Wisconsinites are invited to cultivate their love for gardening and sustainable living at the 2025 Garden & Green Living Expo. The three-day event is Friday, Feb. 7 through Sunday, Feb. 9 at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way in Madison, Wisconsin.
During the expo, attendees can connect with seasoned gardeners and environmental enthusiasts to explore and celebrate the joys of gardening, landscaping, local food culture and ecological responsibility.
Hosted by PBS Wisconsin in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension Horticulture Program, the expo will feature experts who can offer myriad insights, tips and plant identification assistance to gardeners and landscapers of all skill levels.
Attendees get full access to the expo’s vendor mall filled with more than 150 exhibitors selling seeds, plans, landscaping and environmental services, books, tools, equipment and other useful merchandise for gardening and landscaping.
Guests can also attend more than 125 free expert-led educational seminars and demonstrations on topics related to perennial garden design, cultivation of herbs, vegetables and fruit in containers, pruning deciduous shrubs, foraging, food preservation, proper tree planting and more.
That's not all
Additional highlights of the expo taking place throughout the weekend include:
- PBS KIDS Backyard: This family friendly offering features educational gardening activities as well as playground equipment (a playset, trampoline and backyard games) provided by PlayN Wisconsin. The Backyard will also feature appearances and meet-and-greets with Stu from “Lyla in the Loop” and Daniel Tiger.
- Dane County Trash Lab: This imaginative mobile experience, housed in an upcycled cargo trailer, encourages individuals of all ages to rethink their relationships with waste, protect our environment and contribute to redesigning our production and waste systems. The Trash Lab is wheelchair accessible and Spanish language materials are available.
- Creative workshops: Workshops hosted by Chelsey Walker Creative in partnership with Garden & Green Living Expo include classes on crafting succulent jewelry, creating living floral tattoos and assembling hand-tied market bouquets. Tickets are $55 per person and must be purchased online on or before Jan. 31 .
- Flower Show: This year’s Standard Flower Show is titled Space: The New Frontier and is presented by Madison District Garden Clubs. National Garden Clubs judges will evaluate exhibits and viewers are encouraged to vote for their favorite during each day of the expo.
- Saturday Floral Design Challenge: This competition based on the popular TV show “Chopped,” will challenge four Standard Flower Show judges to create floral designs with mystery objects in their baskets. Designers will describe their inspiration and the audience will pick their favorite. The competition is Feb. 8 from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. on Demo Stage A.
- Sunday Farmers Market: Feb. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., guests can purchase local goods from farmers, food artisans and local food retailers. Offerings include jams, jellies, sauces, heritage pork, beef, lamb, herbal tea, chocolates and a wide variety of locally made and grown products.
Hours for the Garden & Green Living Expo are Friday, Feb. 9 from noon to 7 p.m.; Saturday, Feb 8 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Additional event information is available at wigardenexpo.com.
Get your tickets
Advance tickets are available through Thursday, Feb. 6 and can be purchased online. Pricing is $10 in advance ($12 at the door) for single-day tickets, with two and three-day passes available for $15 ($17 at the door) and $18 ($20 at the door). Children age 12 and under are admitted for free. All proceeds support PBS Wisconsin’s quality programming, educational initiatives and events that serve to enrich Wisconsin communities.
Note: Parking is available at the Alliant Energy Center for $8 and must be paid with a debit card, credit card or mobile payment (cash is not accepted for parking).
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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