The Festival Center at the 18th annual Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival presented by HGTV will be alive with expert-led seminars, demonstrations, discussions and Q&A sessions daily throughout the 75-day event that begins March 2 at Walt Disney World Resort.
Located next to Mission: Space in Future World at Epcot, the Festival Center showcases HGTV and HGTV.com celebrities on weekends and other experts — including “Master Gardeners” from University of Florida, Walt Disney World Horticulturists and a mix of national and regional TV/radio personalities, authors and educators — seven days a week. Here’s what’s happening:
- The HGTV Designers’ Stage in the Festival Center features presentations daily at noon and 3 p.m. on a broad range of garden and design topics — beginning with “Butterflies & Beyond” by entomologist Jaret Daniels on the opening two days of the festival. Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday through May 15, popular experts from HGTV will take over, beginning with Genevieve Gorder (HGTV Design Star and Dear Genevieve) March 4-6 on the topic “The Art of Sculpting Space.”
- Meanwhile, at the Festival Center’s Greenhouse Stage daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Disney Horticulturists, authors and educators will share tips and secrets guests can plant in their own garden. These limited-space sessions include interactive hands-on discoveries during which guests make something to take home.
- Experts from University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) present Planting Pointers — gardening ideas for everyone — daily at 1 and 4 p.m. Guests also can Ask an Expert — a UF/IFAS “Master Gardener” — their gardening questions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Here are topics and speakers scheduled for HGTV Designers’ Stage and Greenhouse Stage:
Presentations daily at noon and 3 p.m.
(HGTV/HGTV.com celebrity distinctions are noted in parentheses)
March 2-3: “Butterflies & Beyond” — Jaret C. Daniels
March 4-6: “The Art of Sculpting Space” — Genevieve Gorder (HGTV Design Star and Dear Genevieve)
March 7-10: “Passalong Plants” — Felder Rushing
March 11-13: “Design It Yourself: Easy-to-follow Tips for Designing Your Favorite Rooms” — Lisa LaPorta (Designed to Sell)
March 14-17: “Grow Great Grub” — Gayla Trail
March 18-20: “The 5 DIY Secrets That Can Transform Any Space” — Kim Myles (Myles of Style)
March 21-24: “10 Heirloom Plants You Should Be Growing” / “New & Exciting Plants for Every Garden” — Danielle Sherry
March 25-27: “Mobile Gardens” — Brian Patrick Flynn (Design Happens, HGTV.com)
March 28-31: “Secrets of the Garden Revealed & More Plants For Free” — Ken Druse
April 1-3: “Adding Value to Your Home without Breaking the Bank” — Taniya Nayak (Designed to Sell and Destination Design)
April 4-7: “Four Season Garden & Proven Combinations” — Erica Glasener
April 8-10: “Life, Love and Landscaping” — Ahmed Hassan (Yard Crashers)
April 11-14: “Container Gardening: From Dirt to Design & The Secret to Combining Plants” — Steve Aitken
April 15-17: “Gardening with Kids: Fun Seed Starting Projects” — Patti Moreno (Garden Girl, HGTV.com)
April 18-21: “Year-round Garden-tainment” — Melinda Myers
April 22-24: “Creative, Back-to-Basics Style for All Things Natural and Decorative” — Michele Beschen (B. Original)
April 25-28: “Herbal Blends from Around the World” — Susan Belsinger & Tina Marie Wilcox
April 29-May 1: “The Design Process: Curb Appeal Projects from Concept to Construction” — John Gidding (Curb Appeal: The Block)
May 2-5: “The Small-Budget Gardener” — Maureen Gilmer
May 6-8: “Beautiful on a Budget: High Style, Low Cost Secrets to Bringing Indoor Styling Outside” — Frank Fontana (Design on a Dime)
May 9-12: “Slow Gardening” — Felder Rushing
May 13-15: “Top Design Trends Made Affordable and Accessible” — Vern Yip (HGTV Design Star)
Presentations daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
(Visit the Festival Center for topics on days not noted)
March 4-6: “Groceries from the Garden” — Robert Bowden
March 10-13: “Gardening for all Generations” — Brenda Sandberg & Scott Hulett
March 17-20: “Gardening in Miniature” — Joseph Rainey
March 24-27: “Helpful Mower & Small Equipment Tips” — Scott Franklin
March 31-April 3: “Tropical Edibles” — Jarrod Stewart
April 7-10: “Fun Holiday Projects” — Doug Benedict
April 15-17: “Gardening Challenges” — Tom MacCubbin
April 21-24: “Seed, Sow & Grow” — Ed Buhler
April 28-May 1: “Inspiring Patio Designs” — Allison Brooks
May 6-8: “Mastery & Mind in Living Flowers” — Ricardo Bansho Carrasco
May 12-15: “A to Z on Herbs” — Tracy Fischer
The presentations are included with Epcot admission, but seating is limited and on a first-come basis. Speakers, presentations and guests are subject to change without notice. For more Epcot International Flower & Garden information, visit disneyworld.com/flower.
Related articles
- HGTV to Sponsor Disney’s 18th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (chipandco.com)
- Toy Story 3 Topiary Headlines at Epcot Flower & Garden Festival March 2-May 15, 2011 (chipandco.com)
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