)
Plant Academy, 02/22/2025 at 3:00 PM.

Award-winning author, president Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.

Since 1973, Dan Heims has been deeply involved in all facets of horticulture. He has taught horticulture, wholesaled exotic plants, and run his own design-and-install landscape business. Terra Nova’s breeding programs have produced numerous international gold- and silver-medal winners, not to mention an impressive 1,300 plant introductions!

Dan’s articles and photography have been featured in a number of magazines.

He has hosted a weekly radio gardening show on KKSN out of Portland, Oregon and has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show, Martha Stewart Omnimedia Radio, HGTV, and the BBC. His work and his garden have been featured in USA Today, Forbes, Better Homes and Gardens, Sunset Magazine, and Organic Gardening.

Dan is a published author, having written two books.

Dan travels the world in search of the newest plants. Along the way, he uses his unique blend of knowledge, wit, and humor to captivate audiences around the globe. He is a frequent speaker in every corner of the United States, as well as in Japan, England, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania, Australia, and Canada.

Justin Henderson

Session: Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/19/2025 at 11 AM.

Session: Dreamy English Gardens
Traveler’s Tea, 02/19/2025 at 3:30 PM (additional ticket required)

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

Justin Henderson is the Executive Director and Lead Horticulturist at Lakewold Gardens in Lakewood, WA, where he blends his deep love of plants with a vision for creating meaningful outdoor spaces. A passionate garden designer and horticulturist, Justin transforms gardens into immersive experiences that connect people with the beauty and serenity of nature.

Formerly the Garden Director at PowellsWood Garden, Justin is an advocate for public green spaces and community engagement. Through his active Instagram presence (@lakewoldgardens), he invites followers to experience the magic of Lakewold, showcasing its rich history and lush landscapes. His leadership extends beyond the garden, having served as President of the Northwest Horticultural Society, while remaining involved with The Garden Conservancy Northwest Network, Puget Sound Public Gardens, and the American Public Gardens Association.

Growing up in the rural Pacific Northwest, Justin spent his childhood exploring forests, building tree forts, and befriending woodland creatures. Those early experiences shaped his dedication to creating gardens that invite people of all ages to connect with the natural world.

Pilar Hernandez

Session: Growing a South American Garden in the PNW
Hood Room, 02/22/2025 at 4:00 PM.

Bilingual Latina food writer, and urban gardener

Pilar Hernandez is the author of "The Chilean Kitchen" (Skyhorse, 2020) and "Comer Rico: Del blog a la mesa" (Penguin Random House, 2017), and "Del blog a la mesa para niños" (2016).

Pilar is a bilingual Latina food writer, food photographer, and recipe developer at cocinachilena.cl and chileanfoodandgarden.com. Offering a mix of South American cooking adapted to American life and urban gardening. Pilar was recognized as a Top 100 Bloguera Latina in 2013 and 2014.

Pilar is also an avid urban gardener. For her efforts to educate kids in gardening, Pilar was awarded the Houston Independent School District’s highest volunteer honor, the Jean Davis Myers Award 2011-2012, with Urban Harvest. Her work has been featured in Bake from Scratch Magazine, Cherry Bombe, Texas Monthly, Houston Chronicle, Univision Houston, NBC Latino, and more.

Alicia Houston

Session: Design a Beautiful Centerpiece
Blooms & Bubbles/Main Stage, 02/23/2025 at 2:30 PM (additional ticket required).

Owner of Healer's Harvest

Alicia is the founder of Healer’s Harvest, a floristry business located in Poulsbo, Washington. After moving from San Diego to care for her grandfather, who was one of the first vendors at the Bainbridge Farmers Market, she found her own passion for flower farming. With a lifelong interest in medicinal plants. This journey led her to take courses, attend workshops, and eventually launch Healer’s Harvest.

Alicia now provides customized floral designs for weddings, events, and pop-ups, while also offering DIY flower buckets and hosting workshops. She is committed to sustainability, using locally sourced flowers and eco-friendly techniques to create unique, seasonal arrangements that reflect the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Robin Jennings

Session: Ten Roses You Should be Growing in the PNW
Plant Academy, 02/21/2025 at 3:00 PM.

Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Heirloom Roses

Growing up in a major city in Canada, Robin Jennings had little interest in following in her grandfather's farming footsteps until she moved to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. A new home with an incredible, vibrant garden changed all of that. Now she is found in her garden whenever the sun is shining and even when it's not. Robin is the Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Heirloom Roses in St. Paul, Oregon, where she works with the marketing team, hybridizers, rosarians, rose societies, and others to spread the beauty of own-root roses and to save older roses from extinction. For the past decade, Robin has used her love of learning and communication to advance several family- and women-owned businesses around the U.S. She loves the pursuit of the next "it" rose and empowering gardeners to create their own beauty in whatever space they have. With a background in education, she is passionate about writing, reading, and learning from expert gardeners. When not in the garden, Robin loves traveling with her husband and three children, hanging out with her labradoodle, and serving at her church.

Kathy Jentz

Session 1: Urban and Small Space Gardening with Teri Speight
Hood Room, 02/22/2025 at 1:15 PM.

Session 2: Groundcovers Greatest Hits: A Top 10 and Personal Favorites
Hood Room, 02/23/2025 at 1:15 PM.

Author, editor and publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine, host of GardenDC Podcast

Kathy Jentz is editor and publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine and hosts the popular GardenDC Podcast. She is also the editor of the Water Garden Journal (IWGS), The Azalean (ASA), and Fanfare, for the local daylily society. She is the author of Groundcover Revolution (Cool Springs Press 2023) and co-author of The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City (Cool Springs Press 2022).

A life-long gardener, Kathy believes that growing plants should be stress-free and enjoyable. Her philosophy is inspiration over perspiration. She speaks on gardening and has been honored to have presented programs at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, the Philadelphia Flower Show, U.S. Botanic Garden, the Historic Society of Washington, DC, and many other prestigious venues. To book her for online (Zoom) or in- person talks, contact her at KathyJentz@gmail.com.

Kathy’s work was awarded a Gold Laurel in the GardenComm 2023 Media Awards for both Public Speaking and Best Podcast Series (Overall) for the GardenDC Podcast, She earned a Silver Laurel for Social Media.

Geoffrey Johnson

Session: I've Got A Seed For That!
DIY Stage, 02/23/2025 at 11:45 AM.

School and community garden leader, founder Depend On Planet Earth (aka D.O.P.E.)

Geoffrey Johnson is a native of Savannah, Georgia who developed a deep-rooted and undeniable passion for growing food at a young age. Fascinated by the joy of cultivating plants and intrigued by the art and science behind the healing properties that lie in the herbs in the garden, he has made it his life’s mission to share the joy and benefits of gardening with others. An avid seed saver Geoffrey never leaves home without a pack of seeds, because you never know when someone might want to plant something!

He founded Depend On Planet Earth also known as D.O.P.E. as a way to increase interest and activity in urban gardening. A self taught gardener he has had the pleasure in providing a helping and creative hand in school and community gardens across the Savannah area.

Noelle Johnson

Session: The Water-Smart Garden: Strategies to Use Water Efficiently in a Changing Climate
Hood Room, 02/21/2025 at 4:00 PM.

Conserve Water, Cultivate Beauty

Noelle Johnson is a horticulturist and landscape consultant. She grew up in California and now makes her home in the desert Southwest, where she obtained her degree in urban horticulture. Popularly known as the 'AZ Plant Lady,' Over the past 25 years, Noelle has been teaching and inspiring homeowners to create, grow, and maintain beautiful waterwise gardens that thrive in a changing climate through one-on-one consultations, speaking, and writing for local and national garden publications.

She is also the author of the new book The Water- Smart Garden (Timber Press 2024) and the AHS award-winning book Dry Climate Gardening (Timber Press 2023).

Noelle has worked with Birds & Blooms Magazine, Houzz, NPR, PBS, and The Home Depot. Her photos have been featured in the Associated Press, Martha Stewart Living, and Real Simple Magazine. She is currently a columnist for Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine. Her passion is to show people how they can implement water-saving practices without sacrificing beauty in the garden.

Bryon Jones

Session: Dry Gardening in the Pacific Northwest: Tips, Tricks and Plant Selection Ideas
Hood Room, 02/22/2025 at 12:00 PM.

Horticulturist/Arborist Lead — Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington

For the past 19 years Bryon has guided and designed the development of the botanical collection at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington. Bryon’s passion and enthusiasm for sharing about connections between plants, animals, and people can be experienced in the various tours he leads at the zoo and his public presentations.

When he is not digging deeper into understanding the fascinating world of plants, Bryon is chasing his other interests in geology and paleontology.

Bryon earned a Masters degree in Environmental Horticulture from the University of Washington and is also an ISA Certified Arborist. His landscape designs have been featured nationally and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Shianne Kaina

Session: Dog-Scaping: Creating Dog-Friendly Gardens
Hood Room, 02/21/2025 at 9:30 AM.

Botanist, artist, and master gardener with 15 years experience as a horticulturist & educator

Botanist and artist, Shianne Kaina, has over 15 years of experience in “public horticulture” working to connect plants and people. With expertise spanning houseplants, organic gardening, biophilic design and preserved moss - she believes in blurring the lines between indoors and outdoors as much as possible. She curates natural spaces that give you all the biophilic benefits of walking through the forest without ever leaving the comfort of your space.

Her work is inspired by the Baba Dim quote: “In the end, we will only protect what we love, we will only love what we understand, and we will understand what we are taught” and she shares the wisdom of plants through hands-on workshops, larger than life botanical installations, nature-inspired art, and her podcast and online plant club — Greenhouse Hangout (greenhousehangout.com).

Carissa Kasper

Session: Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/23/2025 at 11 AM.

Session: Grow Like a Chef
Hood Room, 02/23/2025 at 2:45 PM.

Founder of Seed & Nourish Garden Design

Carissa Kasper is the founder of Seed & Nourish (seedandnourish.com) where she creates kitchen gardens for residential and commercial clients including the Fairmont Waterfront’s chef garden. Her passion is to empower gardeners to grow beautiful food in the city.

She has appeared in print and live with the Lonely Planet Travel Anthology, Vancouver Sun, CTV Morning Live, GlobalBC, The Nat & Drew Show, and CBC Our Vancouver.

Carissa believes in the power of the kitchen garden to transform space into place, plants into nourishment, and challenge into discovery.

Hailey Lampe

Session: Soil Care Basics
Hood Room, 02/22/2025 at 5:00 PM.

Owner of Cruising Climate — a regenerative landscape design and coaching company

Hailey Lampe runs Cruising Climate, a regenerative garden coaching and landscape design company. She supports people in achieving their garden and backyard goals through one-on-one coaching, landscape designs, and ongoing support.

From soil care, compost and food garden installations to fostering year-round habitats for pollinators to creating problem-solving rain gardens, Hailey’s main goal is to empower people to care for their own spaces, all while using regenerative methods.

Susan Larder

Session: Moss Gardens: A Winter Super Power!
DIY Stage, 02/20/2025 at 5:00 PM.

Sustainable florist, Slow Flowers Society member

Susan has come back to the land and floral design as a path to health. In 2021, her partner and she founded Foraged Florals on barren land using permaculture principles and practices learned in Guatemala. Susan is blog writer, avid permaculture gardener, floral designer and educator.

Foraged Florals is a member of the Sustainability Floristry Network, a global organization that promotes sustainability from inside the global floristry industry. Foraged Florals is also a member of the Slow Flower Society.

Susan designs for floral events, including weddings, conferences and intimate events at Foraged Florals and offers farm stays at her tiny off-grid cabin, the Fern, year round at Foraged Florals.

Gina Lett-Shrewsberry

Session: Make a Seasonal & Sustainable Centerpiece
Blooms & Bubbles/Main Stage, 02/20/2025 at 2:30 PM [additional ticket required]

Session: From Grocery Store to Glorious
DIY Stage, 02/22/2025 at 5:00 PM.

Sustainable floral designer and event stylist, member Slow Flower Society

Gina Lett-Shrewsberry is a sustainable floral designer/event stylist with Inspirations by Gina Floral and Event Design. Gina was recently recognized on the prestigious Florist’s Review 40 Over 40 list.

She was the first African American floral designer to participate in the 38th year of the Bouquets to Art exhibit at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco. Gina has been featured in the ground- breaking book “Black Flora”, the Washington Post, Munaluchi Bridal, as well as making numerous tv appearances on KGO TV, KCRA TV and Good Day Sacramento. Also, Gina has been on speaker on national podcasts and conferences such as Mornings with Mayesh, the Sustainability Defined Podcast and the Slow Flowers Society Meetup Podcast and the Slow Flower Summit.

Gina is known for its exceptional creativity and attention to detail in the realm of floral and event design. All her designs exudes sustainability, sophistication, and a distinctive touch that sets them apart. Her ability to bring together colors, textures, and elements in a harmonious way showcases her keen eye for design and aesthetics.

Gina stands out as a beacon of creativity and excellence has worked with companies and non- profits such as Chevron, Genetech, The Big Can Company, ACLU and to name a few.

Mike Lizotte

Session: Mini Meadows: Grow a Little Patch of Colorful Flowers Anywhere around Your Yard
Hood Room, 02/21/2025 at 2:45 PM

Author, "Seed Man" and owner of American Meadows

Mike Lizotte, also known as ‘The Seed Man,’ has been slinging flower seeds for over 30 years!

He’s had the pleasure of speaking to hundreds of thousands of gardeners from across the world, helping them grow the wildflower meadow of their dreams.

At the age of 13 he could be found packing seeds on the weekend as he continued honing his craft and love for wildflowers through his high school and college years. In 2009 he fulfilled a lifelong dream and became owner and managing partner of American Meadows where he has worked his entire career.

Mike is a published author, Mini Meadows: Grow a Little Patch of Colorful Flowers Anywhere around Your Yard (Workman 2021), been featured on national tv shows such as Growing a Greener World and been interviewed and quoted in hundreds of gardening articles through the years.

He is a certified Master Gardener and sits on the board of various trade organizations such as the National Gardening Bureau (www.ngb.org) and the Home Garden Seed Association (www.ezfromseed.org).

When Mike isn’t talking all things flowers, he enjoys spending time with his wife Rachael and their daughter Sadie. He plays hockey, loves to fish and spend time outdoors.

Anne Long

Session: Anemone and Ranunculus 101
Plant Academy, 02/21/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Owner of The Dahlia House, Skagit Valley Washington

Through Anne's dedication to education and her natural gift for encouragement, she has established her urban farm as a place for connection, fostering a love of flowers and the shared human experience.

Located in the picturesque farming community of Skagit Valley, The Dahlia House is an online and in-person hub for flower enthusiasts of all kinds. Just an hour north of Seattle, this urban farm specializes in cultivating and selling rare, resilient, and robust dahlia tubers, Italian ranunculus, and anemone corms.

The Dahlia House was born from Anne Long's deep love for people and plants, sustainable growing practices, and accessible floral design. With her extensive experience as a flower farmer, educator, and public speaker, she shares her insight, growing tips, and the stories behind her blooms on her website, blog, and podcast.

The Dahlia House hosts workshops, public speaking events, and hands-on experiences at Christianson's Nursery, The Maple House Co., and Happy Hollow Farm. In addition to growing flowers in her front yard, Anne tends to a scenic acre of land where she cultivates Italian ranunculus, anemones, sweet peas, zinnias, celosia, and, of course, dahlias.

Rose Loveall

Session: The Fragrant Tea Garden
Hood Room, 2/20/2025 at 10:45 AM

Owner of Morningsun Farm

Rose Loveall-Sale is owner of Morningsun Herb Farm, a family-owned nursery specializing in culinary, medicinal and specialty herbs. She has spent the last 30 years growing more than 700 varieties of herbs and perennials, starting the nursery as a weekend venture and expanding it to a plant lover’s destination, as well as a mail order nursery. Rose is originally a forester by education (University of California, Berkeley), but discovered that herbs were her favorite plants to grow and enjoy. An M.S. in Environmental Horticulture from the University of California at Davis rounded out her education and piqued her interest in owning and operating her own nursery. Her family’s farm in northern California proved the perfect spot for her horticultural endeavors.

When Rose isn’t in the greenhouses or out in the demonstration gardens, she is teaching classes and giving talks on the many aspects of gardening with herbs throughout northern California. She is a much sought after speaker by gardening groups and local schools and colleges. Teaching hands-on classes in the gardens and cut flower fields at Morningsun are one of Rose’s favorite activities at the nursery. Rose believes herbs belong in every garden, and enjoys teaching to all age groups and gardening abilities to make growing herbs more accessible. Rose is a longtime member of the Herb Society of America, serving as the Honorary president from 2022- 2024, and receiving the Madalene Hill Award for Excellence in Herbal Education in 2022.

Morningsun Herb Farm sits on 3 acres of farmland, surrounded by low rolling hillsides and anchored by walnut trees originally planted by Rose’s grandfather in 1956. It’s Rose’s happy place, and customers agree that the farm is a magical place to relax, share with children and bring a lunch. Wildlife is everywhere at the farm, along with Rose’s other passion, her collection of rescue animals. Even folks who don’t garden rescue animals. Even folks who don’t garden come to the nursery to relax and pet the mini donkeys and goat!

Neil Lucas

Session 1: Grasses for a Greener World; Grasses and the Wider Environment
Rainier Room, 02/19/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Session 2: More Wow and Less Work; Grasses and Their Place in Our Gardens
Rainier Room, 02/20/2025 at 11:30 AM.

Recipient of RHS Victoria Medal, Executive Director Knoll Gardens, Author

Neil Lucas is a leading ornamental grass specialist, author and Director of Knoll Gardens. The gardens are renowned for their naturalistic approach. Along with the nursery he has established a charity, the Knoll Gardens Foundation, which is devoted to a greater understanding of garden biodiversity and related sustainable garden practices. Having been a Member of Royal Horticultural Society Council, and achieved ten consecutive gold medals for the nurseries displays at the Chelsea Flower Show, Neil is a recent recipient of the coveted Victoria Medal from the RHS.

Jacques Lyakov

Session 1: Seed Starting for Small Spaces
Main Stage, 2/21/2025 at 4:00PM

Session 2: The Greatness of Grow Bags
Main Stage, 2/22/2025 at 4:00PM

Garden Hermit at Epic Gardening

Jacques embarked on his gardening journey as a way to relax and find purpose outside of his PhD studies. He quickly discovered that reading up on growing food, watching videos, and turning gardening into a daily practice offered much more than he expected. During the first year, he was able to turn his backyard into a thriving ecosystem full of life and delicious produce. In the process of building his garden, he discovered that everything from the garden tasted so delicious and vibrant, which opened a whole new world of flavor that he knew he couldn't buy. The revelation of flavor he experienced from homegrown vegetables drove him to want to teach the world how to grow. Over the past 3 years, he has built up an audience of over half a million people, sharing what he has and continues to learn every day. By teaching people the how and why behind gardening practices, Jacques hopes to empower others to discover what he did — flavor!

R. Theo Margelony

Session: Fuchsia-La! The Hidden Empire of Fuchsia Species for the Garden & Greenhouse
Plant Academy, 02/22/2025 at 11:15 AM.

Blogger at Fuchsietum.com, President of the Oregon Fuchsia Society

R. Theo Margelony has been gardening most of his life. Especially gardening fuchsias. His enthusiasm for fuchsias seems a family inheritance, in fact, passed down from his gardening grandfather and his gardening mother so he often jokes that he was born in a bed of fuchsias. For many years Theo spent his time cultivating a small urban garden in Manhattan, called Fuchsias in the City, and is now establishing The Fuchsietum in Portland, his new fuchsia garden in the Pacific Northwest. With his expertise in fuchsias and other gardening topics, Theo often gives talks on these subjects. In September 2023, he was a featured speaker at the Festival of Fuchsias, the British Fuchsia Society’s 80th Anniversary Celebration at the Royal Horticultural Society-Malvern Autumn Show in the UK, as well as at the 2024 NW Flower & Garden Show. His articles and contributions on fuchsias have appeared in the publications of the NW Fuchsia Society, the British Fuchsia Society, and the French Horticultural Society's Fuchsia Section. Other essays and writings can be found at the Fuchsietum.com as the Fuchsia+Blog. Theo is currently President of the Oregon Fuchsia Society.

Stacy Marshall

Session: Design a Beautiful Centerpiece
Blooms & Bubbles/Main Stage, 02/23/2025 at 2:30 PM (additional ticket required).

Owner of Pitchfork and Petal

My journey as a grower began over three decades ago as I found every opportunity to transform grassy suburban lawns into colorful gardens and edible landscapes. I've had the pleasure of getting my hands in the soil all across Portland, Seattle, Bainbridge Island and now, Poulsbo. I've been growing on this fifteen acre historic farm with my family since 2017 and have been a resident of Kitsap County since 2000.

Growing is my passion. Floral design is my expression of this passion.

I am an avid lover of nature and of wilderness; a forager, backpacker and adventurer. Native plants and plant cultivation have been a deeply important part of my life since I was a child running around in streams and eating from the garden on my parents' acreage in Iowa City, Iowa where I was born in 1972.

As a grower, I balance my time between the fields and the design studio, tending blooms from seed to bouquet. I work with couples who are married in the most beautiful of places; the Kitsap Peninsula, Bainbridge Island and the greater West Sound area including the Olympic Mountains. I also host seasonal workshops from our family farm.

Jen McGuinness

Session: Bird-Friendly Gardening
Hood Room, 02/23/2025 at 10:45 AM.

Author, photographer, blogger at FrauZinnie.com

Jen McGuinness is a writer, editor, and photographer who began regularly writing as Frau Zinnie since 2011 on FrauZinnie.com. The website features Jen’s writing, photography, and personal gardening experiences in her Connecticut, US, garden, along with interviews with garden experts.

She is a proponent of organic gardening methods and wildlife-friendly gardens. She is the author of two gardening books: Micro Food Gardening (Cool Springs Press 2021 and Bird-Friendly Gardening (Cool Springs Press 2024). Jen has worked in local journalism, nonprofit communications, a small business, and in corporate communications.

She explored other interests along the way, earning two master’s degrees. Jen is an award- winning local journalist, earning recognition from the New England Press Association, the Connecticut chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Awards for Publication Excellence.

Thyra McKelvie

Session: Learn About Mason Bees, Their Predators and How to Care for Them
Hood Room, 02/22/2025 at 9:30 AM.

Managing Director & Pollination Program Educator for Rent Mason Bees

Thyra runs the Pollination Program for Rent Mason Bees, the largest solitary bee provider in the country. Her passion is to teach more people about solitary mason and leafcutter bees and create better awareness on how to properly care for them. In addition to writing feature articles for national publications, Thyra also produces educational videos that can be seen on her YouTube Channel.

Mary-Kate Mackey

Session: Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/20/2025 at 1 PM

Session: Container Conundrums: Mastering the Art of Extreme Design
Rainier Room, 02/20/2025 at 4:30 PM

Award-winning author, speaker and educator

Mary-Kate Mackey is a multi-award-winning garden writer and co-author, with Kathleen Brenzel, of The Healthy Garden—Simple Steps for a Greener World (Abrams 2021). Mary-Kate’s byline has appeared in numerous magazines such as Fine Gardening, Horticulture, Sunset, This Old House, and the June 2023 edition of American Gardener. She’s the recipient of ten Garden Communicators International writing awards, including a Gold in 2021 for her column, “Rooting for You,” on the Hartley-Botanic Greenhouse website.

Ryan McEnaney

Session: The Happiest Hydrangeas.
Plant Academy, 2/21/2025 at 1:45pm

Author of Field Guide to Outdoor Style and spokesperson for First Editions® Shrubs & Trees

Ryan McEnaney is a fifth-generation family member and owner at Bailey Nurseries, a 115-year-old nursery headquartered outside of St. Paul, Minnesota. The company has grown to be one of the largest producers of shrubs and trees in the United States. McEnaney oversees public relations and social media for the brands and serves as their national consumer spokesperson. To support this, he has been quoted in publications such as Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, and Martha Stewart Living; has appeared on television throughout the United States; and travels the country educating homeowners on how to be successful in the garden. His approach revolves around fun, breaking down barriers to gardening, and creating a welcoming space to collaborate.

McEnaney currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Garden Bureau, as well as multiple committees for GardenComm: The Association for Garden Communicators, Seed Your Future, AmericanHort, and the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association.

Sean & Allison McManus

Session: Get Bossy with Your Bulbs: Divide, Force, and Plant Successively for a Colorful, Bloom-filled Garden
DIY Stage, 02/19/2025 at 3:15 PM.

Session: Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/20/2025 at 11 AM.

Session: Flowering Bulbs Crash Course for Beginners
DIY Stage, 02/23/2025 at 3:15 PM.

Owners/hosts Spoken Garden, Authors The First Time Gardener (Cool Springs 2021)

Sean and Allison are garden content creators, authors, inventors, speakers, and teachers. They teach gardeners through their YouTube channel, bite-sized Garden Minute podcast, weekly Instagram Live show and The First-time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers (Cool Springs 2021). They’re inventors of The Little Dibby and the award-winning Dibby XL dual-purpose tools for seed-sowing and seedling transplanting.

Sean McManus, the horticulturist on the team, started gardening at the age of five at his parents' rhododendron farm in Olympia, WA. His love of plants led to his study of Environmental Horticulture at Washington State University where he earned both a Bachelor's ('00) and Master's ('04) and got invited to pursue his doctorate. His previous horticulture experience included assistant greenhouse grower, teacher, research assistant, grounds maintenance, and project coordinator.

Allison McManus, the teaching professional on the team, is a National Board-Certified Science educator and former middle school science teacher. She grew up gardening with her parents and has never met a flowering plant she didn’t like. Allison manages video editing, photography, and teaching for their brand.

They are active members of Gardencomm International and National Garden Bureau. The McManus duo tend to their PNW container garden zone 8b/9a.

Brian Minter

Session: Exciting Garden Trends and Design Concepts from Europe
Rainier Room, 02/21/2025 at 1:00 PM.

Recipient of the Order of Canada, horticulturist, writer and co-founder, along with his wife Faye, of Country Garden Ltd.

Recipient of the 'Order of Canada' and an 'Honorary Doctorate of Technology', Brian Minter is a horticulturist, entrepreneur and founder of Minter Country Garden, an innovative, destination garden center and greenhouse growing operation in Chilliwack, BC.

Brian is well known from his magazine articles, syndicated newspaper gardening columns and TV and radio programs. Brian has been on boards of many community organizations and served for two terms as the first Chancellor of the University of the Fraser Valley.

David Mizejewski

Session: Five Gardening Rules to Ignore
Rainier Room, 02/22/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Naturalist, author and television presenter with the National Wildlife Federation

David Mizejewski is a naturalist, author and television presenter with the National Wildlife Federation. He holds a degree in Human and Natural Ecology from Emory University and has hosted television series on both Animal Planet and NatGeo WILD. He's dedicated to helping others understand and protect the natural world, especially by restoring wildlife habitat where people live‚ which is the subject of his bestselling garden how-to book‚ Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Backyard Wildlife.

Ciscoe Morris

Session: Tips and Ideas to Make Your Garden More Interesting
Rainier Room, 02/22/2025 at 1:00 PM.

Beloved author, television and radio host, newspaper columnist and garden celebrity

Ciscoe is a well-known personality in the Pacific Northwest. He is featured regularly on King5 'New Day Northwest', King5 news, and King5 'Evening'. His radio show, 'Gardening with Ciscoe,' is on KSQM every Saturday at 9 a.m. After writing a newspaper column for many years, first for the Seattle Post Intelligencer followed by the Seattle Times, he left to concentrate on writing his newest book, 'Oh, La La!' which came out in January of 2020. On average, he gives over 50 garden presentations a year. An interesting fact is that Ciscoe is one of only two people who have spoken at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival every year since its inception. Besides many environmental awards for his work at Seattle University, Ciscoe was recently awarded the prestigious B.Y. Morrison Communications Award from the American Horticultural Society (AHS). Ciscoe can often be found working in his Northeast Seattle garden which has been featured in several publications. Besides gardening, he is passionate about travel and leads garden tours to countries all over the world.

Lois Moss

Session: Hidden Gardens of Japan
Traveler’s Tea, 02/20/2025 at 3:30 PM (additional ticket required)

Owner, Tour 2 Explore More

As a serial entrepreneur, Lois Moss has been a CPA and financial analyst, owned a chain of bicycle stores, started a non-profit, coordinated events for a national magazine, worked for a real estate agency and much more.

Lois relocated from Ohio to Oregon in 2010, expecting to glide into a peaceful early retirement. Gardening and horticulture caught her interest and she jumped in with both feet, serving as the Treasurer for Hardy Plant Society of Oregon, volunteering to organize tours for HPSO, being a docent at Portland's International Rose Test Garden and completing Master Gardener training.

Her current passion is Garden Tourism and Travel. She has organized successful group tours to places near and far for numerous horticulture organizations. Additionally, she works to help the tourism industry understand the economic potential of promoting public gardens and horticultural tourism.

Abby Perry

Session: Succulent Secrets: Leaf Your Worries Behind.
DIY Stage, 02/22/2025 at 1:30 PM

Session: House of Plants
Plant Market, 2/23/2025 at 10 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM

Founder/owner of Abby's Garden Parties, Master Gardener

Abby Perry, founder and owner of Abby's Garden Parties, is a Master Gardener and passionate advocate for connecting people with nature through hands-on experiences. At Abby's Garden Parties, Perry provides gardening experiences as well as a mental health boost and an opportunity for creativity. She believes in the motto, "Trade a little screen time for some green time," emphasizing the importance of unplugging and engaging in nature. Perry is a graduate of the University of Michigan and lives in Carmel, Indiana with her husband and four children.

Christina Pfeiffer

Session: PNW Month-by-Month Gardening: Tips for Cultivating a More Resilient Garden
Hood Room, 02/19/2025 at 5:00 PM.

Seattle based author and horticulture educator

Christina is Seattle based author and horticulture educator who has enjoyed a long career in landscape horticulture. Tuned to the art and science of horticulture, her work centers on sustainable techniques that tap into the cycle of the seasons so that our efforts can be a more enjoyable experience and less of a battle. She is a regular speaker for UW Botanic Gardens Adult Education Programs, Master Gardener training, PlantAmnesty, Northwest Horticulture Society, and National Garden Clubs Gardening School.

Earlier in her career, she led landscape management at the Washington Park Arboretum and the Holden Arboretum, and worked as a horticulture consultant. Christina has been a part- time horticulture instructor at Edmonds College for over 18 years. She holds degrees in horticulture from Michigan State University and the University of Washington, and is an ISA Certified Arborist®. She is co-author with Mary Robson of PNW Month-by-Month-Gardening (Cool Springs 2017) For Christina, the next best thing to being the garden is sharing information about gardening.

Wendi Phan

Session: Small Space Solutions with Epic Gardening: Trellis Tricks Main Stage, 2/19.2019 at 4:00 PM

Founder It's Wendiland on social media

Wendi is a California-based gardener and content creator specializing in rare foods and plants, as well as small-space gardening. She shares innovative techniques, including vertical and DIY solutions, to help enthusiasts maximize their gardening potential. Wendi also offers a selection of rare plants online, inspiring everyone to embark on their gardening adventures, regardless of space.

Debra K Prinzing

Session: Plant Passions, Best Tips for Growing Cut Flowers
Hood Room, 02/21/2025 at 1:00 PM.

Debra Prinzing and Robin Avni are co-authors of the forthcoming book, The Flower Farmers (Abrams, May 2025)

Debra is a Seattle-based writer, speaker and leading advocate for domestic, local and seasonal flowers. Through her many Slow Flowers- branded projects, she has convened a national conversation that stimulates consumers and professionals alike to make conscious choices about their floral purchases.

Debra is the producer of SlowFlowers.com, the online directory to American grown farms, florists, shops and studios who supply domestic and local flowers. Each Wednesday, approximately 2,500 listeners tune into Debra's "Slow Flowers Podcast," available for free downloads at slowflowerspodcast.com, or on iTunes and via other podcast services.

Debra is editorial director and co-founder with Robin Avni of BLOOM Imprint, a boutique publisher that identifies and develops creative book ideas by and about members of the Slow Flowers Movement.

In 2016, the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farm-to-florist cooperative, honored Debra with the first Growers Choice Award for her "outstanding contributions to revitalizing the local floral community." She is a 2016 inductee to the Garden Writers Association Hall of Fame and a 2019 inductee to Professional Floral Communicators International. Debra has authored 12 books, including Slow Flowers, The 50 Mile Bouquet, Where We Bloom and, most recently, The Flower Farmers (Abrams Books 2025).

Dr. JJ Pursell

Session: Healing with the Trees
Rainier Room, 02/23/2025 at 11:30 AM.

Author, doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine, Masters in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture

Dr. JJ Pursell is a psilocybin facilitator, naturopath and author. She is passionate about botanical medicine and has spent the better part of 30 years studying, growing, writing and speaking about herbs. Her latest book, Psilocybin Therapy, Using nature's medicine for mental health, was released in April 2025 and she currently sees clients for psilocybin therapy in Portland, Oregon. Her next book, Tree Medicine is slated to be released in early 2026.

Riz Reyes

Session: Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/21/2025 at 11 AM.

Session: Traveling with Plants
DIY Stage, 02/21/2025 at 3:15 PM.

Horticulturist, Floral Designer, and owner of RHR Horticulture

Riz Reyes is a Filipino-American horticulturist based in the Pacific Northwest. He earned his bachelor's in environmental horticulture from the University of Washington and has over 25 years experience working in the field. In his first and only show garden at the NW Flower and Garden Show, he swept nearly all top honors including the Founder's Cup for the Best Show Garden in 2013. He has also been awarded the “Emerging Horticultural Professional Award” from the American Horticultural Society. In March 2022, Riz became a published author of a children’s non-fiction picture book called "Grow: A family guide to plants and how to grow them" highlighting "heroic plants that we can all grow and maybe even look up to". Riz currently works as the Assistant Director of Heronswood Garden in Kingston, WA and continues to run his own horticultural enterprise, RHR Horticulture, where he regularly lectures on a variety of plants and garden-related topics and also leads engaging floral workshops that highlight seasonal and local cut flowers.

Rebecca Raymond

Session: From Garden to Vase: Spring Floral Design
Blooms & Bubbles//Main Stage, 02/22/2025 at 2:30 PM (additional ticket required)

Owner of Rebecca Raymond Floral Design

Rebecca Raymond is one of the most respected and sought-after floral designers in the Pacific Northwest. Owner of Rebecca Raymond Floral, she collaborates closely with her clients, gets to know their hopes and dreams, and then works with color, texture, and architecture to bring their vision to life. Whether it's a bridal bouquet or a floral installation, Rebecca sources both seasonal and curated fresh flowers to design beautiful, eclectic arrangements that reflect the moment and create memories to last a lifetime.

Nobuko Relnick

Session: Ikebana - Communication with Plant Materials
DIY Stage, 02/23/2025 at 1:30 PM.

Teacher of Sogetsu School of IKEBANA (Japanese flower arrangement) for 30+ years

Nobuko has been a teacher of the Sogetsu School of IKEBANA, Japanese flower arrangement, for over 30 years. Since moving from Japan to Seattle 1998, she has actively promoted ikebana at museums, schools, community centers, and many other places.

Ikebana helps awareness. As people observe plant materials they become very close to nature. For hundreds of years it has been a part of Japanese culture - similar to Bonsai, Chado and Martial Arts. Since Japan opened the country in 1853 the world has realized how wonderful these cultural treasures are. Nobuko mission is to spread this vibrant cultural legacy outside of Japan.

Stephanie Rose

Session: The Regenerative Garden: Small Scale Permaculture for the Home Garden
Hood Room, 02/23/2025 at 12:00 PM.

Award-winning author, Master Gardener, certified permaculture designer, herbalist, and wellness advocate

Stephanie Rose is an award-winning author, master gardener, certified permaculture designer, herbalist, and wellness advocate. After Stephanie faced her own debilitating illness she found solace and healing through gardening. Stephanie is the creator of the popular website Garden Therapy (gardentherapy.ca) and has written twelve books including The Regenerative Garden: 80 Practical Projects for Creating a Self- sustaining Garden Ecosystem (Cool Springs Press, 2022), Garden Alchemy: 80 Recipes and Concoctions for Organic Fertilizers, Plant Elixirs, Potting Mixes, Pest Deterrents, and More (Cool Springs Press, 2020), and Garden Made: A Year of Seasonal Projects to Beautify Your Garden and Your Life (Roost Books, 2015), which was a Gold Medal Winner from the 2016 Independent Publishers Book Awards.

Stephanie spends her time as an organic gardener, writer, and artist in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She is passionate about organic gardening, natural healing, and art as part of life. Stephanie lives with her kiddo, dog, cat, and 500 worms.

Visit Stephanie at gardentherapy.ca

Nita-Jo Rountree

Patrick R Ryan

Session 1: ROCK ON!
DIY Stage, 02/20/2025 at 1:30 PM.

Session 2: Aging Gracefully in the Garden
Rainier Room, 02/21/2025 at 4:30 PM.

Master Gardener, musician and education specialist at Alaska Botanical Garden

Patrick Ryan is a garden communicator, an Alaska Master Gardener, and the Education Specialist for the Alaska Botanical Garden, where he has worked for over 20 years. Patrick trained as a Junior Master Gardener Specialist at Texas A&M and started a Summer camp in Anchorage in 2004. A retired elementary school teacher of 21 years, Patrick is known for his Botanical Garden tours and has given his engaging and practical horticultural talks around the country. He has offered his expertise to gardeners, to those who teach gardeners, and most important—to the children who will be gardeners in the future. Pat believes everyone who plants a seed is connected to a miracle. He has been a performing guitarist, singer and bandleader for over 50 years.

Pat’s blog, Musings of an Alaskan Gardener can be found within the Laidback Gardener Blog, which is popular in the US and Canada.

Christina Salwitz

Session: Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/20/2025 at 1 PM.

Session: Container Conundrums: Mastering the Art of Extreme Design
Rainier Room, 02/20/2025 at 4:30 PM.

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

Christina is a professional container designer, garden coach, garden writer, photographer, speaker and foliage-a-holic who loves to teach and see the light bulb go on when a gardener suddenly "get's it". She adores the entire Horticulture Industry and revels in helping others feel the same passion that she does about plants.

You can find her on Facebook at the Fine Foliage page and The Personal Garden Coach page, as well as X @CSalwitzGardens.

Erin Schanen

Session 1: Small Space Solutions with Epic Gardening
Main Stage, 02/20/2025 at 4:00 PM.

Session 2: Embrace the unusual: Underused oddballs and forgotten classic plants you should grow
Hood Room, 02/21/2025 at 1:15 PM.

Gardener, writer, video creator and founder of The Impatient Gardener

A gardener, writer and video creator, Erin Schanen is the founder of The Impatient Gardener, a trusted source of information and inspiration for hundreds of thousands of gardeners. She has been a gardener for more than two decades, and uses her southeastern Wisconsin garden as her plant lab, experimenting with unusual and underused plants.

In addition to creating videos for her YouTube channel, she writes a weekly garden newspaper column, which received a gold medal in GardenComm’s 2022 media awards. When she’s not gardening or trying to outsmart the local herd of deer, she enjoys sailing on Lake Michigan.

Lindsay Sisti

Session: Trending Houseplant Propagation Techniques
DIY Stage, 02/21/2025 at 5:00 PM.

Author The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation, founder All the Plant Babies, LLC

Lindsay is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation (Cool Springs Press 2024) and founder of the online nursery All the Plant Babies, LLC, where she sells her unique Anthurium hybrid crosses. She has developed over a dozen unique Anthurium hybrids and two Alocasia hybrids. Lindsay holds a patent on one of the hybrid species of Alocasia named ‘Green Unicorn’.

On her social platforms, @alltheplantbabies, Lindsay emphasizes both science and humor, and makes complex information accessible to everyone.

Marni Sorin

Session: Perennial Abundance: Growing More Food with Edible Perennials
Hood Room, 02/23/2025 at 4:00 PM.

Garden Educator with Tilth Alliance

Marni Sorin works as a garden educator with Tilth Alliance, where she manages the adult education program, teaches gardening classes, and cares for the Good Shepherd Center Learning Garden, along with community volunteers. Her background is in small-scale organic vegetable farming & education. She co-owned and operated her own farm for two years in Sultan, WA, and has worked on mixed vegetable market farms in Virginia, Washington and California. Marni holds a master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Washington, with a Certificate in Education for Environment and Community from IslandWood. Marni is passionate about centering equity and fostering a sense of belonging in educational experiences and connecting with food and the natural world. In her free time, you can find her birding, cooking, and adventuring with her partner and pup.

Teresa Speight

Session 1: Black Flora - Inspiring Profiles of Floriculture's New Vanguard
Hood Room, 02/22/2025 at 10:45 AM.

Session 2: Urban and Small Space Gardening with Kathy Jentz
Hood Room, 02/22/2025 at 1:15 PM.

Proud Native Washingtonian (DC), a mother, Grandmother, Steward of our Land, Garden Writer

Teresa J. Speight is a proud Native Washingtonian (DC), a mother, Grandmother, Steward of our Land, Garden Writer, Region II Director – GardenComm International, and History lover. With ancestral sharecropping roots originating in North and South Carolina, connecting with the earth is authentic to her life experience. Her ancestor’s hands have helped build and feed their family for generations. To not honor this earth would disrespect her heritage. Author of Black Flora: Inspiring Profiles of Floriculture’s New Vanguard (Timber Press 2024), and The Urban Garden -101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty n the City (Cool Springs Press 2023), Ms. Speight brings a wealth of knowledge and common sense to conversations on drought tolerant plants, small space gardens, shade gardens, and the African American experience in horticulture.

Former Head Gardener for the City of Fredericksburg, one of the Founding Farmers of the Eitt CSA, Stafford County’s first Transitional Organic CSA Farm, Teresa is currently a Garden Writer, Podcaster, Garden Experience Curator, Visionary, and former Estate Gardener. Expanding the vision, Cottage in the Court offers curated Garden Experiences for small groups and one-on- one Garden Coaching, specializing in earth- friendly practices. Reconnecting average people with the soil is important.

Richie Steffen

Session 1: Great Plant Picks: Plants for Pollinators
Main Stage, 02/19/2025 at 1:00 PM.

Session 2: Dishing Dirt with Bess & Richie — The Best and Worst for 2025
Main Stage, 02/22/2025 at 1:00 PM.

Executive Director for the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden

Few people have a passion for plants or an excitement about gardening more than Richie Steffen. Richie is the executive director for the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, overseeing the development of the garden, its programs, and the rare plant collections. His expertise comes from over thirty-five years of experience in the horticultural field, with the last 24 years spent at the Miller Garden. Ferns have become a specialty for him, and he maintains extensive collections at the Miller Garden and his home garden. He has traveled to Europe, Japan, Chile, New Zealand and Costa Rica as well as numerous trips around the US studying ferns and other plants.

He is active in the gardening community and is currently past president of the Hardy Fern Foundation and the Northwest Horticultural Society. A noted lecturer, writer and photographer, Richie is the co-author of the “Plant Lover’s Guide to Ferns” with his friend and fern mentor Sue Olsen.

Kim Stoddart

Session: How to become a resilient gardener
Hood Room, 02/19/2025 at 4:00 PM.

Session: Container Showdown
Main Stage, 02/20/2025 at 11:00 AM.

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

Award-winning UK editor, journalist and commentator, Kim is a leading authority on climate change resilient gardening, particularly home food growing. She enjoys the role of entrepreneurial editor of the world's oldest gardening magazine, Amateur Gardening magazine founded in 1884.

Kim has been teaching and writing on a resilient approach to gardening for more than a decade for everyone from The Guardian, Gardeners' World mag and the RHS to Martha Stewart Home, Living Etc, The Sun newspaper, the BBC and many other outlets.

She is the author of The Climate Change Resilient Vegetable Garden (Cool Springs 2024), The Climate Change Garden (with Sally Morgan, Cools Springs 2023) and has a background as a serial social entrepreneur. Kim is on a mission to help gardeners build resilience for the future.

Allen Taylor

Session: Pruning Trees: Professional Tools and Techniques
DIY Stage, 02/19/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Lead arborist and founder of Conservation Tree Care

Allen Taylor is the lead arborist and founder of Conservation Tree Care, a Seattle based environmentally conscious tree care company. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a BS in Forestry. His passion for ski mountaineering led him to glaciers and jagged peaks of the Pacific Northwest. Allen is a ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, holds the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, is a Registered Consulting Arborist and holds the Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualification with the American Society of Consulting Arborists. He is also an experienced rope access technician and a recipient of the ISA's True Professionals of Arboriculture Award in 2022.

Bill Thorness

Session: 10 Steps to Your Best Tomato Year Yet
Rainier Room, 02/23/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Author, speaker, educator, Master Gardener

Bill Thorness is a writer, editor and gardener who’s been working and gardening in Seattle since the mid-1980s. He is the author of two gardening books: Cool Season Gardener: Extend the Harvest, Plan Ahead, and Grow Vegetables Year Round and Edible Heirlooms: Heritage Vegetables for the Maritime Garden (both from Skipstone Press), and “Extend the Harvest,” a streaming class for Craftsy.com.

Bill writes for many regional publications, including The Seattle Times. He has also written two bicycling guidebooks: Biking Puget Sound, now in its 2nd edition, and Cycling the Pacific Coast (both from Mountaineers Books) and a memoir All Roads Lead to Rome (Potomac Books).

Bill is a Master Gardener in King County, and active in many regional garden organizations. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, Northwest Editors Guild and Pacific Northwest Writers Association. He is a frequent speaker on edibles at regional nurseries, garden clubs and garden shows.

Gina Leighann Thresher

Session: From Garden to Vase: Spring Floral Design
Main Stage, 02/22/2025 at 2:30 PM.

Owner From the Ground Up Floral

Gina Thresher, AIFD, EMC IMF, is a distinguished figure in the floral design industry, renowned for her expertise as a designer, freelancer, and educator. CEO and Owner of From the Ground Up Floral. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she is deeply rooted in her love for all things floral, embracing a feminine style of design that reflects her personal aesthetic and passion for nature's beauty.

A graduate of the European Master Certification (EMC) program, where she honed her skills in nomenclature, horticulture, and the art of translating visual art into floral designs. Her study focused on the extensive principles and elements of design, laying a solid foundation for her creative endeavors. She has been teaching with EMC since 2020 and recently got back from teaching in the EMC China classroom.

Also an accredited member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) since 2016, Gina has contributed significantly to the organization, serving as a board member, past president of the Northwest chapter, and a certified evaluator.

Recently graduated in 2024 with IMF certification (International Master Certificate) taught by Gregor Lersch with Boerma Institute in the Netherlands.

She is also a proud member of Slow Flowers with Debra Prinzing.

Dylan Thuras

Session: Explore the Gardening World with Gastro Obscura
Rainier Room, 02/21/2025 at 2:30 PM.

Dylan Thuras is the co-founder and creative director of AtlasObscura.com, the collaborative guide to the world's hidden wonders with eight million visitors each month. He is the co-author of three New York Times bestsellers Atlas Obscura, Gastro Obscura, and The Explorer's Guide for The World's Most Adventurous Kid. Dylan is the host of Brand USA's Small Town Big Story TV seres as well as the number one travel podcast in the US, The Atlas Obscura Podcast. Dylan lives in the Hudson Valley with his wife Michelle, and two kids, Phineas and Jean .

Lloyd R Traven

Session: Leveraging the Power of Lavenders
Plant Academy, 02/22/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Plantsman, owner Peacetree Farm

President-Peace Tree Farm, founded 1983 with his wife, Candy, now a second generation with son, Alex. Renowned Plant Breeder, introduced The Phenomenal® Family of Lavenders®, revolutionizing the production of lavender world- wide, as well as Fignomenal®, a dwarf fig that produces and ripens in norther areas.

M.S. Degree Cornell University. National Grower of the Year, 2005. Appeared live on Martha Stewart 4 times. Primary forcing company for the Philadelphia Flower Show, grows for major botanical gardens across North America. Created the Garden Geek® Collection of unusual and unique plants for retailers, Bee-Loved Plants® for pollinators, and Peace Tree Organics®. In- demand international public speaker, and Board Member for several major groups in Horticulture and Sustainable Agriculture. Received the Horticulture Industry Leadership and Innovation Award, 2021. USDA Certified Organic Grower, utilizing 100% biocontrols since 2000, recognized internationally for the breadth and sophistication of their program. Professor and Lecturer Temple University, Delaware Valley University, Cornell University and major conferences world-wide.

Jacqueline van der Kloet

Session 1: Magical Mixes
Rainier Room, 02/19/2025 at 11:30 AM.

Session 2: Five Years/Five Projects
Rainier Room, 02/20/2025 at 1:00 PM.

Author, landscape designer, "Bulb Queen of the Netherlands"

Jacqueline van der Kloet is an internationally acclaimed garden designer and one of Holland's best-known gardening authorities. She is a pro’s pro, a plant specialist whose advice is sought by other designers and landscape architects. Her designs are prized for their artful naturalized schemes and bold uses of color. Van der Kloet began her career as a designer of private residential gardens. Today, her client list includes some of the most prestigious public gardens in the world. In North America, she teamed with Piet Oudolf for innovative plantings at New York’s Battery Park, New York Botanical Garden and Chicago’s Lurie Garden. Her work across Europe and Asia ranges from Holland’s famous Keukenhof, to the palace Huis ten Bosch in Nagasaki, Japan to the Newport Bay Club at Disneyland, Paris. She has been a contributing designer to many international exhibitions.

Bailey Van Tassel

Session 1: Replace the Grocery Store with Your Vegetable Garden
DIY Stage, 02/23/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Session 2: Small Space Solutions with Epic Gardening
Main Stage, 02/23/2025 at 4:00 PM.

Writer, author, founder of The Kitchen Garden Society

Bailey Van Tassel is a home gardener, writer, and host of the podcast, Garden Culture. She helps vegetable gardeners from each US hardiness zone learn how to grow year-round as well as live seasonally and intentionally. Bailey is married with three children and on a mission to make gardening a pastime that families can enjoy together while learning a skill that can be passed down for generations.

Misty Vanderweele

Session: Make a Seasonal & Sustainable Centerpiece
Blooms & Bubbles/Main Stage, 02/20/2025 at 2:30 PM [additional ticket required]

Award-winning floriculturist and founder of All Dahlia'd Up Flower Farm

Misty Vanderweele is a born and raised 50+ year Alaska resident, author, leader, and farmer-florist who believes flowers are medicine. In 2013, Misty founded All Dahlia’d Up Flower Farm, a floral-tourism destination located in Palmer, after having what she calls a “spiritual rendezvous” in the Dahlia garden a handful of months after the passing of her son.

She is a certified Alaska Grown farmer, proudly joining the ranks of nearly half (47%) of all the farms in Alaska being owned by women. Every summer, you’ll find her tending the flowers, helping customers at her seasonal flower shop, and creating vibrant flower-power magic with all the award winning blooms she grows. Additionally, she hosts several popular field-to- vase, farm-to-table events, and dinner tours featuring local food and live music.

Misty has nine book titles, including "Flower Power," which she authored in 2017, full of vibrant floral photography and outlined research sharing the signature poetic resonance that flowers posses. Moreover, she has authored "Thrive Through Tears", a comprehensive collection of three books detailing her son’s first 18 years of life, and Misty’s promise togo on living her best life.

Phillip Waite

Session: What Do Designers Know That You Might Not
Rainier Room, 02/19/2025 at 4:30 PM.

Author, educator University of Idaho, Washington State University, Utah State University

Phillip Waite is a recently retired university professor. Though raised on Whidbey Island, he lived in eastern Washington and northern Utah before returning in retirement to Western Washington. With degrees in both landscape architecture and architecture, he has spent the last 32 years working and teaching at the University of Idaho, Washington State University, and Utah State University where he specialized in design, planting design, construction materials, and rainwater harvesting techniques. His publications include books and journal articles on campus planning, color in planting design, sustainability in garden design, and firewise landscapes. He now lives and gardens in Gig Harbor and consults as a residential designer, designing both homes and their landscapes.

Jerry Weiland

Session: Disease and death in the garden: Pathological musings from a plant doctor’s perspective
Hood Room, 02/19/2025 at 10:45 AM.

PhD, plant pathologist at Oregon State University

Dr. Jerry Weiland is a researcher at the USDA- ARS Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit in Corvallis, Oregon, where his laboratory conducts research on diseases of trees and shrubs for the nursery industry. Research is focused on identifying the pathogens that cause disease, understanding how disease outbreaks occur, and developing new or improved disease management strategies. Areas of specialization include Phytophthora root rot, Verticillium wilt and boxwood blight.

Barb Wise

Session: Container Showdown: Saturday
Main Stage, 2/22/2025 at 11:00 AM

Horticulturist and author, Container Gardening for All Seasons

For 20+ years Barbara worked in the horticulture business in landscape design, maintenance and specialized in unique container garden displays. Seasonally Barbara and her crews would plant and maintain over 800 planters all over the Nashville, TN area. Over eight years ago she transitioned her skills by joining the team of Crescent Garden, her favorite planter vendor, working in their sales and marketing departments. Barbara is the author of Container Gardening for All Seasons. She has spoken around the country to both professional horticulture groups about the business of container gardening, and to the hobby gardeners about the fundamentals of successful container gardening. When Barbara’s not working for Crescent, you’ll find her gardening with her growing new crew of helpful grandkids.

Cecily Wong

Teresa Paige Woodard

Session: Garden to the Max
Hood Room, 02/20/2025 at 4:00 PM.

Award-winning author, educator and America in Bloom advisor

Teresa Woodard brings a background in magazine writing and gardening experience. She is author of Garden to the Max (Timber Press 2025) and co-author of the American Roots: Lessons and Inspiration from Designers Reimagining Our Home Gardens (Timber Press 2022).

During her 16-year writing career, she has written and produced garden content for regional and national publications including Better Homes & Gardens and Country Gardens and currently serves as contributing garden editor at Midwest Living magazine and content creator for digital garden media. She has won Gold and Silver Media Awards from GardenComm. Outside of work, she gardens at her home near Columbus, Ohio, volunteers at an urban garden teaching youth about growing food, and advises America in Bloom communities across the country.

Doreen Wynja

Session: Strolling the Garden Camera in Hand
Hood Room, 02/20/2025 at 5:00 PM.

Author, Eye of the Lady inc professional garden photographer

Doreen Wynja, Eye of the Lady, has had a camera in her hands since her teens. Going to work for a camera store and studio back in 1983, she later opened her own studio in 1990 and for 26 years did commercial style photography.

These days Doreen is often on the road primarily capturing gardens when not busy setting up and photographing marketing material for Monrovia nursery, whom she first contracted with in 2004.

Her imagery has been used in many books and magazines and is often seen on the covers of Fine Gardening and The American Gardener as well as between their pages.

Her garden photography flowed through the pages of 'A Tapestry Garden (Timber Press 2018), contributing heavily to Sunset Western Garden books and more recently, 'The Healthy Garden (Abrams 2022).

Doreen has recently published her first book The Spirited Garden: Creative Private Retreats (Rizolli 2025).

When not traveling for more gardens to aim her camera at, Doreen tends to her 'postage stamp garden', regularly practicing ‘cramscaping’ with a Bohemian flair, delighting in zonally challenged plants. Otherwise, she can be found barefoot strolling a beach, riding her bike or, when there's time, sailing or enjoying wine with friends, and adores cooking.

Ellen Zachos

Session 1: Mythic Plants
Rainier Room, 02/21/2025 at 10:00 AM.

Session 2: Excellent Epiphytes
Plant Academy, 02/22/2025 at 1:45 PM.

Session 3: How to Fool your HOA!
Rainier Room, 02/22/2025 at 4:30 PM.

Award-winning author, speaker, and podcaster

Ellen Zachos is a Harvard graduate and the author of eleven books including The Wildcrafted Cocktail, Growing Healthy Houseplants, The Forager’s Pantry, and How to Forage for Wild Edible Plants Without Dying. She has also published three wild edible plant calendars.

Ellen’s first career was on Broadway (cast of Les Miz, among others), but the gift of a peace lily on opening night opened her eyes to the wonderful world of plants. Ellen taught at the New York Botanic Garden for many years, and also served as Coordinator of the Gardening Department in Continuing Ed, before moving to Santa Fe, NM.

Ellen was named a Great American Gardener by the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. Her eleventh book Mythic Plants: Potions and Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods will be published in 2025 (Workman). For more than five years, Ellen was the co-host of the award-winning Plantrama podcast with C.L. Fornari.