SEATTLE — Calling all green thumbs: The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival begins on Valentine’s Day and lasts through Feb. 18 at the Seattle Convention Center. 

The event boasts more than 20 display gardens, 115 sessions and learning activities, and a marketplace where gardeners experienced and amateurs can stock up on tools. 

Below, learn more about a few of the show’s highlights and what you need to know to make the most of the event. 

Buy tickets here

One of the marquee experiences of the festival, garden creators from around the Pacific Northwest have 72 hours to put together display gardens that are displayed on the show floor, all revolving around a central theme.

The display gardens are meant to inspire visitors with innovative designs and ideas that they can take home and apply in their backyards. 

The garden festival has a slate of free seminars and demonstrations scheduled for every day of the event. The sessions will feature “cutting-edge advice from garden designers, horticulturists and authors” alongside practical demonstrations that span a variety of garden projects. Each day’s seminars and demonstrations are included in the ticket price, so visitors may attend as many as they like. 

View the seminar and demo lineup here.

Container wars

At the main stage of the festival each day, gardening experts will go head-to-head to create “beautiful and practical containers.” Seattle gardening columnist Marianne Binetti will return as the emcee of the event.

The Big British Tea

On Wednesday evening from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., join other garden guests for a menu of snacks and tea and learn pointers on taste and the ideal way to prepare. A brief panel will also be held featuring Garden Judge Jo Thompson and “Mr. Plant Geek” Michael Perry. Special tickets are required for this event, so check out this link for additional info.

Blooms & Bubbles

The festival will include design workshops with show admission, materials to create a project with professional instruction and a choice of an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage.

What time does the festival start and end each day?

The festival runs daily from Feb. 14-17 between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. On Sunday, Feb. 18, it will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where is the festival located?

The festival will take place at the Seattle Convention Center at 705 Pike Street (corner of 7th and Pike Street).

What are the different types of festival tickets?

The deadline for purchasing Early Bird Adult tickets passed on Feb. 13, but here is a table summarizing the ticket options for the festival from its website.