Post-Fling Rambles

It's been a week since Spring Fling but the cards are still spread out on the dining room table - the seeds from Nancy of Garden Spot and Cindy of My Corner of Katy await planting and the seedling hellebore from Faire Garden Frances has been potted up with crossed fingers.

The camera's focus has been erratic so I only have a few photos, just little reminders of Spring Fling moments.

The Banana shrub reminds me that I made May Dreams Carol take a sniff of the little magnolia-type flowers.

When I water the container of 'Hot Lips' salvia it amuses me to remember baking "Hot Lips Cookie Crisps" with cashews and habanero powder. The recipe was from a China Bayles book and I made them because Carol, Cold Climate Kathy, MSS and I were part of Susan Albert's blog tour. Here are Susan and Kathy at the Wildflower Center.

I'd given orders to a few plants to bloom for Spring Fling, but they listen as well as my children used to. The mismarked, no-name clematis by the back door

The unnamed, fragrant, floppy pink climbing rose near the gate

The Siberian Iris that's not supposed to bloom in Austin

And the 'Julia Child' Rose. All these plants were in bud while guests were here, but they didn't open until this week.

I mowed the lawn today but haven't tried out my cool Cobra Head garden tool door prize won at the dinner at the County Line. Anneliese warned me it was sharp, hence the protective coating for transport.

Maybe it's time to peel off the wrapper and take my new garden toy out to play.

Pam/Digging has compiled links to all the posts about Spring Fling - written by bloggers with more coordinated thoughts who have taken wonderful photos.

Sprung

I'm too exhausted to say more than "Thank You!" to Pam, MSS, Bonnie and Diana for planning so well - another big thank you to the lively, cheerful group of garden bloggers who traveled to Austin from all over the country.

Spring Fling not only let us welcome those who'd come as visitors to Austin but also allowed local bloggers to meet, many for the first time. Driving around together is a great way to bond as map-flapping passengers 'help' the drivers navigate Austin roads and everyone talks at once! Before my forehead hits the keyboard I'd like to shout out to my road buddies, Rachel In Bloom, VDBD of Playin' Outside, Lori from the Gardener of Good and Evil, Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening and her cool friend Cynthia, darling Dawn of Suburban Wildlife Garden, and the super-human Pam/Digging.





Some plants refused to follow the Spring Fling schedule, hoarding blooms until today ...May Dreams Carol - this is how the 'Julia Child' rose was supposed to look when you were here! [Although my camera doesn't want to take normal photos, the flower icon for close-up still works.]



While I recover from this wonderful weekend let's welcome a guest blogger. Susan Albert will bring her Nightshade Blog tour to the Transplantable Rose, sharing her thoughts on Unbecoming A Gardener on Tuesday, April 8th.

As an Austin-area author/blogger, Susan joined us at Spring Fling - one of the warm and wonderful people who stepped off the screen and into our lives.