From growing to designing… flower farmers, designers, and industry leaders share tips and tricks for your most beautiful blossoms ever…
The Seminars by Category are listed in chronological order. Please check the Seminar Schedule for a full list of all our seminars. No ticket refunds for Speaker cancellation.
All seminars at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival are FREE with your ticket!
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Day-to-Day Floriography Teresa Sabankaya - Author, Floral Designer, Slow Flowers Advocate
Teresa Sabankaya invites you on a floral adventure into the language of flowers... an art form where blooms speak volumes about love, friendship, and sentiment. She’ll demonstrate how to create modern-day posies inspired by the historical nosegay tradition, where each flower and herb carries meaning and emotion. Beginning in the garden, Teresa shares how inspiration grows from simple stems and blossoms into a personalized message of beauty and connection. Drawing from her newest book, Modern Floriography (The Countryman Press, 2026), she shows how to craft exquisite, heartfelt bouquets that express what words sometimes cannot.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 / 10:15am / DIY Stage
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Native Plants in Flower Gardens: Beauty for Bouquets, Strength for Ecosystems Briana Bosch - Author, Founder of Blossom and Branch Farm
Native plants offer gardeners the best of both worlds: stunning blooms for arrangements and vital ecological benefits for pollinators, birds, and soil health. In this session, attendees will learn how to weave native species into both cutting and ornamental gardens. The discussion highlights why natives matter, which varieties offer great vase life, and how to design plantings that blend them with traditional cut flowers. With insights from The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook (Storey Publishing, 2026), attendees will gain practical ideas for creating sustainable, pollinator-friendly gardens that thrive in every season.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 / 1:30pm / Adams Room
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Blooms & Bubbles: Designing with Roses [additional ticket required] Cory Webster - Floral Designer, Instructor, Slow Flower Advocate
Kick off the 2026 Blooms & Bubbles workshop series with floral designer Cory Webster, as she leads a hands-on exploration of one of the world’s most beloved blooms: the rose. Drawing on her experience with expert growers at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, Cory will showcase the finest locally and American-grown hybrid tea and spray roses, paired with lush seasonal foliage and textural accents. Participants will create a romantic, early-spring hand-tied bouquet or small vase arrangement while learning design principles like color harmony, scale, and proportion. Cory will also share insider tips for selecting and caring for your blooms to ensure long-lasting beauty, whether as a gift or centerpiece. With a glass in hand and roses all around, this workshop sets the tone for a week of creativity, community, and Slow Flower inspiration.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 / 2:30pm / Main Stage
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The Art of Ikebana: Beauty in Balance Nobuko Relnick - Ikebana Artist and Expert
Experience the graceful art of ikebana... the traditional Japanese practice of flower arranging that celebrates balance, form, and simplicity. In this live demonstration, master ikebana artist, Nobuko Relnick, will create five to six unique arrangements using a variety of plant materials and containers. Attendees will enjoy watching familiar and unexpected elements come together in elegant harmony, each design revealing a new way to see nature’s beauty. This serene and inspiring session offers a view into an ancient art form that continues to bring calm and creativity to modern life.
Thursday, February 19, 2026 / 11:45am / DIY Stage
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Garden Like a Flower Farmer Debra Prinzing - Writer, Speaker, Founder of Slow Flowers Society
Robin Avni - Creative Director, Author, Co-founder of BLOOM Imprint The soil welcomes everyone. Whether you’re seeking solace, sanctuary, or the satisfaction of flowering your world with what you grow -– draw inspiration from the people, farms, gardens, and studios featured in Debra Prinzing and Robin Avni’s new book, The Flower Farmers. The co-authors introduce you to the floral journeys of several of the 29 North American farmers, growers, and gardeners profiled in the book's pages. Their presentation highlights farmer-favorites to plant in your cutting garden and harvest for your own satisfaction and joy. Discover your story in their compelling profiles and learn how to bring the character of a flower farm into your own cutting garden.
Thursday, February 19, 2026 / 12:00pm / Hood Room
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Blooms & Bubbles: Designing With Helebores [additional ticket required] Teresa Sabankaya - Author, Floral Designer, Slow Flowers Advocate
Join floral designer Teresa Sabankaya for a hands-on workshop celebrating one of the first blooms of spring... the hellebore. In this session, Teresa shares design techniques for showcasing the natural grace and structure of these harbingers of spring while exploring their meaning in the Language of Flowers. You’ll then create your own hand-tied posy or centerpiece that captures the beauty of the season and celebrates locally grown blooms.
Thursday, February 19, 2026 / 2:30pm / Main Stage
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Floral Therapy: Designing with Feeling + Intention Kiara Hancock - Floral Artist, Creative Coach, Founder of K. Hancock Design
Flowers speak a language all their own—and sometimes they say what we cannot. In this soulful demonstration, floral artist and creative coach Kiara Hancock shares how to create arrangements rooted in emotion and intention. Attendees will see how color, form, and texture can express feeling and tell personal stories through design. Along the way, Kiara offers insights on intuitive creativity and the power of slowing down to connect with nature’s beauty. This session invites reflection and inspiration, showing how flowers can become vessels for meaning as well as art.
Thursday, February 19, 2026 / 3:15pm / DIY Stage
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Top 10 Roses to Grow in the PNW Robin Jennings - Senior Brand Marketing Manager, Heirloom Roses
If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you know how precious those bursts of sunshine can be—and nothing celebrates them like a garden filled with roses. In this lively and informative session, rose expert Robin Jennings shares her top ten varieties for local gardens, from the bold blooms of Hybrid Teas to the easy elegance of Shrub Roses. Attendees will learn which types are easiest to grow, most rewarding to care for, and best suited to the region’s unique climate. With practical advice and inspiration, you’ll leave ready to grow roses that bring that extra touch of sunshine.
Friday, February 20, 2026 / 9:30am / Hood Room
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Hydrangea Decor for Every Season Skye Hamilton - Content Creator, Founder of Hamilton House Designs
Bring the beauty of hydrangeas indoors with creative ideas for using both fresh and dried blooms in your home décor. Discover how to craft wreaths, garlands, centerpieces, and other arrangements that showcase hydrangeas year-round. Learn how to dry and dye blooms for lasting color, explore seasonal styling tips, and see how these versatile flowers can add charm to any space—from everyday displays to holiday celebrations. Simple, stylish, and endlessly adaptable, hydrangeas prove that garden beauty belongs in every room.
Friday, February 20, 2026 / 11:45am / DIY Stage
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Summer & Autumn Bulbs Jennifer Rose Carey - Author, Horticulturist, Garden Educator
Plan ahead now for a spectacular summer and autumn bulb display. Learn how to use The Essential Guide to Bulbs (Timber Press, 2025) as a roadmap for creating gardens that bloom beautifully long after spring. Dahlias and other summer bulbs take center stage as the session covers planning, planting, and pairing techniques for vibrant color and lasting impact. Attendees will leave ready to design gardens that transition seamlessly from one season to the next—alive with texture, energy, and the dazzling drama of bulbs in full bloom.
Friday, February 20, 2026 / 12:00pm / Hood Room
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Reimagining Pansies Brenna Estrada - Flower Farmer, Author, Pansy Fan
Pansies are far more than cool-season color—they’re vibrant, resilient, and deserving of a fresh perspective. In this session, attendees will learn how to grow pansies successfully through summer and discover their surprising potential as cut flowers. The discussion explores the evolving future of this beloved bloom, including efforts to introduce extraordinary new varieties through collaborations with hybridizers in Italy and Japan. Drawing from Pansies: How to Grow, Reimagine, and Create Beauty with Pansies and Violas (Timber Press, 2025), attendees will gain inspiration and practical insight to see pansies not as seasonal accents, but as year-round stars.
Friday, February 20, 2026 / 1:15pm / Hood Room
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Natural Color from the Garden Janice Cox - Author, Natural Beauty Expert
Add a splash of color to your life... straight from the garden! This hands-on demo explores how to create beautiful, eco-friendly dyes and watercolor paints using common plants found right outside your door. From the golden glow of Oregon grape to the deep purples of hollyhock and the soft greens of yarrow, nature’s palette is vibrant and abundant. Learn simple techniques for making natural pigments to dye linens, paint garden-inspired art, or start a dye garden of your own. Author and floral craft expert Janice Cox brings color, creativity, and joy to every project.
Friday, February 20, 2026 / 1:30pm / DIY Stage
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Blooms & Bubbles: Designing with Spring Flowering Bulbs [additional ticket required] Alanna Garcia - Florist, Owner Verde & Co
Alanna Garcia celebrates the joy of spring with a hands-on floral design session featuring locally grown tulips, daffodils, and other cheerful bulb flowers. Inspired by the greenhouse and garden, Alanna will guide participants in creating a hand-tied bouquet or small vase arrangement bursting with color and life. Along the way, she’ll share simple, practical tips for arranging, caring for, and selecting the best seasonal blooms for home or gifting. With her signature warmth and artistry, Alanna makes floral design feel fresh, fun, and full of possibility... an uplifting way to welcome the season.
Friday, February 20, 2026 / 2:30pm / Main Stage
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Cut Flower Garden 101: The Best Blooms to Grow for Beginners Kara Jamison - Cut Flower Grower, Designer, Educator
Ready to grow your first cutting garden? This welcoming seminar takes the mystery out of growing flowers for the vase, focusing on varieties that reward beginners with abundance and color. Attendees will learn how to plan, plant, and harvest blooms that keep on giving throughout the season. With down-to-earth advice from Kara Jamison of Blooming Joy Flower Co., this session celebrates the joy of growing beauty from seed to centerpiece—proving that anyone can fill their home (and their heart) with flowers grown by their own hands.
Friday, February 20, 2026 / 4:00pm / Hood Room
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Dried Floral Wreath Design Bethany Little - Floral Designer, Farmer, Co-Owner of Charles Little & Co.
Celebrate the lasting beauty of the garden with dried flowers, herbs, and foliage. In this creative demonstration, learn how to design with preserved botanicals to craft elegant wreaths that bring texture and color to any season. Discover tips for choosing and preparing materials, combining shapes and tones for natural harmony, and ensuring your finished design lasts beautifully. With easy, sustainable techniques, you’ll see how dried flowers can become timeless pieces of floral art—perfect for gift-giving or adding a touch of garden charm indoors.
Friday, February 20, 2026 / 5:00pm / DIY Stage
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Timeless Gardens, Modern Joy Skye Hamilton - Content Creator, Founder of Hamilton House Designs
Trends come and go, but classic plants never lose their charm. This lighthearted session celebrates timeless favorites—roses, hydrangeas, petunias, boxwoods, and all the other garden staples that continue to bring color and joy year after year. No need to chase the newest variety or technique to create something beautiful. With practical tips, planting inspiration, and a touch of humor, this session encourages gardeners to embrace what they truly love, trust their instincts, and find pride in the simple, enduring pleasures of the garden.
Saturday, February 21, 2026 / 9:30am / Hood Room
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Beautiful Edible Centerpieces Rebecca Raymond - Internationally Accredited Floral Designer and Educator
Bring the beauty and flavor of the garden to your table. In this live demonstration, watch how to design an edible centerpiece using fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables. The arrangement blends form and function... creating something as practical as it is beautiful. With tips on plant selection, color pairing, and edible accents like flowers and foliage, this session shows how small patio or kitchen gardens can become stunning focal points indoors. Discover how to craft a centerpiece that’s fragrant, seasonal, and deliciously creative.
Saturday, February 21, 2026 / 10:15am / DIY stage
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How to Create a Cut Flower Garden Elizabeth Brown - Author, Founder of Foxglove Farmhouse
Discover how to grow armfuls of beautiful blooms right outside your door. In this inspiring seminar, attendees will learn the essentials (and secrets) of designing, planting, and maintaining a productive cut flower garden that provides fresh stems all season long. Drawing from The Beginner’s Cut Flower Garden (Cool Springs Press, 2023), this session offers practical guidance on soil preparation, succession planting, and choosing the right varieties for continuous color and fragrance. Attendees will leave ready to create a garden that brings beauty indoors and joy to every gathering.
Saturday, February 21, 2026 / 10:30am / Adams room
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Must-Have Plants of 2026! A Sneak Peek at the Hottest New Varieties... Diane Blazek - Executive Director of National Garden Bureau
Get ready to ignite your 2026 garden with dazzling new plant varieties from top breeders around the world! This lively presentation showcases the most exciting introductions poised to transform outdoor spaces. From vibrant annuals bursting with color to mouthwatering vegetables for the kitchen garden and long-blooming perennials for lasting beauty, attendees will discover plants that combine performance and style. Prepare to be inspired, energized, and ready to choose the perfect new additions to make your 2026 growing season the most colorful yet.
Saturday, February 21, 2026 / 1:00pm / Main Stage
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Spring Bulbs & Their Herbaceous Companions Jennifer Rose Carey - Author, Horticulturist, Garden Educator
Celebrate the joy of spring’s first blooms in this uplifting seminar devoted to early bulbs and their perfect companions. Learn how to layer tulips, snowdrops, daffodils, and other seasonal favorites to create displays that awaken the garden after winter’s rest. The session explores combinations of textures, colors, and forms that bring vibrancy to borders, containers, and naturalized plantings alike. With expert guidance and fresh inspiration, participants will leave ready to design gardens that sparkle with life and color from the very first days of spring.
Saturday, February 21, 2026 / 2:30pm / Rainier Room
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Blooms & Bubbles: Designing with Dried Flowers [additional ticket required] Bethany Little - Floral Designer, Farmer, Co-Owner of Charles Little & Co.
In this lively, hands-on session, discover why dried botanicals - beautiful, sustainable, and endlessly creative - remain a favorite for modern floral design. Expert dried floral grower Bethany Little will introduce the benefits and unique qualities of dried flowers, herbs, and foliage, sharing her insider tricks for designing with these timeless materials. Participants will explore a colorful array of botanicals while learning techniques for crafting hand-tied bouquets or small vase arrangements. With Bethany’s guidance, you’ll gain insight into selecting and combining materials for texture, balance, and longevity—plus care and styling tips for gift-giving and home décor. Each design becomes a lasting celebration of nature’s color and form.
Saturday, February 21, 2026 / 2:30pm / Main Stage
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Living Wreaths: Seasonal Design with Plants Dee Hall Goodwin - Flower Farmer, Designer, Founder of Mermaid City Flowers
Go beyond the traditional wreath and discover how to create a living work of art. This demonstration showcases sustainable techniques for using moss, succulents, and seasonal bulbs to design wreaths that continue to grow and evolve over time. Attendees will gain inspiration and practical ideas for bringing the beauty of living plants indoors, creating pieces that reflect the rhythm of the seasons and the joy of nature’s slow transformation.
Saturday, February 21, 2026 / 5:00pm / DIY stage
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Regenerative Flower Farming: How Beauty Can Heal the Earth Jennifer Gulizia - Flower Farmer, Educator, Podcast Host
What if your flower garden could do more than just look beautiful? What if it could help restore soil, support pollinators, and play a role in healing the planet? In this inspiring seminar, attendees will follow Jennifer Gulizia’s journey of transforming 20 acres of depleted land into a thriving regenerative flower farm. The session explores what regenerative gardening really means, why soil health matters even in small spaces, and how to begin with simple, sustainable steps like composting, cover cropping, and planting with purpose. Every garden, no matter its size, can make a lasting difference.
Sunday, February 22, 2026 / 10:30am / Adams Room
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Blooms & Bubbles: Designing With Lilies [additional ticket required] Dee Hall Goodwin - Flower Farmer, Designer, Founder of Mermaid City Flowers
Discover the timeless beauty of lilies with farmer-florist Dee Hall Goodwin. In this hands-on floral design session, Dee shares her creative approach to showcasing these dazzling focal flowers in both hand-tied bouquets and centerpiece arrangements. Working with locally grown Pacific Northwest lilies and complementary blooms, you’ll learn how to combine fragrance, texture, and color for a stunning arrangement that celebrates the season—perfect to gift or enjoy yourself.
Sunday, February 22, 2026 / 2:30pm / Main Stage
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