the date of Spring Fling 2009 Chicago is May 29-31!
Yes, the inaugural committee meeting of the Chicago area garden bloggers took place yesterday at the Morton Arboretum.
(Pictured from left are Rosemarie (Rosemarie's Garden), Rachel (On the Shores of Lake Chicago), Linda (Garden Girl) and the person trying pull all this together. Ladies, it was a treat to meet you all finally.)There are more Chicago garden bloggers who couldn't make it yesterday, which is too bad, as we had a great time sampling free wine, admiring Callicarpa berries, and making fun of Anemone 'Party Dress.' If there are any Chicago area garden bloggers who have not been contacted by any of us yet, please do not feel left out. Leave a comment here with your email address and we'll contact you. We want to include everybody in the planning of Spring Fling.
Those of you who do not live in Chicagoland, but have ideas for the next Spring Fling, please don't hesitate to offer them. The Chicagoland garden bloggers may be hosting this event, but Spring Fling is for all the garden bloggers. We want to make this the best Spring Fling so far (which is a tall order, as Austin did such a great job). Make our job easier by telling us what you want, and for those of you who attended Spring Fling 2008, tell us what you liked about the last Spring Fling and what you think could be improved.
I think I'm ready to take the keys to the Spring Fling blog, so stayed tuned for when that's up and running. I'm getting excited already!
50 comments:
Looks like you all had a wonderful time and how nice to meet you all on this post today. Garden Girl and you I knew already, must check the other two blogs out.
So a date is finally set. I hope many garden bloggers will be able to attend. I want to come too but am not certain if that is possible jobwise. Will let you know.
BTW the Lurie garden is something that I'd love to see.
It's great to put a face with a lovely smile to your name MMD!
Yea! I'm sure you'll be making wonderful plans and I'll just hope to be able to make it!!! You have highlighted great places - arboretums and garden centers (with a sculpture garden)!! (The latter is one you featured this past Spring, I think, that looked like a great place to visit!) ;-)
Oh goody! My calender is so marked. While it is true that Austin's shindig will be hard to top, I think you are going to have an immense turn out. Are you ready for bunches of bloggers? Will stay tuned as details are revealed. Any help needed, let me know.
Frances
Sounds like a fun time, this is all new to me. I just started blogging this past May. I will mark my calendar & hopefully it will be something I will be able to attend in the Spring. It would be a wonderful experience getting to meet all the faces of the bloggers I enjoy chatting with daily. :)
I saw Linda's announcement this morning, and as I told her, it was fun to put faces to the names. You all look so much younger than I expected!:) This date is definitely going on my calendar--I will warn my family no reunions or weddings can be planned for that weekend! There are so many places in the Chicagoland area that I would love to see, especially since Beckie and I never made it up there this summer(: The Morton Arboretum, the Botanic Garden, and Millenium Park come to mind. Wasn't there a fantastic garden center you posted about once as well? If there is anything I can do to help downstate via e-mail, just let me know!
Sounds like the fling could possibly bring some plant bling to the Chicago thing. ;~)
(Almost makes me wish I lived in the Windy City).
It's ridiculous - but I'm reading this with almost as much excitment as I would if I were planning to be there myself.
Lucy
I've marked my calendar and will coming up I-65 to this big event!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Hi MMD, It's very cool and also a litte intimidating to see all the excitement and anticipation. Here we go! (Gulp!)
Seriously though, I think we're going to have a great team working on the Fling, and it's going to be fun planning and preparing.
Yippee! Count me in. I'm so excited to come up there and see some great stuff and meet up again with all the great people we met at our Fling in Austin this Spring-- and then some, I'm sure!
This will be fun. I am thrilled that the Spring Fling will be in Chicagoland. I can get there easily from here so I will be looking forward to the Fling. I can't wait to meet the people behind the blogs and to get to see some lovely gardens. And, did I read someone wanted to shop?? Will there be time? I mean garden shopping of course.
P.S. What a beautiful bunch of ladies you are. Can't wait to meet each and every one of you.
You guys are take such a good picture! And all the excitement this is generating is big news in blogdom! I have my calendar marked and plan to attend. Whatever you plan it will be appreciated as it is no small undertaking at all. Good luck!
I'm so bummed that I missed the outing yesterday.
I can't wait for spring fling!
Oh, I hope I'm able to make it this time. It's closer so there's a chance I may be able to make it. Though there's the small matter of Peanut and son if Cheesehead is working. Oh well, I've got lots of time to mull things over!
Yolanda Elizabet - I wish you could come & bring Shirl with you! We'd have a great time & then you could go back home & say nice things about Chicago. There's a book (can't remember the name but it came out within the last year) that has lots of photos of the Lurie in it. And you've made me blush.
Shady - you have to come! I insist. (Don't make me drive over to Iowa to get you.) The problem with Chicago is that there are so many great places, but they are spread all over. It's going to be tough narrowing them down. I'm going to recommend that people try to stay for 2 whole days, as that garden center you liked, The Growing Place, is pretty much at the opposite end of the world from the Botanic Garden.
All right, Frances! I think you will be a big help to the publicity committee.
Perennial Gardener - I'd only been blogging for 8 months when I went to Austin's Spring Fling, so length of time blogging is not important. I hope you can come.
Rose - I think it's going to have to be a long weekend to fit everything in. Let us know the next time you and/or Beckie will be in Chicago & you can join us for a planning meeting. And really, it's amazing what Photoshop can do. :^)
TC - is the "almost" part related at all to our winters? I hope you can join us in May.
Lucy - oh good, we're generating enthusiasm. I wish you could come. Hey, what if all the UK bloggers got together on the same dates & we did a teleconference or Skype thing? That would be so fun.
Carol - we're counting on you coming, it wouldn't be Spring Fling without you.
Garden Girl - intimidating is a good word. We'll be fine, if we just keep telling ourselves it's really nothing more than an extended kid birthday party, right down to the goody bags. It'll keep us busy this winter.
Diana - I hope everyone who went to the Fling in Austin comes to Chicago. I expect we'll get a lot of Midwestern bloggers who couldn't get to Austin. Hear that Midwestern bloggers? You've got no excuse not to come.
Lisa - now that you've taken the train to Chicago, you know how easy it is to get here. Your request for garden/plant shopping has been duly noted & will be on the agenda for discussion. I'm looking forward to meeting you too. To bad you can't bring Luna along.
Thanks, Tina! We expect a strong contingent from TN. You all know each other already & I've met Frances & Gail, so the rest of you have to come too!
We Tennessee bloggers are a pretty cool gang, and the bonus is that the trip up there is not difficult at all. Other than a boring drive it goes quickly. Hope to see you!
My calendar's marked and I'm ready to rock ChiTown and its gardens! Thanks to all of y'all who are working to make Fling 2009 a happy and memorable event!
Yippee! My calendar is marked, and the DH has been advised not to plan a business trip then so he can be home with the kiddos. I can't tell you how excited I am to see the Fling continue and grow bigger and better. Just goes to show that you never know where these little brainstorms will lead.
My family and I could have come. (www.mychicagogarden.com) Let me know next time.
MMD, I've been waiting and waiting for this annoucement! Can't wait for spring to get here. Rose and I have told ourselves we are going no matter what! I know we've got time, but are you planning on recommending hotels and motels? Marnie at Roses and Lilacs is suchand expert on butterflies-her dad used to give talks on them. It would be fun to include someting like that. Yippee! We will finally get to meet so many of the wonderful garden bloggers.
Gina - I'm also bummed that you didn't come! We should hold a meeting at your house so that you have to be there. :^)
Cinj - it would be great if you could come. I often compare having kids with dogs, but the big difference between them is that you can leave the dogs home alone.
Tina - so, are you saying that driving through central Illinois is boring? ;^)
Cindy - you'd better come, it wouldn't be as fun without you!
Pam - will you metaphorically hold my hand as I sort through arising problems during the Fling?
Tyler, welcome! How come I don't have your blog on my Chgoland blogroll? Must fix that immediately. You'll be hearing from someone (probably Gina) in the near future. She's setting up a Google group for this.
Beckie - a talk about butterflies (identifying, attracting, eating, wait no, sorry) is a great idea. One of the first items for discussion at the next meeting will be accomodations. Should we have everybody stay downtown (which can get expensive), or should we consider hotels in Rosemont (by O'Hare)?
Yes, kind of FLAT with nothing but farm fields to look at. The good part is it's easy driving. I spotted some antique stores and old car places on the way too. If hubby is with me he'll be occupied with the cars, me with antiques. I'll allow for time.
Oh wow that looks so exciting. And great to put a face to your name!
I was so jealous of the spring fling and if you have half as much fun as we did on the food bloggers get together, you'll have an absolute blast!
Hmmm - wonder if I can make it...
Tina - I went to U of I for a year, I remember how boring central Illinois looks (sorry Rose & Beckie). When we used to drive to Florida, my dad always went through Indiana. I think part of his reason was to avoid the soybean & cornfields.
VP - I'm sure the exchange rate will still be very favorable. It's also the best time to come to Chicago weatherwise (other than September). And think of how much fun it will be!
Ooh, I do hope I can come. I absolutely LOVE Chicago (great people, food, and gardens)! I didn't attend the Austin fling (I wasn't even blogging then) so I don't know what exactly is expected of a fling, but private garden and nursery tours would be wonderful of course. And your great public gardens as well. And just meeting like-minded folks will be the icing on the cake. Thanks in advance for your hard work!
Jean - I hope you can make it. Although the gardens in Austin were great, the best part of the Fling was meeting & talking to other bloggers.
I hope I will be able to be there too. It's not that far from Indy!
Hooray, hooray!
I'll try to be there!
Looking forward to seeing you again! And a trip to Chicago, one of my favorite cities...a bonus!
I may even be able to convince my husband to come along so that we can have a little vacation together either before or after Spring Fling. That would be rare.
Robin (RNP) - maybe you can ride up with one of the Indiana bloggers. Wasn't it thoughtful of us to hold this one within driving distance?
Nancy - clear your schedule, book your tickets & tell everybody not to get married or graduate that weekend!
MSS - yes, you should both come out the previous weekend, Memorial Day. It'll be a short work week anyway. Then you can do the architecture tours, the Art Institute, the museums, hang out at the Lake....
MMD,
Another TN gardener volunteering ...we are the Volunteer State! Let me know how I can help. Count me in of course...I can't wait to see everyone! Yes, everyone who can ought to plan more time...the Architectural tour is fantastic and so are the museums. Thank Chicago Fling Committee and 'fearless' leader MMD.
Gail
YES!!! I'm about four hours away, so just try and stop me from attending! I'll stay tuned and I have got it on the calendar!
Gail - I'd prefer to be Natasha Fatal rather than "Fearless Leader," but I'll do my best.
Kylee - I wouldn't even think of trying to stop you from coming. I'm looking forward to meeting you.
Count me in!
Kiss my Aster!
kissmyaster@yahoo.com
I should very much like to attend also; I hated missing out last year. I'm penciling it in.
Hi, Amanda, I love the name of your blog! I'm looking forward to meeting you.
Chuck - I hope you can make this one. It is so much fun.
This is excellent. Very excellent. Thank you all for putting this together.
If I am alive (if I survive another winter) I will be there.
Hank
County Clerk - how optimistic of you to be concerned about surviving the winter. I just concern myself with making it through the day. :) Don't thank me yet for putting this together. I'm intending to drag you into the planning too!
Oooh! Me too! I'd LOVE to come, and I have my calendar marked for sure! I will watch your blog for updates, but if you need help or are sending out updates, email me at: mrimomma at gmail dot com. (I'm only @ 4 hours away.)Very exciting!! :)
Lisa - that's great! I think having Chicago as this year's site is a real boon to those who couldn't get to last year's Fling because it was too far to drive. I'm looking forward to having a strong Midwest contingent!
I'm so happy this is taking place in the Midwest, and will try to attend. I always loved Chicago, so even though it will still be too cold to take a dip in Lake Michigan, it would be such a treat to be with fellow bloggers and renew acquaintance with the Windy city.
It's so cool that you're doing this. I'm not sure I'll be able to attend, but I'm passing the word on to other garden bloggers--I posted something on our discussion board, and I'm sure GardenRant will post details when you've got them. What fun!
Ilona - yeah, the Lake probably will be too cold to take a dip in, even if it does get into the 90s that weekend. I hope you can make it!
Amy Stewart - yes, please pass the word. Or maybe not, I'm getting nervous about the size of this thing. How many people can you fit on a tour bus? ;-D
Cool! I had not heard about the one in Austin but since Chicago is so close - maybe I can find a way to come.
Keep your fingers crossed!
Hi, I'm only a couple of hours away from Chicago in Michigan, so legally, I'm not really a Chicago blogger. Still, Chicago is my favorite city in the U.S. I would love to attend. Is there room for one more?
Hi, Jillo-O - Spring Fling is for all Garden bloggers. Please do join us!
I'm always a day late and a dollar short, as I'm just now finding out about this, but would love to come. An idea for a group foray may be to get a tour of the green roof on Chicago's City Hall. I have a contact for this and would be happy to arrange it if people agree. (It can only be done as a group, it turns out.) Also, do people share hotel rooms?
~ Monica
Sheri - I was certain that I wasn't going to Austin, but then at nearly the last minute I decided to go. I'm so glad I did. I think you will find this one equally rewarding.
Monica - I would love to see the green roof in person. That is a great idea. Thanks for offering to set that up. I bet everyone will be happy to have you do that. Thanks!
I might actually be able to attend this, as my in-laws live in Naperville and are due for a visit. Do i sign up somewhere? Is there a deadline?
Susan
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