Here I am with another call-to-action post. This time, it’s for the Garden Bloggers Fling, held this year in Madison, Wisconsin, June 23–26. (Check out the link; there’s plenty of information.) I could go on and on about how much I have enjoyed these annual gardeners’ gatherings, which focus exclusively on tours of cool gardens, public and private, and other garden-related sites (including nurseries). I could go on and on about the dinners together, the collegiality, and the fun. I could express my relief that there are no talks held in stuffy hotel seminar rooms, just gardens, gardeners, and informal garden talk.

A private garden included in Friday tours

But the most important thing to say about the 2022 edition of the Fling, which has been held since 2008 (except 20-21), is that it’s not just for bloggers anymore. Instagrammers, podcasters, and YouTubers who present mostly gardening content on those feeds are also eligible to attend. This is a first, as, over the years, we’ve found that many gardeners are preferring to use these feeds rather than blog. As a member of the Fling steering committee, it’s kind of disappointing that fewer are blogging, but it’s also understandable. Since 2008, new ways of expressing the joys and sorrows of gardening have grown and developed. It’s just progress. And it’s great to have these outlets. Keep in mind, your feed, whichever it is, must be active and mostly garden-related. It will be checked. And bloggers are still happily welcomed! Registration requirements are here.

Another private garden from the Friday tours

Madison, my Great Lakes neighbor, has much to offer gardeners. I feel an affinity, because when we had the Fling in Buffalo in 2010, some gardeners needed convincing that Buffalo—which now devotes the entire month of July to celebrating gardens and gardening—could offer so much gardening excitement. Like Buffalo, Madison might not arise as quickly to the mind as a gardening hotspot. Not like Seattle, Chicago, or Asheville, anyway (all of which have been Fling locations). But judging from what I see online, there are gorgeous public and private spots on tap for visiting, including the UW-Madison Arboretum (shown at top), the Olbrich Botanical Gardens, the Flower Factory, and private gardens that focus on prairie, woodland, collector, edible, hybrids of these, and more. This is only what’s currently on the website, which presents additional information regularly.

Early bird registration rates for this end March 27.

Photos courtesy of the Madison Fling organizers.