Garden bloggers meet-up in Chicago
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 big or small” are welcome to attend for garden tours, nursery visits, lunches and dinners, and yet-to-be-announced speakers, not to mention socializing with fellow plant-crazy bloggers. If you’re still on the fence, check out this list of garden bloggers who will be there. (These bloggers have joined the Chicago Gardeners website as members or said online that they’re going. If I’ve incorrectly included or left off anyone, I apologize, and please let me know.)
Gail of Clay and Limestone (Tennessee)*
Ivette Soler of The Germinatrix (Los Angeles)
Randy of Horselips Horse Sense (Austin)
Kylee of Our Little Acre (Ohio)
Cheryl of Conscious Gardening (Austin)
Vanessa of The Rhinestone Contessa (Wisconsin)
Mary Ann Newcomer of Idaho Gardener (Boise)*
Diana Kirby of Sharing Nature’s Garden (Austin)*
Xris of Flatbush Gardener (Brooklyn)
Susan Harris of Sustainable Gardening & Garden Rant (Washington, D.C. area)*
Leslie of Growing a Garden in Davis (CA)
Shawna of Gardening Nude & The Casual Gardener (Warrenville, IL)
Dee Nash of Red Dirt Ramblings (Oklahoma)*
Diane McCarthy of The Garden of Live Flowers (Chicago)
Linda Brazill & Mark Golbach of Each Little World (Madison, WI)
Debra Prinzing of Shed Style (Southern CA)
Carol of May Dreams Gardens (Indianapolis)*
Monica of Garden Faerie’s Musings (Ann Arbor, MI)
Jill-O of Through the Looking Glass (Michigan)
Elizabeth Licata of Gardening While Intoxicated & Garden Rant (Buffalo, NY)*
Cindy of From My Corner of Katy (Houston area)*
Shady Gardener of Does Everything Grow Better in My Neighbor’s Yard? (Iowa)
Frances of Fairegarden (Tennessee)*
Nancy France of Nancy’s Garden Spot (Houston)*
Layanee DeMerchant of Ledge and Gardens (Rhode Island)*Tried!
Robin Wedewer of Bumblebee Blog (Maryland)*
Raquel of Perennial Garden Lover (Newport News, VA)
Vicki of Playin’ Outside (Austin)*
Katie of GardenPunks (Northern CA)
Lisa of Greenbow (Indiana)
Rose of Prairie Rose’s Garden (Illinois)
Beckie of Dragonflycorner (Illinois)
Gloria of Pollinators-Welcome (Chicago)
And the organizing committee of Chicagoans:
Linda of Garden Girl
Carolyn Gail Choi of Sweet Home and Garden Chicago
Mr. Brown Thumb of Mr. Brown Thumb
Gina of My Skinny Garden
MMD of Mr. McGregor’s Garden*
*Attended Austin Spring Fling in 2008. You rock!
Yippee for everyone who’s going! I can’t wait to meet you or reconnect from last year. But there are so many others I’d like to meet. Won’t you join us?
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Wow, I hadn’t looked at the list of attendees in a while. That’s quite a group. I’m metaphorically packed as well, filled the gas tank up and have started my drive to Chicago. See you in Chicago!
Only a few more months to go! —Pam
I’m seriously thinking about going. It’s right before a conference I have to attend in Victoria, BC, though, so I’m trying to decide if I can pull it off.
My in-laws live in the Chicago area, so I’m thinking I can enlist the DH in this enterprise…
I hope you can pull it off, Susan. It would be funny, don’t you think, if we Texans had to go to Chicago to meet up. 😉 —Pam
Thank you Pam, for organizing Spring Fling 1. I am so glad I came. I’ve made some marvelous friends because I attended the gathering in Austin. See you in Chicago!
I’m looking forward to it, MA. —Pam
Yes, thanks for getting the ball rolling. I’m so glad that you’ll be at this year’s Fling too. We’re going to have a great time. I’m still working out the details for the Sunday. I’ll look forward to seeing the repeat Flingers again and meet some new ones.
I can’t wait, MMD. Thanks for keeping the ball rolling. —Pam
It is difficult for me to plan that far in advance, but if I possibly can I will be there too.
I sure hope you can make it, Robin. I’d love to meet you at last. —Pam
You know what’s so cool about looking at that list now? First, realizing that I really KNOW many of these great people and I’m so excited about getting together again. Second, knowing that I will get to meet another wonderful group of gardeners whose blogs I have long been admiring. and Third, I know that our Chicago friends are working like crazy to make this an amazing tour of all things ‘garden’ in Chicago and I can’t wait to see it all.
I know they are too, Diana, and aren’t you glad it’s them this year instead of us? 😉 Seriously, I can’t wait to see what they have planned for us, and to see everyone again. It’s going to be great. —Pam
That is so exciting. I hadn’t seen a list of attendees. Will be there with bells on.~~Dee
I’ll be listening for your bells, Dee. 🙂 —Pam
Thanks for the list, Pam! Now I have to check out the bloggers I didn’t meet last Fling so I’ll be familiar with their work. I may have to cut down on my sleep the next few months … but I know it will be well worth it!
If the list of attendees continues to grow, you WILL have your work cut out for you. There are a number of bloggers I don’t know yet also. —Pam
I am so excited about the FLING!!! I wanted to attend last years so badly – this year I will NOT be deterred! Can’t wait to meet great people and see amazing gardens and check out plantings in a climate so different than mine … May can’t come fast enough for me!
Germi, I was disappointed not to meet you last year but understood that circumstances intervened. This year I’m glad to know that nothing will stop you from being there. I’ve added you to the list of attendees, above. —Pam
I’ll be there Pam! Flight booked and reservations made last week! Can’t wait to see everyone…gail
Whoo-hoo! I’ll see you there, Gail. I don’t know how I missed adding you to the list, but you’re up there now! —Pam
Have fun in the Windy City, Pam. I can’t wait to hear all about it when the time comes.
Thanks, Jenny. I will be happy to share the experience here at Digging. —Pam
Yay! I can’t wait. My husband Chris is joining me as well. I am going to visit all those you’ve linked here to learn more about the folks I am not familiar with.
I look forward to meeting you, Katie. I’m going to be reading some new blogs too in anticipation of the meet-up. —Pam
Thanks for this list, Pam; I am pleasantly surprised by how many bloggers are traveling considerable distances to attend!
You may have traveled the farthest last year, Elizabeth. It will be interesting to see who that turns out to be this year. —Pam
Sounds like a great idea. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it, but hopefully they’ll decide to come to L.A. in ’10!
Ha! “They” could be you and some other L.A. bloggers, Raffi. Spring Fling is hosted by volunteers like yourself. 🙂 —Pam
I am always impressed with your organization and consideration Pam, I so enjoyed visiting with you through the Green Garden Certification class and will miss seeing your smiling face on Wednesday’s…maybe we should consider organizing a monthly GB’s luncheon…someplace different every time…what are your thoughts? Enjoy our sprinkling of rain! I can’t wait to see your garden!
Cheryl
I’d love to meet everyone for lunch, Cheryl. It would be a great way to stay connected. And I am loving the rain—already an inch so far in the rain gauge. —Pam
I’m very very excited to go, but I don’t pack until the last minute, even metaphorically! 😉 Looking forward to meeting you and everyone. Linda (Garden Girl) is the only person on the list I’ve met before.
I look forward to meeting you too, Monica. See you there! —Pam
Pam, thanks for writing about this.
It’s my pleasure. I’m looking forward to the event. —Pam
So bummed I can’t make it this year- just not in the cards to fit it in amongst other family plans. I can’t wait to see and hear all about it on the blogs.
Aww, I’m sorry you can’t join us in Chicago, Bonnie. Maybe next year! —Pam