It’s no secret that there’s a slight infatuation with ferns at the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden. What you may not know, however, is that through a partnership with the Hardy Fern Foundation, we’ve been starting ferns from spores en masse over the last five years for the HFF’s production and distribution programs. Join gardener Dennis Beatty for a detailed look into this rewarding propagation method.
In this class, you’ll learn how to collect and store spores, techniques for creating the ideal environment for spore germination, and a brief overview of the unique lifecycle of ferns. We’ll tour some of the garden’s fern collection and take an in-depth look at the different growing spaces we utilize from spore to sporeling. We’ll also discuss other propagation methods you can use at home to fill your garden with fronds.

Instructor Bio:

Dennis Beatty is a gardener at the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, former Program and Nursery Manager of the Hardy Fern Foundation, and former Program Administrator for the Northwest Horticultural Society. He made the leap from engineering to horticulture in 2017 when he attended Edmonds College and received degrees in Landscape Design, Ornamental Horticulture – Nursery and Greenhouse, and Sustainable Landscape Management. In his free time, he loves hiking, visiting gardens of all shapes and sizes, and going on road trips with his wife and son.

LIMIT: 15 (MAXIMUM 2 PER REGISTRATION) – FEE IS PER PERSON

A portion of the class fees will be donated to the Great Plant Picks program.