New Voices

February 17-21, 2027

Seattle Convention Center

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Let’s give a warm welcome to NWFGF newcomers…

Every year, the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival welcomes exciting new talent to its celebrated speaker lineup. From emerging voices with fresh ideas to nationally recognized experts making their Festival debut, these presenters bring new perspectives, inspiring stories, and plenty of gardening know-how.

Discover someone new, explore fresh ideas, and perhaps find your next favorite garden personality!

Click on a speaker's name to view their biography.

All seminars are FREE with your Festival ticket unless otherwise indicated!

Buy Tickets Early and Save!

Check back closer to your visit for the latest schedule updates and new additions. Speaker appearances and schedules are subject to change. Tickets are nonrefundable in the event of a speaker cancellation.

Penny Barthel Author, Cannabis Educator

Session: Cannabis in the Garden: a New Story for an Ancient Herb | Adams Room | 2/21/2027, 3:00pm

Penny Barthel is a cannabis educator, author, and speaker captivated by the plant in all its stages, from seed to sparkly mature bud. She believes cannabis belongs in the garden, bringing health and joy to those who discover this remarkable plant.

She is the author of The Cannabis Gardener (2021) and has been featured in Sunset, the Los Angeles Times, Grow Magazine, Kitchen Toke, and MJ. Penny has also worked as a trial grower for Humboldt Seed Company, participated in the 2025 Great Grow Along, and appeared on numerous podcasts.

Penny serves on the board of the Berkeley Herbal Center and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family and as many plants as she can fit into her small city garden.

Nick Bayard BirdNote Executive Director

Session 1: Birds: The Gateway Drug to Gardening | Adams Room | 2/19/2027, 10:30am

Session: Meet & Greet: BirdNote | 2/19/2027, 2:30pm

Nick Bayard is Executive Director of BirdNote, the public media organization behind the popular daily radio show and podcast about birds. He leads efforts to expand BirdNote's audience, grow its Spanish-language programming, and promote diversity and inclusion in environmental conservation and public media.

Before joining BirdNote, Nick served as an environmental education Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay, a natural sciences instructor at Grand Teton National Park, director of a large social services organization, and Deputy Director of the City of Tacoma's Office of Equity and Human Rights.

He holds a master's degree in Public Administration in International Development from Harvard Kennedy School and a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from Brown University.

Kendall Becherer Content Creator, Educator, WSU Master Gardener

Session: Seed Snails: Sow, Roll & Grow | Creative Studio | 2/21/2027, 12:00pm

Dr. Kendall Becherer is a gardener, educator, and creator of the YouTube channel Kendall's Greenhouse, where she shares practical, research-based gardening advice with a growing community of home gardeners.

A WSU Master Gardener with a doctorate in Learning Sciences, Kendall combines her passion for gardening and teaching to make complex topics approachable for gardeners of all experience levels. Drawing on her background in education, she translates research into practical lessons covering everything from seed starting and propagation to ornamental and native plant gardening.

Whether creating educational videos or speaking at garden events, Kendall's goal is to help gardeners build confidence, grow successfully, and find more joy in the garden.

Daryl Beyers Author, Garden Designer, Horticulture Educator

Session: Designing a Habitat Hedgerow | Rainier Room | 2/19/2027, 3:00pm

Daryl Beyers is the author of two books from Timber Press, including his latest, The New Garden Designer's Handbook: How to Design Useful, Beautiful Gardens from Start to Finish (2026), and The New Gardener's Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Grow a Beautiful and Bountiful Garden.

As Gardening Certificate Program Coordinator at the New York Botanical Garden, Daryl regularly teaches gardening and design classes and workshops. With more than three decades of professional landscaping experience, he has created and cared for hundreds of gardens throughout the United States.

His articles on gardening and garden design have appeared in Horticulture, Fine Gardening, and Martha Stewart Living. Daryl continues to design gardens for clients, speak to audiences, and hone his own gardening and design skills at his home in Shasta County, California.

Birds Connect Conservation & Education Since 1916

Session: Ad Hoc Bird Talk | Meet & Greet Café | 2/19/2027, 10:00-5:00

Founded in 1916 as the Seattle Audubon Society, Birds Connect Seattle is Washington State's first conservation organization. This independent nonprofit is dedicated to protecting birds and their habitats through conservation advocacy, education, and community engagement.

With more than 4,000 members and 500 volunteers, Birds Connect Seattle offers birding outings, educational programs, and community science projects that inspire people to discover and protect the birds that share our neighborhoods. Its urban conservation initiatives focus on creating healthier, bird-friendly comunities where people and wildlife can thrive.

Meg Blancato Author, Floral Designer, Co-Owner Native Poppy

Session: Gift Worthy florals | DIY Stage | 2/20/2027, 2:45pm

Meg Blancato is a floral designer, co-owner of Native Poppy, and co-author of the forthcoming Flower Moments (Timber Press, 2027).

Her floral journey began at age seven, when she started selling flower subscriptions in her dad's office for a thrifty $1 per week. Twenty years later, she found herself returning to flowers and has been hooked ever since. Learning the art of floral design was one of the greatest gifts she's ever received, sparking an endless passion for flowers and the power they hold.

Meg lives in San Diego with her husband, two incredible kids, and golden retriever. When she's not at Native Poppy, you can find her cooking with a glass of bubbles in hand, walking with her family, planning a celebration, or reading.

Her favorite flower is a peach ranunculus. Don't let her tell you differently.

Philip Bloomquist Bloedel Reserve Living Collections Curator

Natalie Bogwalker Author, Founder Wild Abundance

Session: Less Weeding, Fewer Pests, Healthier Plants | Adams Room | 2/17/2027, 3:00pm

Natalie Bogwalker's gardening journey began near Vancouver, Washington, where she earned a nickel for every weed she pulled in her mother's garden. The experience sparked a lifelong interest in gardening and led to a degree in Ecological Agriculture from The Evergreen State College.

After traveling the world studying agriculture, Natalie settled near Asheville, North Carolina, where she lived as a self-described "woods hippie" in a bark hut she built, foraging and growing much of her food.

She founded the Firefly Gathering and Wild Abundance, a school that has taught thousands, especially women, gardening and building skills. During COVID, she and Chloe Lieberman created the Online Gardening School and later co-authored The New Natural Food Garden (Storey Publishing, 2026).

Today, Natalie teaches at Growing Wise Gardening School, advises purpose-driven entrepreneurs, parents her ten-year-old daughter, and explores cave dwellings around the world.

Graylen Brown Content Creator, Texas Master Gardener

Session 1: Container Showdown | 2/21/2027, 11:00am

Session 2: Big Harvests, Small Spaces | Adams Room | 2/21/2027, 12:00pm

Graylen Brown is a Texas Master Gardener, creator of Urban Gardening with Gray, and one of the most calming voices in gardening media.

His gardening journey began at age 11 in his grandmother's Louisiana garden, when one homegrown Roma tomato hooked him for life. After a career as a high school automotive instructor and a stint in the Army, he returned to gardening and discovered not just a passion, but a purpose.

Today, Graylen's warm, encouraging approach has drawn comparisons to Mr. Rogers and Bob Ross. Through his YouTube channel, collaborations with Epic Gardening and Home Depot, and his podcast, Q&A with Gray, he helps gardeners grow with patience, confidence, and joy.

He believes you don't have to be perfect to be beautiful, in the garden or in yourself.

Find him online at UrbanGardeningWithGray.com and Urban Gardening with Gray on social media.

Del Brummet Head Gardener, Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden

Session: Low-Water Gardening in the Pacific Northwest | Hood Room | 2/20/2027, 9:30am

Del Brummet is the Head Gardener at the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, where he has spent the past decade helping develop and care for a diverse collection of plants from the Pacific Northwest and regions with similar climates around the world.

While completing his B.S. in Biology at the University of Washington, Del worked in a lab studying Garry oak prairie ecosystems. His experience with seed propagation and plant care eventually led him into horticulture.

At the Miller Garden, Del leads tours, teaches classes, and works with dedicated volunteers and staff to care for the collection. He is passionate about climate-adapted, wildlife-friendly gardening and growing the right plant in the right place.

While the Miller Garden celebrates an eclectic mix of plants, including many that appreciate summer watering, his own home garden is low-water, proving that lush gardens don't have to be thirsty.

Lee Buttala Author, Emmy Award-Winning Producer, Seed Preservationist

Session: The Return of the Species: Growing for Diversity | Rainier Room | 2/19/2027, 10:00am

Lee Buttala is an Emmy Award-winning producer of Martha Stewart Living and former Executive Director of Seed Savers Exchange, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving heirloom plants and contributing to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

His book, The Seed Garden (Chelsea Green, 2015), received the American Horticultural Society's award for best reference book.

Lee has spoken on food security, garden design, and plant and landscape preservation at Monticello, Harvard's Arnold Arboretum, and the United Nations Food Matters Committee. He serves on the board of Hollister House Garden and writes regularly about landscapes for The Berkshire Edge and Edible Berkshires.

He studied landscape design and history at the Chelsea Physic Garden in London, the New York Botanical Garden, and Kyoto University of Art and Design.

Amanda de Beaufort Author, Artist, Botanical Dyer, Dye Kween Founder

Session: From Garden to Cloth: Botanical Printing | DIY Stage | 2/19/2027, 11:45am

Amanda de Beaufort is a botanical dyer, artist, educator, and founder of Dye Kween, a botanical dye studio creating naturally dyed textiles inspired by flowers and the changing seasons. She is the author of Flowerprint: The Wild, Wonderful World of Botanical Dyeing (Timber Press, 2026).

Founded in 2017, Dye Kween reflects Amanda’s belief that handcrafted objects carry meaning, memory, and story. Working with flowers, leaves, bark, and plant-based dyes, she creates one-of-a-kind textiles that celebrate the beauty and unpredictability of nature.

Her work has been featured in The New York Times, T Magazine, Domino, Gardenista, and Blumenhaus. She has collaborated with Rag & Bone, Anthropologie, Terrain, Free People, and Freeman’s Sporting Club. Amanda lives and works in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Erin Dollar Author, Native Poppy Floral Creative

Christian Douglas Author, Award-Winning Landscape Designer

Session: Pure Imagination : The Artistry of Edible Landscapes | Rainier Room | 2/21/2027, 11:15am

Christian Douglas is a multi-award-winning landscape designer with more than 30 years of experience creating beautiful, productive outdoor spaces. Combining formal training in classical design with a passion for regenerative agriculture, he has designed innovative landscapes across his native England, the Middle East, and the United States, always with food at the heart of his work.

After running his own design studio in the UK for many years, Christian traveled extensively to study farming techniques and survival strategies in desert environments. Inspired by the deep connections traditional cultures maintain with their land and food systems, he believes landscape design has an important role to play in restoring our relationship with the natural world.

Christian is the author of The Food Forward Garden: A Complete Guide to Designing and Growing Edible Landscapes (Artisan, 2024), which explores how edible plants can be incorporated into beautiful, thoughtfully designed landscapes without sacrificing style.

Davida Freeman DIY Workshop Instructor, Houseplant Collector, Educator

Session 1: Moss, Mud & Magic: Make a Kokedama | Creative Studio | 2/18/2027, 2:00pm

Session 2: Moss, Mud & Magic: Make a Kokedama | Creative Studio | 2/19/2027, 2:00pm

Davida Freeman is a houseplant educator, DIY workshop instructor, and founder of CPMG Studio. Known as "Condo Plant Mama" to her online community, she's an avid houseplant collector with a special knack for growing and nurturing ferns indoors.

Through online content, botanical classes, and community workshops, Davida shares plant stories, practical tips, and creative solutions for houseplant enthusiasts. She's also a DIY project wizard who loves experimenting with unique, out-of-the-box houseplant hacks.

Davida is passionate about introducing young people to horticulture. Through local workshops and her volunteer work with Seed Your Future, she helps students explore the industry through video features, guided projects, and tours of botanical trade shows across the country.

Christin Geall Author, Floral Designer, Writer

Natalie Gill Author, Floral Designer, Co-Owner Native Poppy

Janice Groves Sheet-Mulching Queen, Content Creator

Session: From Lawn to Cottage Garden with the Sheet-Mulching Queen | Adams Room | 2/20/2027, 3:00pm

Janice “Jay” Groves, creator of Jay's Garden Journal, is a self-taught gardener, visual storyteller, and self-proclaimed “Sheet-Mulching Queen” who transformed her cookie-cutter suburban lawn into a flourishing cottage garden using cardboard boxes, compost, and creativity.

Passionate about budget-friendly gardening and building healthy soil naturally, Jay inspires others to reimagine their landscapes through sheet-mulching and ecological gardening practices.

Through her visual garden journal, she shares lessons learned about creating beauty, embracing imperfection, and discovering the magic that happens when nature is allowed to take the lead.

Robbie Honey Author, Botanical Photographer, Floral Designer

Session 1: Chasing Orchids: Stories Behind the World’s Most Extraordinary Flowers | Hood Room | 2/20/2027, 12:00pm

Session 2: European Floral Design with Robbie Honey | Blooms & Bubbles | 2/20/2027, 2:30pm

Robbie Honey is a Zimbabwean botanical photographer, floral designer, and author of Orchids: Botanical Portraits: Beauty, Natural History, Botany (Rizzoli, 2026) and The Accidental Botanist: A Deconstructed Flower Book (Clearview Books, 2018).

Known for his floral work with clients such as Dior and Hermès, Robbie has taught floristry in New York and Beijing. His botanical photography highlights both the structure and narrative of plants.

His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, and he regularly speaks at events.

Kristin Jackson Certified Professional Horticulturist, Garden Designer

Session: The Shearables & the Hackables: Prune with Confidence | DIY Stage | 2/18/2027 , 4:15pm

Robin Jennings discovered her passion for gardening after moving to Oregon's Willamette Valley, where she transformed her backyard into a licensed nursery to study and cultivate flowers.

As Director of Product and Strategic Partnerships at Heirloom Roses, she selects the company's roses, bulbs, and perennials, focusing on plants that combine beauty, resilience, and performance. She works closely with hybridizers and other experts to preserve rare and historic roses while introducing gardeners to exciting new varieties.

With a master's degree in education, Robin combines her plant expertise with a talent for teaching and inspiring gardeners of all levels. Her approach blends technical knowledge with practical advice to help gardeners select plants that flourish and bring lasting beauty to their gardens.

Chloe Lieberman Author, Educator

Session: Less Weeding, Fewer Pests, Healthier Plants | Adams Room | 2/17/2027, 3:00pm

Chloe Lieberman and Natalie Bogwalker are co-authors of The New Natural Food Garden (Storey Publishing, 2026) and co-directors of Growing Wise, a gardening school. Natalie is also the founder of Wild Abundance, a school for permaculture, carpentry, and rewilding.

Together, they have taught thousands of gardeners how to grow more food with less work and more joy, using permaculture-inspired principles and techniques. Both women have degrees in agroecology and more than twenty years of experience gardening in a wide range of climates and regions.

Natalie and Chloe walk the line between hobby gardeners and production growers. They approach vegetable gardening as a joyful endeavor, a path toward self-sufficiency and community resilience, and a way to connect with the living world and cultivate wonder and belonging.

Hillarie Maddox Community Educator, Farming Advocate, Somatic Practitioner

Session: Gardens as Gateways to Community | Hood Room | 2/21/2027, 2:30pm

Hillarie Maddox believes nature is a pathway for learning, healing, and connection, and that access to nature is a human right. She is a community educator, gardener, farming advocate, mother of two, and somatic practitioner.

Through her work with Rewild Learning, Hillarie emphasizes peer learning, access to nature, and multigenerational connection. She helped launch the Great Whidbey Seed Swap, hosts workshops on growing food and environmental stewardship, and facilitates nature-based breathwork events for executive teams and community groups.

After moving from Seattle to Whidbey Island with her family to pursue a slower life connected to nature and community, Hillarie began weaving together her background in corporate executive education, social work, and breathwork. Her work creates opportunities for people to reconnect with themselves, their communities, and the natural world.

Becca Mathews Environmental Educator, Flower Farmer, Nature Photographer

Session 1: From Garden to Keepsake... Dry, Press & Preserve | Creative Studio | 2/19/2027, 10:00am

Session 2: From Garden to Keepsake... Dry, Press & Preserve | Creative Studio | 2/20/2027, 2:00pm

Becca Mathews has a degree in environmental biology, but discovering how inspiring it can be to teach what you're passionate about hooked her on environmental education. After years of teaching people of all ages in various roles, she drew on her conservation and education background to establish her own cut flower farm, River Bend Homestead, Ohio Grown Flowers, in 2023.

With education at the heart of her work, Becca focuses on workshops and hands-on learning. She's also a nature photographer who loves the endless subject matter her farm provides.

Becca serves on the boards of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) and Columbus Audubon. She also enjoys volunteering with other local organizations, connecting with people throughout her community beyond her business.

Matt Mattus Author, AHS Horticulture Director

Session 1: Meet the Judges: What Makes a Winning Garden? | Adams Room | 2/17/2027, 10:30am

Session 2: Greenhouse Dreamhouse: A Year of Extraordinary Plants | Hood Room | 2/19/2027, 1:15pm

Session 3: My Curious Life as a Plantsman | Rainier Room | 2/18/2027, 11:15am

Matt Mattus is an author, horticulturist, and influential voice in contemporary horticulture. A lifelong plantsman with a passion for botanical tradition and innovation, he serves as Senior Director of Horticulture at the American Horticultural Society in Washington, DC.

His latest book, Greenhouse Dreamhouse: Inspiration, Curation, Collection (Timber Press, 2027), explores the extraordinary possibilities of greenhouse gardening. He is also the author of two award-winning books, Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening (2020) and Mastering the Art of Vegetable Gardening (2018).

Matt's gardens and greenhouse have been featured in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes & Gardens, House & Garden, and on HGTV.

Kryssie Maybay Author, Founder Kismet Design, Landscape Architect, Podcast Host

Session 1: Think Like a Garden Designer |Adams Room | 2/18/2027, 1:30pm

Kryssie Maybay is a licensed landscape architect based in Washington and founder of Kismet Design LLC, a firm specializing in residential gathering gardens throughout the Pacific Northwest. Her work focuses on creating joyful, functional spaces where clients can connect with friends and family.

She is the author of The Landscape Designer's Guide to Entrepreneurship (2023) and creator and host of The Process Driven Designer podcast, where she shares honest insights into the world of landscape design, from plant nerding to business strategy.

Through her courses and speaking engagements, Kryssie mentors fellow designers and entrepreneurs, helping them build thriving, creative businesses rooted in clarity and intention. She brings that same energy to the stage, offering practical takeaways and fresh perspectives for creative professionals, design business owners, and garden enthusiasts.

Jana Milbocker Author, Garden Tour Host, Landscape Designer

Session: Gardens of the Gilded Age | Hood Room | 2/20/2027, 1:15pm

Jana Milbocker is an author, speaker, garden tour host, and landscape designer whose latest book, Gardens of the Gilded Age: Lavish Landscapes from America's Golden Era (Globe Pequot, 2026), explores the magnificent gardens and estates created during America's Gilded Age.

An enthusiastic garden traveler, Jana loves exploring gardens and historic sites in the United States and abroad, sharing her discoveries through guided tours, photography, and books. She is also the author of four garden travel guides profiling 310 gardens along the East Coast.

Based in the Boston area, Jana worked as an art director and marketing specialist for 30 years before launching her garden design business in 2010.

Quynh Nguyen Author, Paper Flower Artist, Founder Pink & Posey

Session 1: Paper to Petals: Camellias | Creative Studio | 2/18/2027, 10:00am

Session 2: Paper to Petals: Cherry Blossom Branches | Creative Studio | 2/17/2027, 12:00pm

Quynh Nguyen is a Seattle-based paper flower artist, author, and founder of Pink & Posey. Her botanically inspired paper flowers capture the delicate beauty of real blooms, from the soft ruffle of a petal to the subtle shift of color at its heart.

She is the author of The New Art of Paper Flowers (Blue Star Press, 2024). Through tutorials, kits, and hands-on workshops in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, Quynh encourages students to slow down, observe nature, and create with confidence.

She also hosts the Paper Talk Podcast and co-founded the Paper Talk Community, connecting more than 5,000 paper artists.

Her work has been featured in What Women Create and Forbes, and acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art. She has also created work for Nordstrom, Jo Malone, and Fran's Chocolates.

Find her at PinkAndPosey.com and on Instagram @pinkandposey.

Donald Norman Ornithologist, Native Plant Nurseryman, Puget Sound Bird Observatory Founder

Johannes Paul Co-founder of Omlet, Chicken Expert

Session 1: The Future of Chicken Keeping | Adams Room | 2/21/2027, 1:30pm

Johannes Paul is one of the four founders of Omlet, where for more than 20 years he has helped shape a curious, design-led approach to bringing people and pets closer together. Guided by the belief that great products begin with great questions, he has helped create thoughtful solutions inspired by observing animal behavior and challenging convention.

At the heart of Johannes's work is a fascination with how animals, especially chickens, can enrich our lives. From their calming sounds and quirky personalities to their affection and social nature, chickens have a surprising ability to change us for the better.

Through design, Johannes has helped more people discover that experience, proving that while chickens may not fix the world, they might just fix you.

Tamara Paulat Garden Coach, Writer, Photographer, Propagator

Session: Three Weeks Inside Sissinghurst | Hood Room | 2/18/2027, 12:00pm

Tamara Paulat created Chickadee Gardens, where she chronicles her and her husband David's adventures transforming a two-acre property from a field of grass and blackberries into a thriving garden ecosystem.

A self-taught and self-described obsessed gardener, Tamara has a particular love for drought-adapted and native plants. Add chickens, a half-acre vegetable garden and orchard, and plenty of experimentation, and you have the makings of Chickadee Gardens.

Her experience at Joy Creek Nursery and Cistus Nursery introduced her to a wide range of unusual plants and inspired her work as a garden coach, helping clients realize their gardens' potential with minimal input.

Tamara is a member of the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon and serves on the Great Plant Picks selection committee. She is also a garden writer, presenter, propagator, and photographer.

Find her gardening adventures at ChickadeeGardens.com.

Anne Reeves Author, Photographer

Session: Unexpected Vases: Upcycled Floral Design | DIY Stage | 2/17/2027, 4:15pm

Anne Reeves is an author, photographer, and speaker who has inspired people to find delight in everyday life through gardens, creativity, travel, and design since 2007. She has written three books: Finding Delight, PARIS: Delight in the City of Light, and Moments of Delight.

Known for her colorful container gardens, edible flowers, and imaginative upcycled floral designs, including her signature juice can bouquets, Anne encourages audiences to see beauty and possibility in unexpected places.

Country Living magazine recognized her as one of its Women Entrepreneurs for her distinctive creative voice. A longtime member and past Regional Director of GardenComm, Anne is an active member of the Pacific Northwest gardening community.

Aimee Rhynalds Dahlia Grower, Owner of The Dahlia Barn

Session: Dahlias Simplified | Adams Room | 2/18/2027, 4:30pm

Aimee Rhynalds is the owner of The Dahlia Barn in North Bend, Washington, where she has been growing field-grown dahlia tubers since 2002. The Dahlia Barn operates growing fields in both King and Kittitas counties, offering gardeners a wide variety of dahlias.

A longtime participant in the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival, The Dahlia Barn first exhibited in 2007 and will celebrate its 21st year at the 2027 Festival.

Aimee and The Dahlia Barn have been featured on Gardening with Ciscoe in 2011 and 2013, in Sunset magazine, and on Seattle Refined in September 2024.

Gene Rozenboom Garden Tour Host, IPM Specialist

Session: Gardening with Dinosaurs | Adams Room | 2/18/2027, 3:00pm

Gene Rozenboom's interest in gardening began in Iowa, where he spent his childhood exploring his mother's vegetable garden. He earned a degree in Agricultural Education with a minor in Horticulture from Iowa State University and went on to work as an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) specialist with the Extension Service.

An experienced garden tour leader, Gene has guided tours to the Netherlands and Denmark. He is active in the North American Maple Society and the American Conifer Society, and is a member of several other horticultural organizations, including the Denmark Garden Society, Dutch Garden Foundation, International Magnolia Society, and Hardy Fern Foundation.

For the past 12 years, Gene has cultivated a garden on a steep hillside in Portland, Oregon, where he experiments with Piet Oudolf-inspired planting designs and incorporates unusual and whimsical plants throughout the landscape.

Tess Schiavone GGN Principal, Landscape Designer, Native Plant Advocate

Session: From Lawns to Living Neighborhoods | Rainier Room | 2/17/2027, 10:00am

Tess Schiavone is a Principal at the internationally renowned landscape architecture firm GGN, where she works with diverse project teams designing private residential gardens, urban parks, and campuses.

Passionate about regenerating landscapes through ecology and native planting design, Tess is currently helping develop Meadowshop, a GGN initiative promoting the beauty and benefits of Pacific Northwest native plants in gardens.

She also volunteers regularly at youth, horticultural, and gardening events and serves on panels and juries for local and national organizations.

Kelsey Segaloff Content Creator, Podcast Host, Nerd

Session 1: Design Like a Theme Park: Storytelling with Plants | Adams Room | 2/20/2027, 4:30pm

Session 2: Container Showdown | | 2/21/2027, 11:00am

Kelsey Segaloff is a Massachusetts-based garden educator, content creator, and lifelong nerd who explores where plants and storytelling meet. Through her platform, Sprouts and Stories, she creates playful, beginner-friendly content for “nerds who garden and gardeners who nerd.”

Her work goes beyond the traditional backyard garden, exploring how plants shape theme parks, video games, board games, and popular culture. Whether she's explaining how theme parks use horticulture to tell stories or turning gardening mechanics from games into real-life ideas, Kelsey helps audiences see gardens and fictional worlds in a new way.

Lane Selman Author, Culinary Breeding Network Founder, Professor OSU

Session 1: Meet & Greet: Culinary Breeding Network | 2/20/2027, 12:30pm

Session 2: Radicchio Amore: From Seed to Table | Adams Room | 2/20/2027, 1:30pm

Lane Selman is a Professor at Oregon State University, author of Radicchio: A Celebration of the Beloved Italian Vegetable (Timber Press, 2026), and a nationally recognized leader in the movement to connect agriculture, flavor, and community.

In 2012, she founded the Culinary Breeding Network, a community-driven initiative connecting plant breeders, farmers, chefs, and eaters to develop and promote diverse, organic, and flavorful varieties of vegetables, grains, pulses, and fruits. Through plant breeding, biodiversity, and collaboration, her work is helping reshape how we grow, enjoy, and celebrate food.

Lane's work has been featured in The New York Times, Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, Civil Eats, EatingWell, and Saveur. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Lindsey Teuteberg Author, Green Witch, Music Therapist

Session: The Wheel of the Year for Gardeners | Adams Room | 2/19/2027,12:00pm

Lindsey Teuteberg is an avid gardener, green witch, healer, and author of The Gardening Guide for Green Witches (Cool Springs Press, 2027).

A music therapist, counselor, musician, and community activist, Lindsey runs her own therapeutic practice and performs with her band, Black Moon Lilith, when she's not tending her garden.

She is also a founding member of her community's mutual aid network, which supports local residents through a variety of initiatives, including gardening-based programs.

Ingela Wanerstrand Garden Coach & Designer, Horticulture Instructor

Haley Wiggins Botanist, Bloedel Reserve Natural Area Conservation Manager

Session: Meadow Makeover: Lessons from Bloedel Reserve for Your Garden | Hood Room | 2/19/2027, 9:30am

Haley Wiggins is a botanist and Natural Area and Conservation Manager at Bloedel Reserve, where she oversees the bird marsh and pollinator meadow and leads conservation initiatives.

She holds a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Montana's College of Forestry and Conservation, where she studied ecological restoration and landscape, forest, and fire ecology. Before moving into horticulture, Haley worked as a field biologist and botanist, studying the effects of fire on vegetation.

Since joining Bloedel Reserve in 2019, she has co-authored its Forest Management Plan, initiated conservation programs and meadow experiments, and developed partnerships with local conservation agencies.

Pamela Wilkins Creator Garden Optional, Librarian, Zine Maker

Session: Written in Stone: Make a Hypertufa Trough | DIY Demo Stage | 2/18/2027, 1:15pm

Pamela Wilkins is a zine maker, librarian, and creator of Garden Optional, where she explores the connections between gardening, community, resilience, and everyday creativity.

She coined the term "garden optional" to describe people who love plants but feel disconnected from traditional gardening because of limited space, experience, confidence, time, or income. Growing mostly in containers, Pamela credits years without outdoor space for shaping her creative approach.

Through writing, social media, and zines, she encourages hesitant, unconventional, and late-blooming gardeners to grow food and tend plants on their own terms. Her philosophy is simple: gardeners are made by mindset, not land ownership.

Silas Zoeller Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Horticulturist, Rare Plant Enthusiast

Session: Birth of a Botanic Garden | Adams Room | 2/18/2027, 10:30am

Silas Zoeller is a self-described rabid rare plant enthusiast. His experience working at some of the UK's great gardens sparked an interest in plant conservation and a determination to broaden plant lovers' horizons.

He now works with the exceptional plant collection at Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy and has traveled to Asia and South America on plant-hunting expeditions.

While Silas refuses to be pinned down to any one type of plant, ancient plant lineages remain a particular favorite, especially ferns of all sorts.