SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024

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

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

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LEGEND

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What’s a ProTip? Some speakers provide a handout for their sessions. We post them each evening of the show for you to download - just click the icon. They are available for three months post show.

Rainier Room

(All seminars 60 minutes unless noted)

10:00 AM	Plant People Panels: Where Do Plants Come From? Moderator: Mary Ann Newcomer - Author, speaker, radio host and newspaper columnist; expert at gardening in the intermountain west. Dan Heims - Award-winning author, and president of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc. Ann Amato - Horticulturist, production manager at Secret Garden Growers, blogger, amateurbotannist.com Karl Gercens - Manger of Conservatory at Longwood Gardens Ross Bayton - Director of Heronswood Garden and horticulture author View More It's a long journey from when plants are first found and described scientifically to their being trialed and bred for introduction to shoppers at our local garden centers, mail-order nurseries, or at our favorite houseplant shops. This panel consists of plantspeople who introduce, breed, and cultivate plants; promoting horticulture and, in different ways, the conservation of plants. They have a lot to say about where your plants come from, how the industry works and—at the very base level—how conservation is a key message for all of us. Don't miss this opportunity to better understand and appreciate how plantspeople from different fields strive to bring you the best, most interesting and—increasingly—most resilient and beautiful plants. Each panel is 90 minutes - 60 minutes for the panel, a quick break then 30 minutes to answer attendee questions.	Plant People Panels: Where Do Plants Come From? It's a long journey from when plants are first found and described scientifically to their being trialed and bred for introduction to shoppers at our local garden centers, mail-order nurseries, or at our favorite houseplant shops. This panel consists of plantspeople who introduce, breed, and cultivate plants; promoting horticulture and, in different ways, the conservation of plants. They have a lot to say about where your plants come from, how the industry works and—at the very base level—how conservation is a key message for all of us. Don't miss this opportunity to better understand and appreciate how plantspeople from different fields strive to bring you the best, most interesting and—increasingly—most resilient and beautiful plants. Each panel is 90 minutes - 60 minutes for the panel, a quick break then 30 minutes to answer attendee questions. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 10:00 AM
11:45 AM	Is Nature More Cooperative Than We Think? Kristin Ohlson - Journalist and bestselling author, The Soil Will Save Us and Sweet in Tooth and Claw View More Most people believe that nature is characterized by competition and conflict - red in tooth and claw, as the poet Tennyson said 175 years ago. But recent science suggests that cooperative relationships among living things have both shaped the world around us and continue to knit ecosystems together. How can we both uphold these cooperative relationships and become a cooperative partner with the rest of life- in our gardens as well as in the world at large? Hint: it means we might actually applaud when we see insects nibbling the leaves of our garden plants!	Is Nature More Cooperative Than We Think? Most people believe that nature is characterized by competition and conflict - red in tooth and claw, as the poet Tennyson said 175 years ago. But recent science suggests that cooperative relationships among living things have both shaped the world around us and continue to knit ecosystems together. How can we both uphold these cooperative relationships and become a cooperative partner with the rest of life- in our gardens as well as in the world at large? Hint: it means we might actually applaud when we see insects nibbling the leaves of our garden plants! SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 11:45 AM
1:00 PM	Maximizing Your Garden Traveling Opportunities Karl Gercens - Manger of Conservatory at Longwood Gardens View More Have you ever met anyone who has been TOO inspired by what they saw in another garden? What's better than having a great garden but VISITING as many as you can?! The time of the year and even day of the week matters! We'll explore US garden destinations based on what plants they're known for and then turn the table to find what places can be visited based on shoulder season affordability. You'll be rushing to fill your calendar with as many of these inspirational locations as you can!	Maximizing Your Garden Traveling Opportunities Have you ever met anyone who has been TOO inspired by what they saw in another garden? What's better than having a great garden but VISITING as many as you can?! The time of the year and even day of the week matters! We'll explore US garden destinations based on what plants they're known for and then turn the table to find what places can be visited based on shoulder season affordability. You'll be rushing to fill your calendar with as many of these inspirational locations as you can! SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 1:00 PM
2:30 PM	Bats and Their Benefits David Mizejewski - Naturalist at National Wildlife Federation and author, Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Backyard Wildlife View More Bats have long been painted as scary monsters or dangerous pests, but the reality is that this diverse group of flying mammals is incredibly important ecologically and even beneficial in our gardens. Naturalist David Mizejewski will introduce you to the fascinating bats of North America and highlight both why you want bats around and how you can help them in your own yard or neighborhood.	Bats and Their Benefits Bats have long been painted as scary monsters or dangerous pests, but the reality is that this diverse group of flying mammals is incredibly important ecologically and even beneficial in our gardens. Naturalist David Mizejewski will introduce you to the fascinating bats of North America and highlight both why you want bats around and how you can help them in your own yard or neighborhood. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 2:30 PM
4:30 PM	Bling on the Wing: 12 Months of Flowers for Hummingbirds Greg Butler - Designer, educator, and owner of Design of the Times View More Everybody loves hummers. They've got the dance moves of those overly choreographed gangs from West Side Story and sport more bling than a limo full of bar-hopping drag queens. Taking advantage of our mild maritime climate makes it possible to turn your garden into a year-round hummingbird feeder just by choosing the right plants. You'll also get tips on life cycles, behavior, enhancing habitat, and more. Accessorize your garden with tiny flying jewelry!	Bling on the Wing: 12 Months of Flowers for Hummingbirds Everybody loves hummers. They've got the dance moves of those overly choreographed gangs from West Side Story and sport more bling than a limo full of bar-hopping drag queens. Taking advantage of our mild maritime climate makes it possible to turn your garden into a year-round hummingbird feeder just by choosing the right plants. You'll also get tips on life cycles, behavior, enhancing habitat, and more. Accessorize your garden with tiny flying jewelry! SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 4:30 PM

Hood Room

(All seminars 60 minutes)

9:30 AM	Growing a Greener Future with Sustainable Gardening Alejandra Feliciano - Landscape Designer and Project Manager for Molbak's Garden + Homes View More From attracting pollinators to using less water with smart design to climate adaptive plants, you can be an environmental stewardship superhero. Join Alejandra Feliciano PhD, Landscape Designer and Project Manager, of Molbak's Landscape Design and Construction team to explore how creating a healthy sustainable habitat can offer beauty that is in harmony with the natural environment. Learn techniques for incorporating more native and wildlife friendly plants into your space. Design your dream garden and support the health of the planet!	Growing a Greener Future with Sustainable Gardening From attracting pollinators to using less water with smart design to climate adaptive plants, you can be an environmental stewardship superhero. Join Alejandra Feliciano PhD, Landscape Designer and Project Manager, of Molbak's Landscape Design and Construction team to explore how creating a healthy sustainable habitat can offer beauty that is in harmony with the natural environment. Learn techniques for incorporating more native and wildlife friendly plants into your space. Design your dream garden and support the health of the planet! SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 9:30 AM
10:45 AM	The Less Work/More Resilient Vegetable Garden Kim Stoddart - Award winning U.K. garden journalist, editor (Amateur Gardening Magazine) and author The Climate Change Resilient Vegetable Garden View More So often gardening is about exacting to do lists and primped and polished plants and gardens and work, work, work. No wonder so many gardeners feel guilty they aren't doing enough. Yet with our changing weather patterns, and greater extremes of weather, such high maintenance spaces are much more vulnerable. So less really is often more, to allow the natural systems to establish and help build a greater resilience in our outside areas from the ground up. To help us enjoy our vegetable gardens, have more fun and wellbeing, and let nature take the lead. I'll touch upon why the need to build resilience is more important than ever, before swiftly moving onto the savvy upbeat solutions for ideas and inspiration and feel good factor guaranteed. From less watering and plant feeding to encouraging plants to become less lazy (by developing deeper root systems and connections with beneficial microorganisms below ground), to easy natural pest control, perennials, self seeding plants and many more tricks and tips beside. Take home points - attendees will learn the fundamentals of a more resilient, nature first garden. To include no till and the wonder of natural soil systems, fuss and cost free mulches and soil improvers. Growing produce on for longer, wilder growing, free planting for natural pest control, the best garden predators, useful weeds, and oodles of time saving and wellbeing tricks besides for all gardens great and small.	The Less Work/More Resilient Vegetable Garden So often gardening is about exacting to do lists and primped and polished plants and gardens and work, work, work. No wonder so many gardeners feel guilty they aren't doing enough. Yet with our changing weather patterns, and greater extremes of weather, such high maintenance spaces are much more vulnerable. So less really is often more, to allow the natural systems to establish and help build a greater resilience in our outside areas from the ground up. To help us enjoy our vegetable gardens, have more fun and wellbeing, and let nature take the lead. I'll touch upon why the need to build resilience is more important than ever, before swiftly moving onto the savvy upbeat solutions for ideas and inspiration and feel good factor guaranteed. From less watering and plant feeding to encouraging plants to become less lazy (by developing deeper root systems and connections with beneficial microorganisms below ground), to easy natural pest control, perennials, self seeding plants and many more tricks and tips beside. Take home points - attendees will learn the fundamentals of a more resilient, nature first garden. To include no till and the wonder of natural soil systems, fuss and cost free mulches and soil improvers. Growing produce on for longer, wilder growing, free planting for natural pest control, the best garden predators, useful weeds, and oodles of time saving and wellbeing tricks besides for all gardens great and small. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 10:45 AM
12:00 PM	Creating a resilient lawn that is beautiful and wildlife friendly Linda Chalker-Scott - WSU Horticulture Professor and author, How Plants Work and The Informed Gardener View More Lawns have a bad rep among many people with environmental concerns. But lawns aren't limited to high maintenance, weed-free expanses of monocultural turfgrass. We can create, maintain, and enjoy low-input lawns rich in diverse plant, microbial, and animal life and they can be beautiful. This seminar will present the science-based methods for creating sustainable lawns that provide space for people, pets, and nature to coexist. Handouts containing the text of the talk will be provided.	Creating a resilient lawn that is beautiful and wildlife friendly Lawns have a bad rep among many people with environmental concerns. But lawns aren't limited to high maintenance, weed-free expanses of monocultural turfgrass. We can create, maintain, and enjoy low-input lawns rich in diverse plant, microbial, and animal life and they can be beautiful. This seminar will present the science-based methods for creating sustainable lawns that provide space for people, pets, and nature to coexist. Handouts containing the text of the talk will be provided. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 12:00 PM
1:15 PM	Salvage Secrets James Pettigrew - Creative force behind Organic Mechanics Sean Stout - Creative force behind Organic Mechanics View More Creative and unexpected uses for recycled materials in the garden. We will show how to use up cycled materials such as memorial stone, metal and then some, to create paths, patios, walls and water and fire features.	Salvage Secrets Creative and unexpected uses for recycled materials in the garden. We will show how to use up cycled materials such as memorial stone, metal and then some, to create paths, patios, walls and water and fire features. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 1:15 PM
2:45 PM	Firescape Your Home Adrienne Edwards - Teacher, landscape designer, and co-author, Firescaping Your Home Rachel Schleiger - Lecturer and co-author, Firescaping Your Home View More Learn about Firescaping... the practice of creating fire-resilient landscapes by reducing fire hazards and supporting wild ecosystems. That includes using plants native to your ecoregion. Outside of managing fuel densities, the other main goal of firescaping is to maintain plant health and biodiversity. The healthier the plant, the more resistant/resilient it will be to fire. By managing the distribution of fuels and vegetation health you can reduce fire hazards while supporting wildlife habitats—so that we all can live more harmoniously with fire and wildlife.	Firescape Your Home Learn about Firescaping... the practice of creating fire-resilient landscapes by reducing fire hazards and supporting wild ecosystems. That includes using plants native to your ecoregion. Outside of managing fuel densities, the other main goal of firescaping is to maintain plant health and biodiversity. The healthier the plant, the more resistant/resilient it will be to fire. By managing the distribution of fuels and vegetation health you can reduce fire hazards while supporting wildlife habitats—so that we all can live more harmoniously with fire and wildlife. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 2:45 PM
4:00 PM	Learn How to Welcome Mason Bees Into Your Garden Thyra McKelvie - Pollination Program & Operations Director for Rent Mason Bees View More Mason bees are fast becoming the new bee to host in your yard. Known as the stingless bee and one of mother nature's best pollinators, they are gentle, easy to care for and are critical pollinators for food and ecosystems. Unlike the social honeybee, solitary bees live and work alone. They forage for their own food, find their own nest and all females lay their own eggs. Solitary bees make up the largest percentage of the bee population. Out of 20,000 bee species worldwide, 90% are solitary!	Learn How to Welcome Mason Bees Into Your Garden Mason bees are fast becoming the new bee to host in your yard. Known as the stingless bee and one of mother nature's best pollinators, they are gentle, easy to care for and are critical pollinators for food and ecosystems. Unlike the social honeybee, solitary bees live and work alone. They forage for their own food, find their own nest and all females lay their own eggs. Solitary bees make up the largest percentage of the bee population. Out of 20,000 bee species worldwide, 90% are solitary! SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 4:00 PM
5:15 PM	Soil Moisture Tips for a More Resilient Landscape Christina Pfeiffer - Horticulture consultant, ISA certified arborist and co-author, Pacific Northwest Gardening Month-by-Month View More Soil conditions, mulch practices, and how water is delivered all work together for building strong root systems that will support garden plants through the growing season. How water moves through different soil types, which types of mulch are best for soil moisture retention, watering tools, and how to avoid the most common watering mistakes will be covered.	Soil Moisture Tips for a More Resilient Landscape Soil conditions, mulch practices, and how water is delivered all work together for building strong root systems that will support garden plants through the growing season. How water moves through different soil types, which types of mulch are best for soil moisture retention, watering tools, and how to avoid the most common watering mistakes will be covered. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 5:15 PM

DIY Stage

(All seminars 60 minutes)

10:00 AM	Pruning With Confidence Charlie Nardozzi - Regional Emmy award-winning radio, TV host and author, Gardening Complete and No-Dig Gardening View More Pruning is one of those garden tasks that many gardeners are shy about doing and lack confidence. In this hands-on demonstration, I'll talk about pruning popular trees, shrubs and vines. I'll discuss and show the pruning tools you'll need. I'll talk about the science of pruning and what happens to a plant when it's pruned. I'll also talk about the art of pruning and how to envision what your plant will look like when finished. I'll show how to prune various plants with different pruning cuts to achieve different looks. Sponsored by Velcro.com	Pruning With Confidence Pruning is one of those garden tasks that many gardeners are shy about doing and lack confidence. In this hands-on demonstration, I'll talk about pruning popular trees, shrubs and vines. I'll discuss and show the pruning tools you'll need. I'll talk about the science of pruning and what happens to a plant when it's pruned. I'll also talk about the art of pruning and how to envision what your plant will look like when finished. I'll show how to prune various plants with different pruning cuts to achieve different looks. Sponsored by Velcro.com SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 10:00 AM
11:45 AM	Confessions of a Worm Lover Emily Apple Wilkins - Vermiculturist and home gardening consultant View More Composting with red wiggler worms: the practices and pleasures of creating excellent soil health and amazingly vibrant plants with worms. Everything a person needs to know to build or buy a worm bin, acquire worms, and collect materials for ideal worm conditions in your worm growing system big or small. This seminar will explain how to harvest worm castings, make custom soil blends, and compost teas while reducing your food waste and having fun playing with worms. I usually build a worm bin and set it up with worms right in the seminar so everyone can see and touch all the parts of the process, even the worms!	Confessions of a Worm Lover Composting with red wiggler worms: the practices and pleasures of creating excellent soil health and amazingly vibrant plants with worms. Everything a person needs to know to build or buy a worm bin, acquire worms, and collect materials for ideal worm conditions in your worm growing system big or small. This seminar will explain how to harvest worm castings, make custom soil blends, and compost teas while reducing your food waste and having fun playing with worms. I usually build a worm bin and set it up with worms right in the seminar so everyone can see and touch all the parts of the process, even the worms! SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 11:45 AM
1:30 PM	Growing Together: Easy Garden Projects for Everyone Rizanino Reyes - Owner of RHR Horticulture View More Gardening should be accessible for everyone no matter what age. Learn about the basics of how to grow your own plants, both indoors and out, using easy-to-find materials and simple instructions that will encourage you to try and experiment on your own.	Growing Together: Easy Garden Projects for Everyone Gardening should be accessible for everyone no matter what age. Learn about the basics of how to grow your own plants, both indoors and out, using easy-to-find materials and simple instructions that will encourage you to try and experiment on your own. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 1:30 PM
3:15 PM	Flowering Bulb Talk: Bulb Basics and Native Bulbs for the PNW Sean and Allison McManus - Co-owner and host of Spoken Garden, and co-author, The First-time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers View More Success with growing flowering bulbs begins with planting them correctly. All bulbs can be grouped into 5 types (True Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, Tuberous Roots, and Rhizomes) and each needs to be planted in a specific way. Learn more about these 5 different kinds of bulbs, how to handle and plant them, when to plant them, the tools to get them planted, and more! Also, find out which flowering bulbs are native to the Pacific Northwest, where to buy them, and when and where to plant them in your garden.	Flowering Bulb Talk: Bulb Basics and Native Bulbs for the PNW Success with growing flowering bulbs begins with planting them correctly. All bulbs can be grouped into 5 types (True Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, Tuberous Roots, and Rhizomes) and each needs to be planted in a specific way. Learn more about these 5 different kinds of bulbs, how to handle and plant them, when to plant them, the tools to get them planted, and more! Also, find out which flowering bulbs are native to the Pacific Northwest, where to buy them, and when and where to plant them in your garden. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 3:15 PM

Main Stage

11:00 AM	Container War: Sunday Host: Marianne Binetti Allison and Sean McManus - Co-owners and hosts of Spoken Garden, and co-authors, The First-time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers James Pettigrew and Sean Stout - Creative forces behind Organic Mechanics	Container War: Sunday SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 11:00 AM
1:00 PM	Bring It Home! Wildlife Watchers Go Shopping Host: Perla Sofía Curbelo-Santiago - Founder of Agrochic, and author, ¡Verdura! Living a Garden Life David Mizejewski - Naturalist at National Wildlife Federation and author, Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Backyard Wildlife Mary Phillips - Head of Garden for Wildlife™/Certified Wildlife Habitat® View More Join the dream team from National Wildlife Federation, Mary Phillips & David Mizejewski, to find out what caught their eye on the show floor and how they'd use it to support and attract pollinators in their home gardens. They might bring an exhibitor or two with them and chat a bit about the 20k NWF certified habitat gardens in Washington state! Hosted by garden wellness expert, Perla Sofia Curbelo-Santiago each Bring It Home! ends with a mini-mindfulness moment you can enjoy in your home garden for years to come. There might be a giveaway but you have to show up to find out...	Bring It Home! Wildlife Watchers Go Shopping Join the dream team from National Wildlife Federation, Mary Phillips & David Mizejewski, to find out what caught their eye on the show floor and how they'd use it to support and attract pollinators in their home gardens. They might bring an exhibitor or two with them and chat a bit about the 20k NWF certified habitat gardens in Washington state! Hosted by garden wellness expert, Perla Sofia Curbelo-Santiago each Bring It Home! ends with a mini-mindfulness moment you can enjoy in your home garden for years to come. There might be a giveaway but you have to show up to find out... SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 1:00 PM
2:30 PM	Blooms & Bubbles: Sensational Seasonal, Sustainable Centerpiece [additional ticket required] Sarah Nayani - Ecological florist, flower farmer and owner of Grow Girl Seattle View More Learn from the season and let nature inspire you to create a lovely (early) spring centerpiece with Sarah Nayani of Grow Girl Seattle. Sarah will share eco-friendly floral design tips as you select from locally-grown and domestic cut flowers and foliage. She’ll demonstrate a lush spring design and then guide you through your own DIY process to create your masterpiece. [additional ticket required]	Blooms & Bubbles: Sensational Seasonal, Sustainable Centerpiece [additional ticket required] Learn from the season and let nature inspire you to create a lovely (early) spring centerpiece with Sarah Nayani of Grow Girl Seattle. Sarah will share eco-friendly floral design tips as you select from locally-grown and domestic cut flowers and foliage. She’ll demonstrate a lush spring design and then guide you through your own DIY process to create your masterpiece. [additional ticket required] SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 2:30 PM
4:00 PM	National Wildlife Federation Panel + Meet & Greet Mary Phillips - Head of Garden for Wildlife™/Certified Wildlife Habitat® View More 60 Minute panel discussion with National Wildlife Federation experts and regional wildlife gardening pros to celebrate and share how to’s of amazing PNW habitat gardens, the best native keystone plants that support iconic wildlife of the region. Followed by a networking celebration of the amazing wildlife gardeners of the region whose efforts helped make the Seattle area one of the Top Five Cities in the United States that Garden for Wildlife!	National Wildlife Federation Panel + Meet & Greet 60 Minute panel discussion with National Wildlife Federation experts and regional wildlife gardening pros to celebrate and share how to’s of amazing PNW habitat gardens, the best native keystone plants that support iconic wildlife of the region. Followed by a networking celebration of the amazing wildlife gardeners of the region whose efforts helped make the Seattle area one of the Top Five Cities in the United States that Garden for Wildlife! SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024 4:00 PM

Seminar schedule subject to change, so we recommend checking back closer to the show for the current schedule. No ticket refunds in the event of Speaker cancellations.

What’s a ProTip? Some speakers provide a handout for their sessions. We post them each evening of the show for you to download.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024

Rainier Room

Hood Room

DIY Stage

Main Stage

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