Over two decades of great gardening advice
Every year between January and March, Jefferson County Master Gardeners sponsor a lecture series featuring celebrity gardeners, authors and subject matter experts on a variety of gardening subjects.
All sessions are held in-person at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. There is plenty of free parking at this venue.
Thanks to our audience and sponsors for a great 26th season in 2025.
We’ll see you again next year!
In the meantime, enjoy our speakers series at the Foundation meeting at the WSU Extension classroom in Port Hadlock.
The 2025 Presenters & their Topics:
Every year, when the days are at their shortest, the weather looks the bleakest, and die-hard gardeners are out shoveling compost in the mud, wondering if the sun will EVER shine again, the Jefferson County Master Gardener Foundation hosts the annual Yard and Garden Speaker Series. This year is the 26th time we have offered the lecture series!
The lecture series featured six celebrity gardeners, authors and subject matter experts sharing their knowledge on a variety of gardening subjects. Whatever the topic, they were always entertaining and educational. Plus they provided a wonderful break from the winter doldrums! Here is an overview of topics covered in 2025:
In Search of Excellence –
Great Plant Picks for the garden
Richie Steffen
Richie is the executive director for the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden where he oversees the garden, its rare plant collections, and the Miller Garden’s primary educational program, Great Plant Picks. Richie is the co-author of The Plant Lover’s Guide to Ferns.
The Beauty of Weeds
Mark Turner
Mark is a freelance editorial photographer specializing in botanical subjects, especially Northwest wildflowers and gardens. Mark is co-author of Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest, Trees & Shrubs of the Pacific Northwest, and the newly published Weeds of the Pacific Northwest.
Edible Garden Landscape Design
Sue Goetz
Sue is a garden designer and writer who has earned numerous awards for garden design and environmental impact. She is the author of Complete Container Herb Gardening, A Taste for Herbs, and other titles. Sue’s talk will be “Edible Garden Landscape Design.”
A Wild Idea: Native Plants for Pollinators, Birds, and Wildlife
David Allen
David is dedicated to growing native plants of the Olympic Peninsula. David owns Shore Road Nursery in Port Angeles, and has worked in the fields of restoration and plant propagation, including the Elwha River Restoration Project in the Olympic National Park, for more than 35 years.
Native Bees of Washington State
Karen Wright, Alex Wilson
Karen is the pollinator taxonomist for the Washington Bee Atlas, a WSDA Pollinator Program that trains and partners with volunteers to identify and map existing native bee species in every county in the state.
The Importance of Being Evergreen
Clay Antieau
Clay is a horticulturist, botanist, environmental scientist, and educator. He has served as president, board of directors member, and chapter chair of the Washington Native Plant Society, past president of the Northwest Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration, and research associate at the University of Washington’s Burke Herbarium.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Purchasing Tickets/Season Passes:
Single tickets will be available on-line starting January 1st. On-line sales must be completed no later than 6pm the Wednesday before the talk. Tickets can also be purchased at the door the day of the talk.
Season passes are $75 each and can be purchased online or by mail. Visit the BUY NOW page for more information. (Please see below for accepted payment methods and special instructions).
Jefferson County Master Gardeners in good standing are entitled to purchase ONE discounted season pass. Information on how to purchase this pass can be found on the SNOH MG page.
Please note:Subscribers will not receive a hard copy or paper season pass/ticket.
A confirmation email will be sent to the subscriber to acknowledge their purchase. Description for this block. Use this space for describing your block. Any text will do. Description for this block. You can use this space for describing your block.