2025 PNW Garden Savvy
Welcome to the new PNW Garden Savvy!! (formerly known as BDG Workshops) This is your online Saturday morning go to for lively garden education while you enjoy your morning coffee or tea. While we have a new name, we will continue to provide timely, pertinent science based horticultural education.
PNW Garden Savvy classes are held Saturdays from 9:30 to 10:30 AM from January through October each year. They are held online via the Zoom platform. Registrants will receive Zoom instructions to access the online class via email prior to the presentation. The classes are recorded and recordings will be made available to all registrants. Handouts, if provided, are linked for each class.
Note: In some cases, speakers may have restricted the availability of recordings, and this information is provided with the registration information.
Cost: Advance registration is required for these classes. The class fees help the Master Gardener Foundation support the activities of the WSU Extension Master Gardener program in King County. Registration links for each class and for each series are included below.
Per class fee. The fee for each class will be $8.00.
Series subscription fee. There will be three series.
Each series has 6 classes and will be offered at a discounted subscription price of $38.00.
Series 1: January 11 to March 22, 2025
Series 2: April 12 to June 7, 2025
Series 3: September 6 to October 25, 2025
Financial Need Fee Waivers. Financial Need Fee Waivers are available for all classes. To request a waiver, complete and submit the request form prior to registering. The link to the waiver request form will be distributed by email about a week before each class is held. Please note that Financial Need Fee Waivers may not be used for a series subscription.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are gathered on the sacred lands of the Coast Salish Peoples who have lived along the shores of the Central Salish Sea since time immemorial. We honor all First Peoples indigenous to the place we now call King County – their ancestors and descendants who have cared for these sacred lands and waters for thousands of years. We give thanks to the Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snoqualmie, Stillaguamish, and Tulalip Tribes for sharing their ancestral lands and watersheds with us, and we embrace our responsibility to help protect and restore them for future generations.
Contact us: If you have questions about these classes, you may contact us at PNWGardenSavvy@mgfkc.com.
2025 Series 1
2025 Series 1 (6 classes):
PNW Garden Savvy classes from January 1 to March 22, 2025.
Registration is available for all the classes in Series 1 at one time. The cost is $38.00.
Jan. 11, 2025
Tips for New and Experienced Gardeners. Speaker: Bruce Bennett, Extension Master Gardener.
Presentation: This class will provide new gardeners with introductory information that has been revised through WSU and OSU research and by the speaker’s professional practice for the past twenty years. As plants and weather change over the years, so do the growing guidelines. So, even experienced gardeners can use a refresher class. Topics include new garden prep, different garden options, typical gardening mistakes, and other relevant topics. Handouts for this presentation: Ten Gardening Tips – How Much Mulch, Ten Gardening Tips – Reference List.
Jan. 25, 2025
Growing Roses in Today’s World. Speaker: Michele Thomas, Extension Master Gardener.
Presentation: Just in time for spring, this class will provide a history of roses, the most popular rose types, and roses best suited for our changing climate. Site selection (including different climates in King County), soil prep, and planting instructions will be discussed. Pruning, spring and fall rose care, and disease and pest management will also be addressed. Get ready for a successful season of roses. Handout for this presentation: Growing Roses in Today’s World.
Feb. 8, 2025
Balcony to Backyard: Climate Adapted Gardening in the PNW. Speaker: Del Brummet, Head Gardener, Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden.
Presentation: Del Brummet, head gardener of the Elisabeth C Miller Botanical Garden, will take you on a journey through the building and maintenance of his low water home garden. What techniques help to grow and establish a variety of plants with lower water needs? How do you pick plants for narrow spaces with shifting light throughout the year? Del’s garden features a variety of native plants combined with exotics which work together to create year-round interest while being mindful of ecological practices. From the extremely sunny back patio to the shaded under cedar section there should be something to learn for all gardeners. Handout for this presentation: Building a Climate Adapted Garden in the PNW.
Feb. 22, 2025
Wildlife Friendly Gardening for Natural Pest Control. Speaker: Laura Matter, Natural Yard Care Program Director, Tilth Alliance.
Presentation: When you create a wildlife friendly habitat for birds and insects, they in turn will provide you with natural pest and weed control.This class will teach you about the plants and design techniques that attract these delightful creatures to visit and live in your backyard. Handouts for this presentation: Bird Friendly Plantings, Attract Beneficial Insects, The Benefits of Evergreen Conifers, Resources for Edible Gardening.
Mar. 8, 2025
Best but Unusual Companion Plants for Rhododendrons. Speaker: Atsuko Gibson, Nursery Manager Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden.
Presentation: Whether your rhododendrons are big or small, there are always some plants that can be grown with them. Atsuko will introduce you to unusual perennials that pair well with your existing rhododendron plantings, or in a trough or large container planting.
Mar. 22, 2025
Mastering Mason Bees: Essential Insights for Successful Spring Pollination. Speaker: Dave Hunter, Founder and Owner of Crown Bees.
Presentation: Join Dave Hunter, a renowned local mason bee expert and the owner of Crown Bees, for an enlightening session designed for master gardeners. In this workshop, Dave will share his extensive knowledge on how to harmonize with nature to maximize the success of spring pollination with local native mason bee. Learn practical strategies and gain valuable insights that you can apply and pass on to others, ensuring a thriving and productive gardening season.
2025 Series 2
2025 Series 2 (6 classes):
PNW Garden Savvy classes from April 12 to June 7, 2025. Registration is available for all the classes in Series 2 at one time. The cost is $38.00.
Apr. 12, 2025
Gardening with Children. Speaker: Pauline O’Rourke, Extension Master Gardener and Instructor “Living Lab” and “Kids in the Garden” classes at the Bellevue Botanical Garden.
Presentation: Bring your children and grandchildren into the garden to learn about our natural world. They will discover where our food comes from, watch pollinators at work, and see how worms help our soil.
Apr. 26, 2025
Plant It Where the Sun Don’t Shine. Speaker: Greg Butler, Garden Designer and Educator.
Presentation: Here in the PNW, dry shade is a common gardening challenge. Fortunately, there are many species adapted to these conditions, and a plethora of native and exotic plants thrive in the parched shadow of conifers, deciduous woodlands, and north facing walls. We’ll discuss assessing and modifying site conditions, and then consider a wide assortment of trees, shrubs, perennials and ground covers that aren’t afraid of the dark.
May 3, 2025
Protecting our Unsung Heroes, our Pollinators. Speaker: Sue Melgaard, Extension Master Gardener
Presentation: For food security and survival of our plant species, pollination is critical and needs to be a high priority. Sue will present how to create a healthy habitat for our pollinator and beneficial insects.
May 17, 2025
Understanding King County Soils for Better Gardening. Speaker: Gary Hergert, recent PNW transplant, Professor Emeritus, University of Nebraska Agronomy-Horticulture.
Presentation: To be a successful gardener it is helpful to know the nature of the soil. This presentation will provide a focused look at soil, with something new for everyone. Recent local geology and parent materials that created King County soils will be discussed. Major soil properties including soil texture, soil structure, porosity, infiltration, water holding capacity and soil biology will be presented. Gain a new understanding of how to manage soil tilth, quality and health.
May 31, 2025
Rain Gardens. Speaker: Gary Fredericks, Extension Master Gardener.
Presentation: We live in an area where we either get too much rain or not enough. If your landscape suffers from being too soggy, WSU Extension Coordinator, Gary Fredricks will discuss an environmentally friendly way to create a native plant oasis that soaks up the extra rainwater. Learn where to place the garden, how to construct it, and what plants to consider.
Jun. 7, 2025
Deer Resistant Gardening. Speaker: Adam Romero, Extension Master Gardener.
Presentation: This talk explores the tenets and practices of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) through the lens of building a deer resistant garden. Our speaker will draw examples from his own experiences of gardening with extreme deer pressure. He will highlight the practices and plants to build and enjoy a garden alongside deer and other PNW wildlife.
2025 Series 3
Registration Not Available
2025 Series 3 (6 classes):
PNW Garden Savvy classes from September 6 to October 25, 2025. Registration is available for all the classes in Series 3 at one time. The cost is $38.00.
Sept. 6, 2025
Registration Not Available
Lovely Lawn Alternatives. Speaker: Sue Goetz, Horticulturist, Garden Designer.
Presentation: TBD
Sept. 13, 2025
Registration Not Available
Propagation from Cuttings: A Practical Approach for Roses and Perennials. Speaker: Jason Crouch, Owner Fraser Valley Rose Farm.
Presentation: TBD
Sept. 27, 2025
Registration Not Available
Fall Groundwork in the Natural Garden. Speaker: Laura Matter, Seattle Tilth.
Presentation: TBD
Oct. 4, 2025
Registration Not Available
Creating a Cut Flower Garden. Speaker: Colleen Donahue, Extension Master Gardener.
Presentation: TBD
Oct. 18, 2025
Registration Not Available
How to combine perennials, shrubs, and small trees for garden color throughout the year. Speaker: Cleo Raulerson, Extension Master Gardener.
Presentation: TBD
Oct. 25, 2025
Registration Not Available
Creating a Happy Home for Houseplants. Speaker: Ann Amato, Production Manager at Secret Garden Growers, Propagation Asst. at Little Prince of Oregon.
Presentation: TBD
WSU extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through our local extension office. Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and special needs; contact the WSU Extension King County office at king.mg@wsu.edu at least two weeks prior to the event.