Attendees at the 2008 Garden Blogger Fling in 2008. I’m in the front row at the far left. Ranter Elizabeth Licata is third from right in the front row.

Here’s the third installment of treasures uncovered from my winter photo-archiving project. See Los Angeles and Portland, OR.

I started a personal gardening blog in the summer of 2005 and in 2006 switched to the new GardenRant. Gardenbloggers were reading and commenting on each other’s posts but our only contact was online – unlike the dozen or so Austin-based bloggers, who were enjoying local meet-ups. That gave Pam Penick the bright idea of organizing a national meet-up and the result was the very first Garden Blogger Fling, in 2008 in Austin.

(The 13th Blogger Fling will be in Madison, WI – June 23 to 26. Over time Fling began including not just garden bloggers but other online self-publishers – vloggers, podcasters, and Instagrammers, per the eligibility criteria. And here’s Elizabeth’s post about the Madison fling.)

I love that group photo above, full of people in the wider garden-writing community who became friends and colleagues. I’ll be forever grateful for that first Austin fling. (The Fling returned to Austin in 2018.)

Above, the front garden of designer Pam Penick.

Above and below, the (somewhat higher-maintenance) garden of James David and Gary Peese.

A scene from Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Above and below, The Natural Gardener, a beloved organic garden center.

Above, the stunning front garden of author Lucinda Hutson.

Here’s Lucinda, whose books include Herb Garden Cookbook.

Above, a typical room in Lucinda’s home.

Above, colorful chairs on the walls of Lucinda’s home, with cat – the least colorful part of the scene.

And who says Starbucks are the same everywhere? Not in Austin! I love the look, but even more so in the photo includes Carol Michel of May Dreams Gardens, Pam Penick of Digging and Mary Ann Newcomer of Garden of the Wild Wild West.