2026 Garden Expo Recap and Presentation Slides

🌱 2026 Wisconsin Garden Expo Recap

We are back from our second year at the Wisconsin Garden Expo hosted by PBS, and we are still buzzing from the energy! It was a joy to connect with so many fellow gardeners and hear your stories about our seeds and bulbs. Badger Flame Beets were the number one seller! 

🏠 A Bigger Home for Our Seeds

Bringing the entire seed shop on the road is no small feat. Bonnie and I want to give a massive shout-out to our friend Jen, whose help was invaluable. We really could not do it without her. This year, we doubled our booth size, which gave us some much-needed elbow room to interact with everyone more comfortably.

📚 Education: Creating Gardens for Seedsaving

Our presentation, “How to Create a Garden for Seed Saving,” was a highlight of the weekend. We were thrilled to host over 300 participants, many of whom were just starting their gardening journeys. We talked plant taxanomy, distance to separate crops, and ways to prevent cross pollination with physical barriers. If you want to learn more, simply click on the link for the presentation slides. We know it can be hard to understand from just slides and notes, so it is a video we will produce and make available. 

The "Why" Behind the Seeds:
I shared a personal story about the Rockefeller Roma Tomato. This variety was gifted to me as a teenager, but I lost the seeds in my early adulthood. After the passing of Mr. Rock, I could no longer find anyone with this variety. This loss is a core part of my motivation: to ensure these living legacies are preserved through community seed saving.

🔗 [View the Presentation Slides Here] 

🌸 The "Fan Favorites" of 2026

It’s always fascinating to see which varieties capture the imagination of the gardening community. This year, these were the stars of the show.  Everyone loved out prices on the fancier cosmos and zinnias. Our native line continues to help promote native plantings that in turn help the rest of your gardening efforts.  The Kits were big hits and we are restocking all of them now.  Just wait until you see what we are planning for 2027 - you will want to be there. 

📦 Order Update & Shipping

Thank you so much for your patience! For those who placed orders at the show:

• We are currently finalizing orders while traveling.
• We are waiting on a few specific seed arrivals.
• The cold continues but it looks like we can get all the bulb orders like pre-chilled tulips out this Wednesday or starting next Tuesday (3/3) - its all dependent on the weather. 
• Expect your packages to be on their way within the next few days!

💡 Closing Thoughts

The shared love for seeds is more than just a hobby—it is hope for a brighter tomorrow. Thank you for being part of the revival of the "lost art" of seed saving. We can't wait to see what you grow this season!

Happy Gardening! 🌻 - Andre & Bonnie Paquette