Chicago garden of restaurateur Rick Bayless

Chicago garden of restaurateur Rick Bayless

August 20, 2020 No, I have not recently traveled to Chicago (I wish!). But I did just come across photos from the 2009 Garden Bloggers Fling in Chicago and was stunned to realize I’d never written about one of the gardens we visited: the home garden of chef, restaurateur, TV ...
Caldwell Lily Pool, an oasis in Chicago

Caldwell Lily Pool, an oasis in Chicago

June 08, 2009 For my last post about Chicago Spring Fling, I’ll revisit a gem of a garden hidden away in a corner of Lincoln Park, not far from the zoo: Caldwell Lily Pool. A sign gives you the back story. Like entering a cave or a slot canyon, you ...
Visit to Garfield Park Conservatory

Visit to Garfield Park Conservatory

June 06, 2009 I’m going to reveal my innate geekiness by comparing the Fern Room in Chicago’s excellent Garfield Park Conservatory to the lush, edenic world created by Project Genesis in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. Come on, you know you’ve seen it. Don’t you agree? A century old, ...
Intimate gardens of Spring Fling

Intimate gardens of Spring Fling

June 05, 2009 Mr. McGregor’s Daughter’s garden On Thursday before Chicago Spring Fling, Mr. McGregor’s Daughter invited those she knew were arriving early to visit her garden, Squirrelhaven. Several of us took the train from the hotel that afternoon and were met at the station by an open-armed, excitedly yelling ...
Art Institute Garden in Chicago

Art Institute Garden in Chicago

June 04, 2009 Heading back to the hotel after spinning under the Bean, Diana and I couldn’t resist a quick peek at the Art Institute‘s north garden (we missed the south garden). Here are just a few images from this small but lovely public garden. Pictured above is prairie smoke ...
On Cloud Nine in Lurie Garden

On Cloud Nine in Lurie Garden

June 03, 2009 One of the highlights of Spring Fling Chicago was a guided tour of Lurie Garden by chief horticulturalist Colleen Lockovitch. Colleen provided the ultimate insider’s guide to the garden, pointing out her favorite plants and explaining how she and her staff maintain them, suggesting we ask our ...
The people behind the blogs

The people behind the blogs

June 03, 2009 Layanee of Ledge and Gardens enjoying a glass of wine on Mr. McGregor’s Daughter’s patio. Layanee kept me in stitches with her wry humor. I’ve posted mainly about the gardens we saw at Chicago Spring Fling, but of course the real reason we all went was to ...
Trudi Temple's garden

Trudi Temple’s garden

June 02, 2009 On Sunday after the official Spring Fling activities had ended, Mr. McGregor’s Daughter picked up several of the late-stayers for additional garden tours she’d arranged in the western suburbs of Chicago. The star attraction was the beautiful garden of author Trudi Temple, who welcomed us with open ...
Chicago Botanic Garden wows Spring Flingers

Chicago Botanic Garden wows Spring Flingers

June 02, 2009 Tulips and toadflax Where to begin? Yesterday afternoon I returned to Austin from the second annual Garden Bloggers Spring Fling, held in Chicago this year, feeling dazzled by all the spring-blooming Windy City gardens, hoarse from talking so much with friends old and new, and dog-tired from ...
Spring Fling memories and anticipation

Spring Fling memories and anticipation

April 02, 2009 Gulf Coast penstemon ( Penstemon tenuis) One year ago this week, thirty-seven garden bloggers from across the U.S. were converging on Austin for a first national meet-up we dubbed Garden Bloggers Spring Fling. ‘Bath’s Pink’ dianthus ( Dianthus gratianopolitans ‘Bath’s Pink’) The first guest I met was ...
Garden bloggers meet-up in Chicago

Garden bloggers meet-up in Chicago

February 07, 2009 I’ve made my flight and hotel reservations. I’ve been checking the Chicago Gardeners website for updates. My bags are packed—metaphorically anyway. Where am I headed? To Chicago for Spring Fling, the 2nd annual garden bloggers meet-up, scheduled for May 29-31. According to their website, “all garden bloggers ...
Chicago Spring Fling site is up

Chicago Spring Fling site is up

January 26, 2009 We Austin garden bloggers, hosts of the first Garden Bloggers Spring Fling meet-up in 2008, are delighted to pass the baton for the 2nd annual Spring Fling to the welcoming Chicago gals and guys. Today they announced new details about the Fling on their event website, Chicago ...
Chicago, here we come!

Chicago, here we come!

September 30, 2008 Mr. McGregor’s Daughter and the Chicagoland bloggers have set the date for the Garden Bloggers Spring Fling 2009! Fellow garden bloggers, mark your calenders for May 29-31. I fully expect that the 2nd annual Fling will be bigger and better than when we Austinites kicked things off ...