The best deal in town is the seminar series at the annual Northwest Flower & Garden Show, which starts Wednesday, where dozens of experts will weigh in on so many different topics, it'll make your head spin.

All 199 seminars, on four different stages, are free with admission to the show (see Web site for the wide price range; a regular adult day pass is $19).

New this year is an emphasis on hands-on presentations; fun gardening for kids; and loads of help and products for new homeowners, balcony gardeners and those just starting to garden.

The seminars are keyed to help you navigate all the offerings. Symbols make it clear which lectures are best for beginning gardeners, those gardening with kids or those gardening in small spaces.

Here are a few talks you should not miss:

For lessons in basic gardening skills, check out the offerings on the Monrovia stage.

Pruning diva Cass Turnbull presents "Secrets to Successful Pruning" at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 11, and Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott teaches how to transplant at 2:30 p.m. the same day.

Hear Valerie Easton


Easton's talk, "Starting Over — The Story Behind a New Mid-Life Garden," will focus on her tiny, new, low-maintenance garden on Whidbey Island. Hear how and why a dedicated naturalistic gardener found happiness creating a minimalist, modern garden of raised beds and limited color palette. Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in the Rainier Room.

The Northwest Flower & Garden Show


The event runs 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Feb. 11

and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, 800 Convention Place

(Seventh Avenue and Pike Street), Seattle.

Tickets are available at area nurseries, by calling 206-789-5333 or at the door on the days of the show; or you can purchase and print out your tickets at www.gardenshownw.com.

Ask before you buy. Admission prices vary widely. For example, a ticket purchased before Feb. 8 is $16, a day-of-show ticket is $19 and a premium ticket (includes valet parking) is $48. However, adults 25 and under can get in for $8 if they have valid student identification. There are also prices for youth tickets for those under 17, half-day tickets and group tickets.

For a complete show schedule, see the insert in Pacific Northwest magazine Sunday.

Natural lawn care, easy houseplants and composting are other topics sure to get beginners off to a good start in the garden.

The seminar series is intended to entertain as well as enlighten, with topics ranging from containers for balconies (Tina Dixon, 11 a.m. Thursday in the Hood Room) to a demonstration of the coolest new garden gear and gadgets (Monrovia Stage, Saturday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m.).

The Sproutopia stage for children has lively programming going on all five days of the show, including presentations on bugs, bats and worms.

Nick Bantock, author of the best-selling illustrated book "Griffin and Sabine: An Extraordinary Experience" (Chronicle Books, $19.95), will give a talk on garden art in conjunction with his collaboration on one of the show gardens.

Griffin's garden is "Windflower: An Alchemical Garden," designed with Alan Burke. Griffin's talk is at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, in the Rainier Room.

So whether you want to learn about raised beds or hydrangeas, hear your favorite garden columnist or keep the kids amused, this year's lecture series is for you.

And as dedicated show attendees have learned, the seminars provide a welcome place to sit down, relax and get away from the bustle of the display gardens and the marketplace.

Here are a few of the 2006 Northwest Flower & Garden Show highlights sure to be a hit:

• Tired of the crowds? Buy a premium ticket ($48) and get in at 8 a.m. before the official show opens. Call 206-789-5333 now; these tickets are limited.

• Need an expert opinion? Bring your pest-control, pruning or other gardening questions to Washington State University Master Gardeners, located on the sixth floor.

• Looking for inspiration? There will be exceptional display gardens this year, with Christianson's Nursery's nostalgic "The Joy of Lost Time" and the Arboretum Foundation's woodland garden designed by the Berger Partnership.

• For sheer excitement, check out Mesogeo Nursery's garden, which combines Moroccan colors, Islamic design and rare Mediterranean plants.

• For inexpensive ideas, the name says it all: Olympic Nursery's garden is called "Cycle and Recycle: From Junk to Garden Art."

• And for sweet inspiration, head to the Chocolate Flower Farm, where designer Pamela Richards teamed up to create a sensual, scented garden called "Claire's Canvas" with cool plants in shades of chocolate.

Valerie Easton also answers questions in Wednesday's Plant Talk in Northwest Life. Send questions to P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111 or planttalk@seattletimes.com. Sorry, no personal replies.