THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16

Gardeners spend massive amounts of time concentrating on what is going to be “in” the garden, but usually not so much time about what goes “around” the garden. Selecting plants, choosing materials and shopping for furniture all contribute to its aesthetics, but which organizing principles are being used to create the gravitational pull that holds them all together? Careful attention to the boundaries of the garden can define the space both conceptually and physically, prevent distraction, underscore meaning and even become a space unto itself, thus assuring the interpretive success of that which lies within.

Arit Anderson is a British garden and landscaper designer, but she also presents on TV, writes for magazines, has a podcast and is co-founder of the Sustainable Landscape Foundation. A well-known figure in the UK garden media, Arit wants to share why she has a passion for communication and how she is using it to inspire gardeners and landscape professionals to think and be greener. Just like mycorrhizal fungi helps plant communicate, she will share her experience on why talking and collaborating is crucial for the future health of gardens and planet.

Anne Biklé - Biologist, science writer and co-author, What Your Food Ate and The Hidden Half of Nature

David R Montgomery, PhD - Award-winning University of Washington professor and co-author, What Your Food Ate and The Hidden Half of Nature

We know that what we eat matters to our health, but one aspect remains underappreciated—what the plants and animals that land on our dinner plates eat. It turns out that the roots of human health begin in the soil, with how we grow crops and raise livestock. Weaving history, science, and visits with innovative farmers reveals the links between soil health and human health become clear, and practices to improve soil health come into focus. Whether you are a conventional, organic, or regenerative gardener, everyone can improve their practices to improve their soil health.

Quintessential Signs of Spring: Valuable, Versatile Primulas

Ginger Hudson - Garden designer and Director, Jensen-Olson Arboretum, Juneau, AK

No matter what the weather, everyone wants to look out the window at their garden and see beauty from flowers and foliage. Here’s a primer on three plants that you might be overlooking for season-spanning elegance. Ginger Hudson shares the springtime colors, shapes and varieties of Primulas from the Nationally Accredited Primula Collection™ at the Jensen-Olson Arboretum. Deborah Trickett will get you craving the versatile Coleus, now enjoying a renaissance with luscious varieties sure to liven up any summer container or garden with colorful foliage. Finally, R. Theo Margelony shares his obsession with the perennial Hardy Fuchsias, stalwart performers that are hummingbird magnets lasting from summer into late fall.

No matter what the weather, everyone wants to look out the window at their garden and see beauty from flowers and foliage. Here’s a primer on three plants that you might be overlooking for season-spanning elegance. Ginger Hudson shares the springtime colors, shapes and varieties of Primulas from the Nationally Accredited Primula Collection™ at the Jensen-Olson Arboretum. Deborah Trickett will get you craving the versatile Coleus, now enjoying a renaissance with luscious varieties sure to liven up any summer container or garden with colorful foliage. Finally, R. Theo Margelony shares his obsession with the perennial Hardy Fuchsias, stalwart performers that are hummingbird magnets lasting from summer into late fall.

For every gardener, whether beginner or professional, understanding botanical Latin, the language of plant names, is both difficult and rewarding. Latin unlocks a world of information about your garden plants, in books and online, and ensures you apply the right care to the right plant. In this seminar, plant taxonomist and gardener Ross Bayton will guide you through some basic principles of botanical Latin, including its history, meanings and pronunciation, revealing some of the fascinating and touching tales behind the names.

Ever wonder why some gardens make your heart sing? Certainly, plants are what draw us to gardens. Colors, forms and scents enchant us, but chances are you are responding to lines and forms. Forms and lines define garden spaces and give strength and unity to a design. Hardscape elements on the ground plane, sculptural elements in three dimensions, and the forms of flower and foliage conspire to give a garden its unique character.

With green spaces valued in urban environments and with the effects of climate change a tangible threat, the beauty and importance of vines has never been more pertinent. They add privacy on fences, and screen outdoor spaces from prying eyes. Through their greenery, vines draw dwellings into the garden. Whether trained well or let untamed, they soften hard edges and give the garden a romantic feeling. Clematis, wisteria, and jasmine are obvious options, but leap forward into sausage vine, wood vamp, and cross vine.

Kim Stoddart - U.K. garden journalist and co-author, The Climate Change Garden 

Sally Morgan - U.K. co-author, The Climate Change Garden and author, The Healthy Vegetable Garden

With the myriad of challenges we now face, growing some of your own food is arguably more important than ever. With an emphasis on building resilience in the gardener as much as the garden, this seminar will look at simple but effective ways to work with the natural world to grow truly planet-friendly food year-round. Designed for gardens of all sizes, this is satisfying and effective grow-your-own edible gardening that boosts confidence, success, saves time and also lowers your carbon footprint overall.

Do you suffer from too many plants and too little space? Using examples from area gardens, Kathy Jentz, co-author of The Urban Garden, will illustrate basic design principles for maximizing garden space. Kathy will address common small-space challenges such as creating privacy and adding light to shady areas. She'll offer low-or-no-budget solutions as well.

Tropical and subtropical plants can add incredible energy and depth to your container gardens—responding to the heat of summer with increased vigor when more temperate accents are fading. But whether you use them as spectacular ‘thrillers’ or stunning ‘fillers,’ it’s important to follow some guidelines in the selection and planting process to help you avoid common pitfalls of pairing, proportion, and maintenance. You’ll also learn to use some of your favorite houseplants as the stars of some of your favorite new outdoor combinations!

When reflecting upon a garden that inspires you, do you recall the big picture, a panoramic shot? Or do you remember evocative details, a creative display within the garden, a vignette? These smaller elements encourage you to stop and engage. By including vignettes throughout your garden, you create focused areas within the whole. As a result, the space expands and feels much larger. Loree will share inspiring vignettes from her garden travels, as well as from her own Portland garden.

Wet winters, dry summers, heat domes, and atmospheric rivers, whatever the terminology—how does all this fit the puzzle of garden design? Learn tips, techniques, and stylizing for the real world. Healthy soil, drought-tolerant plants, micro-climates, rain gardens, no lawns, and more! Before and after makeover ideas for sustainability and adaptability.

Gardeners’ passion for seasonal perennials, bulbs, tubers and more shows no sign of letting up. Join horticulturist Richie Steffen as he cultivates his way through some of his dazzling finds from the garden show Plant Market. He will also show you a few other companion plants to go with his selections and provide booth numbers and company names so you can easily find your favorite choices. Richie has done the leg work, so you don’t have to!

Connect with nature by capturing the colors of the garden in a simple color study. We’ll explore the nature of color, in and out of the garden. Learn how recording colors in paint, fabric, collage, or photos, can encourage you to slow down, pay attention, and savor the season. Then download the handout with simple directions for creating your own color study and a call to share your colors at #NWFGColorcollective.

This seminar will demonstrate the best ways to prepare trees and shrubs for transplanting. Root washing and corrective pruning is different from conventional methods, yet ongoing research demonstrates that this new procedure leads to substantial increases in woody plant establishment and survival. Investing the time to prepare and install trees and shrubs properly will pay future dividends of reduced maintenance and increased plant health for the lifetime of your landscape. Handouts containing the text of the talk will be available to download.

Take your happy hour to new levels! In this hands-on presentation drafted from her Herbal Happy Hour Garden Course online, Robin demonstrates how to craft tantalizingly tasty libations harvested from beautiful garden-grown plants. She’ll teach ways to craft unique cocktails and mocktails you can grow, blend, pour, and sip in your home garden. Skip pricey bar tabs! Discover how to garden-to-glass your own tangy, tasty, unique, and luscious sippables at home.