Spring Fling guest list is growing!
We’ve rolled out the welcome mat here in Austin, and I’m thrilled to report that garden bloggers across the country are making their travel plans. Yesterday I announced the garden-bloggers’ event of 2008 (I hope!)—Garden Bloggers Spring Fling on April 5—and the guest list has already become quite impressive, if I do say so. I’m not talking about just one or two people, but rather the number and breadth of experience of the whole group.
Let’s take a look at who’s coming, as of this writing:
Carol from May Dreams Gardens, 2007 Mouse & Trowel winner for Garden Blogger You’d Most Like to Have as a Neighbor. We can’t all live next door to Carol, but fellow garden bloggers can tour Austin with her in April.
Elizabeth Licata AND Susan Harris of Garden Rant, three-time 2007 Mousie winner for Best Writing, Most Innovation in Garden Blogging, and Garden Blog of the Year. Elizabeth helps run the hugely successful GardenWalk Buffalo each year, and Susan not only garden coaches in the DC-area but has her hand in seemingly every civic-oriented gardening organization in town. When they come to rant about Austin, who wouldn’t want to join the fun?
Kathy Purdy of Cold Climate Gardening, one of the pioneering garden blogs and indispensable reading for gardeners everywhere, but particularly in the northern U.S. Not only does Kathy know plants, she knows about blogging and makes its technical aspects less intimidating to newcomers at her site Blogging Art & Practice.
Bill of Prairie Point. I’ve been reading Bill’s blog for years and enjoying his meditative posts on the north-Texas woods and lake he calls home. Though he resides in Texas, it’s still a four-hour drive, so this will be the Austin bloggers’ first meet-up with Bill.
Tom Spencer of Soul of the Garden, 2007 Mousie winner for Gardening Website of the Year. His Daily Muse posts and the incredible photos from his garden and vacations to Mexico, Japan, and sites around Texas have inspired me for years. Tom will be our lunch speaker during the Spring Fling, and he expects to join us afterward for the remainder of the day.
Melissa of Zanthan Gardens, the garden blog I’ve been following the longest. Melissa’s example helped inspire me to start blogging, and she’s one of the first bloggers I met in person. I’d like to give her a big hand for designing the Spring Fling website in record time over the Christmas holidays. Thanks, Melissa!
Annie in Austin (known as Annie/Kathy among the Austin bloggers) at the Transplantable Rose. Like Carol at May Dreams, I think everyone knows Annie, whose insightful comments are generously gifted all around the blogosphere.
Bonnie of Kiss of Sun, whom I met just recently and connected with over kid stories. She blogs in west Austin.
Diana of Sharing Nature’s Garden in southwest Austin. She met some of the Austin bloggers for the first time last September when we lunched with Kathy Purdy. I look forward to seeing her at the Fling.
Dawn of Suburban Wildlife Garden in northwest Austin. Dawn is relatively new to Austin via Florida and is fun to hang out with.
Julie of Human Flower Project, which isn’t technically a garden blog but an ambitious series of essays that explore the cultural significance of flowers around the world. Julie is the soft-spoken, generous person behind the incisive writing.
Libby of Aurora Primavera, a new blog. Like me, she gardens in central Austin (the midtown area), and she’s going for a cool Key West-meets-Texas look. We haven’t yet met in person, but it won’t be long.
Rachel of In Bloom in Austin, who is also a newbie garden blogger. I look forward to meeting her for the first time at the Spring Fling.
With that lineup of attendees, you just know we’re going to have a good time, even if all we did was gaze at a yard full of crabgrass. Add in some beautiful Austin gardens, and a garden blogger would be crazy to miss the Spring Fling, don’t you think?
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Pam, God willing and the creek don’t rise, I’ll be there. Thanks to Austin for hosting.
You’re welcome, Dee. Thank you for taking the time to join us. I’m looking forward to it. —Pam
Pam: Giving this serious consideration! Checking air fare…
Kathy Purdy recommends checking airfare through kayak.com, an airfare search engine. She found a great deal that way. —Pam
Wow, I’ve only met a few fellow bloggers in all the four or more years I’ve been doing this and now I’m going to meet so many all at once. This is great.
We must have reached critical mass, Bill. See you in April! —Pam
My husband is coming to Austin soon for business, I don’t think I’d be lucky enough to have that coincide. What fun! I’ll have to think on this one a bit, it’s so tempting. I’ve never traveled alone and I absolutely hate flying, but maybe I could travel from Indy with Carol and she could hold my hand during take off and slap me in the face to wake me up when I pass out. Hmmm…
The flight would be only a few hours at most, Robin. Worth it for the chance to meet so many fellow bloggers, don’t you think? —Pam
Oh, I also meant to tell you that I adore that echinacea picture! It’s a great shot!
Thanks, Robin. I recycled it from a few summers ago. There aren’t any blooming right now, for a change. —Pam
What an impressive list, Pam. Wish I could come too as I would like to meet and greet you all in person but alas, Austin is just a bit too far away for me. Guess I’ll have to make do with a garden tour in Scotland this year. 😉
Alas, indeed. I would have so enjoyed meeting you, YE. Enjoy that Scotland tour. I look forward to seeing your posts about it. —Pam
I’m looking forward to this, that’s quite a list of gardeners to spend some time with. (Robin, I’ve got some flying issues, too, but this is too good an opportunity to pass up!)
Carol, May Dreams Gardens (Thanks for the link!)
Yes, me too. Anticipation is building. . . —Pam
Damn! I’d really like to do this too…I’ll have to visit by blog, I guess, although you just never know….
You never know…. I hope to see you yet, Jodi. 🙂 —Pam
So fun- I can’t wait. I need to add some of these blogs so I can “get to know” them before the event!
That’s a fun homework assignment, isn’t it? —Pam
Lovely pic, and it looks like a fabulous gathering in the works. Sorry I can’t make it this year, but if its an annual event I’ll definitely try for next.
Thanks, Nicole. We’ll miss you this spring. Maybe next time. —Pam
I would sure LOVE to be there, but I just can’t. 🙁 It will be fun to read all the blogs during and after this event!
Kylee, with this many bloggers coming, you’re bound to see a few posts afterward. 🙂 —Pam
What a cool list of people. Sounds like it is going to be a great time had by all.
Yes, I think it will be a lot of fun. Thanks for dropping by, Mr. Brown Thumb. —Pam
I can’t wait to meet everybody! I love Austin so much, and the anticipation of being there, FLINGING with these amazing garden bloggers is making me giddy!
I feel exactly the same way. Can’t wait to meet you, Germi! —Pam
After much cogitation, branching out of my comfort zone, I am coming. Hope there is still room at the inn(s).
You bet, Frances! I’m thrilled to hear you’re coming. —Pam