The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival at the Washington State Convention Center is Feb. 20-24 in Seattle.

Ready for a bit of spring? The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival Feb. 20-24 at the Washington State Convention Center is nirvana for gardeners and nature lovers every year, but it’s especially welcome after our recent bout of snowy winter weather.

Take a stroll through the festival’s 20 creative display gardens, colorful Floral Competition displays and the City Living container gardens exhibit for a few lovely hours of spring for everyone to enjoy, no green thumb required.

Display gardens celebrate the festival’s “Gardens of the World” theme, with designs inspired by gardens of Ireland, England, China, Tuscany, Pakistan, Ghana and Japan. Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association’s display has a “staycation” resort-in-your-backyard theme, and our diverse local plant habitats star in Puget Sound Conservation Districts’ display.

Along with display gardens, the festival’s other mainstay, a Marketplace of 300 vendors, has plenty of garden tools and accessories for gardeners, along with a big selection of art, housewares, gourmet foods and more.

The festival’s Plant Market is filled with mini-nurseries featuring woodland plants and ferns, specialty orchids, fragrant plants, trees and shrubs, house plants and an enormous selection of bulbs and seeds. Many gardening organizations are on hand with information and advice.

Continuous free seminars, hosted by gardening experts, offer advice for newbie to experienced gardeners on houseplants, edibles, culinary skills, sustainability trends and more. Seminar seating is first-come, first-served. Arriving 15-30 minutes before the starting time is recommended to get a good seat.

Flower & Garden Festival admission is free for ages 12 and younger, and kids are invited to participate in a Treasure Hunt in the display gardens to win an easy-to-grow starter plant.

The shopping, garden displays and vendors make the Flower & Garden Festival a perfect all-day or multiday outing for gardeners. For a shorter visit with plenty of time to stroll the gardens and browse through the vendors, the festival is less crowded in the late afternoons and evenings, and admission is half-price after 3 p.m. Wednesday through Feb. 23 and after 2 p.m. Feb. 24.

Parking in and near the Washington State Convention Center can fill up quickly during the popular event. Public transportation is suggested via King County Metro or Link Light Rail.

Northwest Flower & Garden Festival

Time: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 20-23, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 24

Cost: $19/online through Feb. 19; $24/at the door; $12/after 3 p.m. Feb. 20-23 and after 2 p.m. Feb. 24; $10/ages 13-23; ages 12 and younger free

Location: Washington State Convention Center, 705 Pike St., Seattle

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