Upcoming Events

Fern Companions Webinar: Epimediums with Richie Steffen

03/21/2024, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

HFF Webinar

Fern Companions: Epimediums with Richie Steffen

Thursday, March 21, 2024
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST

$10 Members (with coupon code) / $15 Non-Members

Watch for HFF email for registration.

 

 

Epimediums, commonly called barrenwort, bishop’s hat and fairy wings, are beautiful long-lived perennials that are a perfect complement for ferns. Join Richie Steffen, HFF Past President and Executive Director of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, as he shares his thoughts and experiences with growing these delightful plants. Richie has collected over 200 species and cultivars of Epimedium

Few people have a passion for plants or an excitement about gardening more than Richie Steffen. Richie is the executive director for the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, overseeing the development of the garden, its programs, and the rare plant collections. His expertise comes from over thirty-five years of experience in the horticultural field, with the last 24 years spent at the Miller Garden. Ferns have become a specialty for him, and he maintains extensive collections at the Miller Garden and his home garden. He has traveled to Europe, Japan, Chile, New Zealand and Costa Rica as well as numerous trips around the US studying ferns and other plants.

He is active in the gardening community and is currently past president of the Hardy Fern Foundation and the Northwest Horticultural Society. A noted lecturer, writer and photographer, Richie is the co-author of the “Plant Lover’s Guide to Ferns” with his friend and fern mentor Sue Olsen.

Fern Companions Class: Epimediums with Richie Steffen

04/20/2024, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

HFF Class

Fern Companions Class: Epimediums with Richie Steffen

Saturday, April 20, 2024
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST

$25 Members (with coupon code) / $35 Non-Members

Watch for HFF email for registration.

 

Few people have a passion for plants or an excitement about gardening more than Richie Steffen. Richie is the executive director for the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, overseeing the development of the garden, its programs, and the rare plant collections. His expertise comes from over thirty-five years of experience in the horticultural field, with the last 24 years spent at the Miller Garden. Ferns have become a specialty for him, and he maintains extensive collections at the Miller Garden and his home garden. He has traveled to Europe, Japan, Chile, New Zealand and Costa Rica as well as numerous trips around the US studying ferns and other plants. 

He is active in the gardening community and is currently past president of the Hardy Fern Foundation and the Northwest Horticultural Society. A noted lecturer, writer and photographer, Richie is the co-author of the “Plant Lover’s Guide to Ferns” with his friend and fern mentor Sue Olsen. 

Join Richie Steffen, Past President of the Hardy Fern Foundation and local epimedium connoisseur, for an indepth look at this fascinating and charming group of perennial plants. Whether you know them as barrenworts, bishop’s hat or fairy wings, the selection and diversity of epimediums has become dazzling.

Richie will showcase plants from the remarkable collection Nils Sundquist has created at his wholesale nursery. Learn which cultivars have the best flowers, foliage and which are drought tolerant. Plants will be available for sale!

Fern Companions Class: Hostas and Other Shade Loving Perennials with Richie Steffen

05/25/2024, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Save the Date!

HFF Class

Learn how to grow a fabulous foliage fern companion plant… hostas!

Saturday, May 25, 2024
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST

Fern Fest 2024, Save the Dates!

06/01/2024 - 06/02/2024, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Save the Dates!

Plant Sale at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens

More information coming soon.

 

Saturday, June 1st from 10AM to 3PM

Sunday, June 2nd from 10AM to 2PM

Fern ID – Identifying Common Fern Genus with Richie Steffen

06/06/2024, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

HFF Webinar

Fern ID – Identifying Common Fern Genus with Richie Steffen

Thursday, June 6, 2024
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST

$10 Members (with coupon code) / $15 Non-Members

Watch for HFF email for registration.

 

Figuring out what ferns you have can be such a mystery. Is it a Polystichum or a Dryopteris? Even the botanical names can seem daunting to many gardeners not to mention terms used by fern lovers to describe fern anatomy. Join, Richie Steffen, HFF Past President and executive director of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, as he shares key characteristics and traits of common fern genera in our gardens.

Few people have a passion for plants or an excitement about gardening more than Richie Steffen. Richie is the executive director for the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, overseeing the development of the garden, its programs, and the rare plant collections. His expertise comes from over thirty-five years of experience in the horticultural field, with the last 24 years spent at the Miller Garden. Ferns have become a specialty for him, and he maintains extensive collections at the Miller Garden and his home garden. He has traveled to Europe, Japan, Chile, New Zealand and Costa Rica as well as numerous trips around the US studying ferns and other plants.

He is active in the gardening community and is currently past president of the Hardy Fern Foundation and the Northwest Horticultural Society. A noted lecturer, writer and photographer, Richie is the co-author of the “Plant Lover’s Guide to Ferns” with his friend and fern mentor Sue Olsen.

The Odd & Unusual and the Particular & Precious Ferns of My Travels with Richie Steffen

10/17/2024, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

HFF Webinar

The Odd & Unusual and the Particular & Precious Ferns of My Travels with Richie Steffen

Thursday, October 17, 2024
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST

$10 Members (with coupon code) / $15 Non-Members

Watch for HFF email for registration.

A fern lecture dedicated to an assortment of fantastic species and Victorian oddities that have eluded widespread cultivation. Richie has been collecting and gardening with ferns for over 30 years. He has had the pleasure of visiting dozens of specialty fern gardens and nurseries and has traveled to several countries to see ferns in the wild. He will share images of pteridophyte gems he has encountered over the years that kindled a love and lust for these fabulous foliage plants.

Few people have a passion for plants or an excitement about gardening more than Richie Steffen. Richie is the executive director for the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, overseeing the development of the garden, its programs, and the rare plant collections. His expertise comes from over thirty-five years of experience in the horticultural field, with the last 24 years spent at the Miller Garden. Ferns have become a specialty for him, and he maintains extensive collections at the Miller Garden and his home garden. He has traveled to Europe, Japan, Chile, New Zealand and Costa Rica as well as numerous trips around the US studying ferns and other plants.

He is active in the gardening community and is currently past president of the Hardy Fern Foundation and the Northwest Horticultural Society. A noted lecturer, writer and photographer, Richie is the co-author of the “Plant Lover’s Guide to Ferns” with his friend and fern mentor Sue Olsen.