In an era of unpredictable weather patterns, rising temperatures, and shifting ecosystems, gardeners and designers are at the forefront of building landscapes that can endure and thrive. We can create beautiful, biodiverse spaces by working with natural systems—selecting climate-ready plants, designing with water in mind, and learning from fire-adapted landscapes. Join us to explore practical, inspiring strategies for a future where gardens don’t just survive, but flourish.

Don’t miss this inspiring day featuring lectures by Jessi Bloom, Sean Hogan, Kevin Philip Williams, and Michael Guidi, plus a special session on USDA hardiness zone revisions.

Engage in an expert panel discussion on climate-ready gardens, network and connect, enjoy breakfast and lunch, and browse plant sales from vendors like Cistus Nursery.

Saturday, March 29, 2025

Bastyr University Auditorium

8:30 AM – Doors open, coffee and pastries, registration, plant shopping, and book sales

9:15 AM – Welcome, door prizes from Garden Guru and opening announcements

9:30 AM – Jessi Bloom – Rooted Resilience: Trees, Water & Fire in a Shifting Landscape

10:40 AM – Sean Hogan – What’s Next? Selecting Plants That Thrive Here

11:45 AM – 1:00 PM – Lunch and Plant and Book Sales

1:00 – 1:30 PM – Q&A with Sean Hogan – Zoning In: Your Hardiness Zone Questions Answered

1:40 PM – Kevin Philip Williams & Michael Guidi – Illuminating the Wild Potential of Shrublands

2:40 – 3:30 PM – Panel Discussion – Jessi Bloom, Sean Hogan, Kevin Philip Williams, and Michael Guidi, moderated by Sue Goetz

4:00 PM Plant sales end

Registrants will be able to pre-submit questions online for the 1:00 PM Q&A session with Sean Hogan

Door prizes from Garden Guru will be awarded during the morning and afternoon raffles.

When registering for the symposium, please select a meal choice for each attendee from the drop-down menu on the attendee info page. All lunch options can be made gluten-free—simply check the gluten-free box when making your selection.

Plants will be available for sale during the day from Cistus Nursery and local native plant growers Go Natives! Nursery and Nobody Nursery. 

Note: Go Natives! only accepts cash or Venmo.

Lecture Descriptions:

Rooted Resilience: Trees, Water & Fire in a Shifting Landscape
Join ecological designer and author Jessi Bloom for an in-depth exploration of how trees, water systems, and firescaping play a vital role in building resilient landscapes. Learn practical strategies for managing water, designing gardens that support biodiversity, and reducing wildfire risk. This talk will empower you with the knowledge and tools to create sustainable landscapes that thrive in dynamic conditions.

What’s Next? Selecting Plants That Love It Here with Sean Hogan
As seasons become less predictable, how do we choose what to plant? Sean Hogan, owner of Oregon’s Cistus Nursery—renowned for curating rare plants that excel in the Pacific Northwest—shares how to adapt our plant choices for long-term success. The best part is that we can be ecologically conscious without sacrificing variety and beauty. Create a garden you’ll love by expanding your garden’s palette with thoughtful zoning, microclimate awareness, and a fresh perspective on plant selection.

Illuminating the Wild Potential of Shrublands
Shrublands are everywhere, thriving in diverse environments—from the sun-drenched sagebrush steppe to the cool shade of dense forests. These adaptable ecosystems offer a wealth of inspiration for our gardens, providing habitat, resilience, and creative options for naturalistic design. Join the authors of “Shrouded in Light: Naturalistic Planting Inspired by Wild Shrublands,” (Filbert Press, 2024), Kevin Philip Williams & Michael Guidi, as they reveal the beauty, philosophy, and practical design strategies for translating these dynamic plant communities into your home landscape.

Panel Discussion
Powerhouse hort professional Sue Goetz moderates an insightful and lively panel discussion with our four experts, diving into the latest trends and innovations shaping the future of gardening and sustainable practices. From the latest green technologies to new plant varieties and landscape design breakthroughs, this is your chance to hear directly from leaders in the field.

Special Q & A Session:

Zoning In: Your Hardiness Zone Questions Answered

In 2023, over 50% of the country went up a hardiness zone, placing Seattle in 9a. Sean Hogan, who consulted with the USDA during that revision process, will answer questions like: Do you need to swap your hydrangeas for agaves?
Registrants can pre-submit their questions a few days before the event.

Book Sales & Author Signing

The book is available to members for purchase at $44—a 20% discount off MSRP.

Pre-purchased books will be available for pick-up and signing at the event.

The new book, “Shrouded In Light: Naturalistic Planting Inspired by Wild Shrublands,” invites readers to engage with shrubs by celebrating the shrublands that shape landscapes worldwide. It profiles dozens of shrublands, shrub forms, and shrub community types, showcasing their presence across diverse habitats and growing conditions. The book also explores the philosophies, aesthetics, and design strategies that emerge when gardening with these remarkable plants. Shrouded In Light prioritizes inspiration over instruction, featuring more than 250 captivating photographs and illustrations to create an immersive experience of shrublands. The book is the result of collaboration with numerous photographers, land managers, biologists, horticulture professionals, and artists from around the world—including many colleagues from the Gardens—to bring this vision to life.

Speaker Bios:

Jessi Bloom was born and raised in the PNW and has a strong background in horticulture and environmental sciences. Her early experience ranged in project management, from organizing restoration projects with community volunteers, to high-end residential and commercial landscape design/build. In early 2000, she decided to start an ethical business in the green industry to fill a niche for organic and ecological landscaping.  Seattle Times named her a “rockstar in the ecological gardening movement,” as she led N.W. Bloom to numerous environmental awards. She is the best-selling author of multiple books, including “Practical Permaculture Design”, now available in six languages, and “Creating Sanctuary: Sacred Garden Spaces”. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Better Homes & Gardens, Sunset Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Mother Earth News, UTNE Reader, Fine Gardening Magazine, and PBS’s Growing a Greener World.

Sean Hogan is founder, owner and principal designer at Cistus Design Nursery. Specializing in both public and private garden design, he is an author, plant hunter and collector who is passionate about introducing new and climate-appropriate plants to western North America. Sean has played a key role in popularizing underused and lesser-known plants suited for summer-dry climates. Located on scenic Sauvie Island, 15 miles northwest of Portland, Cistus offers a diverse and ever-evolving selection of climate-adapted plants, unique garden textures, and horticultural treasures from around the world.

Kevin Philip Williams is a naturalistic gardener who collaborates with plants to create dynamic, thought-provoking landscapes. His distinctive approach blends bioregional plant palettes, a hardcore punk ethos, and post-human aesthetics to craft wild, immersive spaces. His work with Denver Botanic Gardens has contributed to the development of renowned public gardens throughout the city. Previously, Kevin was a gardener on The High Line in Manhattan and a horticulture intern at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. He holds an master’s degree in public horticulture from the Longwood Graduate Program at the University of Delaware and a bachelor’s degree in the history and philosophy of science from Bard College.

Michael Guidi is an ecologist and horticulture researcher dedicated to naturalistic plantings that reflect the adaptability and resilience of wild ecosystems. Drawing inspiration from both urban liminal spaces and untamed landscapes, he favors common and weedy plants over rare specimens, advocating for dynamic, self-sustaining gardens and green infrastructure as alternatives to static, high-maintenance landscapes. His research bridges ecological theory with horticultural practice to expand the definition of gardens and gardening. Before joining the horticulture team at Denver Botanic Gardens, Michael worked as a field biologist. He holds an master’s degree in ecology from Colorado State University and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Ithaca College.

Fees will support our educational programs, as well as our community outreach grants and scholarships.