Every year when it is time to register for the Fling, I reflect on the first Fling I attended. It was in 2012, in Asheville, NC. I had been blogging since 2008 and followed (*read their blog posts) a number of garden bloggers, many from Texas. I read about the Flings over the years, and hoped that one day I could attend. The first Fling was in Austin, TX.
After we moved to South Carolina in 2010, the first one that was easy for me to go to was Asheville. The garden bloggers I had followed for years were there! I felt a little star struck! Years ago there was a garden blogger website called Blotanical, a collection of garden blogs from around the world. You could zero in on an area, perhaps find fellow bloggers in your town or a favorite place you've visited. It was here I found those Texas bloggers. We had lived in Texas years ago and it was a little connection to a former home. I also found fellow bloggers in my area of Virginia. New friends with common interests, right at my fingertips and my backyard.
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| Dixon Gallery and Gardens |
I tell you this because going to the Fling, now every year since my first (minus COVID years), is getting reacquainted with old friends and finding new ones. The gardens we visit are outstanding, ranging from private gardens of all sizes to public gardens that are bucket-list destinations. Pictured through this post are a small sample of gardens from our Fling last year in Memphis, TN. The year before we were hosted in Tacoma, Washington. Each Fling is hosted by a local gardener. In the early years it was all garden bloggers, and the Fling was called Garden Bloggers Spring Fling.
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| Note the color contrast with foliage |
As social media grew, we, the Fling attendees, grew as well. We now include Instagram posters, YouTubes videographers, podcasters, TikTok-ers, and even those who post garden-related subject matter on Facebook. The name now is just The Fling. The website where you can find posts of past Flings and tempting posts of the upcoming Fling is gardenfling.org
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| Memphis host's garden |
To attend the Fling, you need to have an active garden-related social presence that is at least six months old. Additionally, you should have posted garden-related topics, at least once within the six months before the registration opens.
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| Memphis Botanical Garden kaleidoscope |
Do you want to meet "your people"? At the Fling, you will find garden enthusiasts from far and wide. Over the years, there have been Flingers from the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, and Canada, in addition to states from coast to coast.
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| Japanese bridge Memphis Botanical Garden |
Interested in the Fling? The destination is Buffalo, NY, a city where the garden walk is known far and wide. It is July 9 - 12. Information on registration can be found here- Buffalo Fling
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| New Hope Community Garden |
Sign up and tour some fabulous gardens with new friends. You can thank me in Buffalo. You will see amazing gardens and make great friends.
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| Wall art, a nice garden addition |
You will dazzled by whimsical garden art, amazed by plantings, and exhilarated by great garden conversation. What are you waiting for? Sign up today!!
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| Memphis host's garden |
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