Oh, what fun! The Spring Fling, by all accounts, exceeded our wildest expectations.
It was a beautiful day – cool in the morning – for Austin, at least – at 49F, and then it warmed up to 80F. So our guests got a good taste of the range of Austin weather. For those who were here on Friday morning, some experienced a fast-moving cold front that brought with it wind and rain and hail, a 20 degree cool-down, and then blew out of here a few hours later as quickly as it came in.
We started on Saturday at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center with a docent tour to learn about Lady Bird and her efforts to beautify our country, and to get a great overview of our unique Texas native plants. Here, Flingers are checking out the water plants in the pond at the entrance to the center.
Our docent tells everyone about this spineless cactus native to Texas. For a lovely tour of her own garden, check out Pam’s post of a small private tour she gave some folks on Friday as an early event.
The bright Texas sun starts to show itself as bloggers listen.
Looking at the natural spring at the entrance to the center.
The spring, surrounded by native grasses.
From this tower vantage point, you can see wildflowers blooming all over the central Texas Hill Country.
Blogger perusing the grounds.
A blooming yucca stands at attention for us!
More plant inspections. We were a tough crowd for a tour guide – we couldn’t stop visiting with each other and everyone had detailed questions and answers about all the plants.
Tiny baby grapes cover the arbor along the pathway.
An acacia tree waves it’s golden branches at us.
A cactus with little babies.
A stunningly beautiful field of poppies had us all in awe.
Ok – that’s the first sneak peek of the day — I have in-laws here visiting from Indiana and since I bailed on them Friday and Saturday for “flinging,” my posts will be in fits and starts today.
But I wanted to give you a little taste, and I’ll try to be back later in the day for more show and tell, because there is so much to share with you.
Oh, how fun. Next time, I’ll have to plan a trip! Thanks for sharing a preview. I’ll be ’round for more news from those who attended this year.
I have also just seen that Blogger is testing the ability to schedule posts (per our earlier comments). It is still in the test site only, but one day…
Petunia – wish you could have joined us, but I think the whole group agreed that it’s something we should do each year, so we’re hopeful to make it an annual tradition.
Diana, great work showing the real feel of the wildflower center. The posts are going to be fun to read, to get other’s perspectives and see some gorgeous photos. The cameras were all clicking, weren’t they? Thanks to you for your tireless efforts to make this the success that it was.
Frances at Faire Garden
Oh Frances, thank You for coming across the country to join us and regale us with your funny stories and share some of your plants and be a part of this wonderful event. Glad you made it home safe and sound — till next year!
Thank you for organizing Spring Fling, Diana! I had a wonderful time, and it was great to meet you in person.
Sure wish I could have been there Diana. Thank you for your impressions at the Wildflower Center. I can’t wait to see other gardens and bloggers and to see your pictures and to read your impressions of all.
Brianna – it was so nice to meet you in person, as well. I’m so very glad you could join us. Now we Austin folks will have to get together more often!
Lisa – I sure wish you could have been here. I was hoping you’d come. I’ve got a few more posts to put together, so keep checking back. I’m working on #2 right now while my daughter is reading books before bed!
Diana,
Wasn’t the day perfect? I had a wonderful time and am looking forward to reading all the different perspectives on the tours. Loved meeting you, thanks for making the weekend so much fun.
I loved the poppy field, too.
Gail
I did enjoy the wildflower center, so much to see. I can see why it is a popular place to visit in Austin.
How about those clear blue skies? How you ever managed to get the weather just right, we’ll never know, but the day was perfect.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Gail – it WAS a perfect day — so nice that it was warm for our northern friends. I’m looking forward to seeing others’ photos since I only had my little camera with me.
Carol – The Wildflower Center is great and what a nice resource for us here. And those blue skies are one of the things I love about Texas – that big blue sky that you can just get lost in.
Those poppies! I missed them at the Wildflower Center, but I loved them at the Natural Gardener and at Lucinda Hutson’s garden.
Someday, I will successfully grow a poppy in Texas, dammit!
*makes fist of conquistador-like determination*
Lori – wish I could have gone to Lucinda’s with you, that sounded like so much fun. You’ll have to post lots of pictures so I can see. I planted 5 poppy plants this spring and am WAITING for them, but they were nibbled on by deer early on so I am not holding my breath. I love that dogged determination – hold onto it.
I’m glad you captured that extraordinary blue sky. How fortunate we were that the weather cooperated for one day. (I was very dubious when Friday morning started out with thunderstorms and hail.)
I’m still dizzy with all the conversations. And I still can’t believe we really pulled it off. What an incredible experience!
Your photos are just right, Diana – and your words so apt…Jenny had a very difficult time trying to keep her troop in any kind of order for the tour. She has amazing patience!
I’m still smiling about the way you always drive as if you know exactly where you’re going, thus convincing Dawn & me to follow you!
What a great event you guys planned!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
MSS – I did want to capture that big, beautiful, blue Texas sky. It just seems so much bigger here, I don’t know why, but I love it. And it is amazing how well it all went – no glitches or anything. And the weather was made to order for once!
Annie-I’m glad you like the photos – I was dubious about my little point and click camera since my husband had the good camera at home, but I’m pleased with what I captured. But I totally forgot to shoot at Pam’s or at dinner. Oh well, someone else will have some, I’m sure. As for the driving, you DO know that I got lost and overshot the hotel once and had to loop around and find it? It was so funny – we were all BLABBING so much in the car I completely quit paying attention to anything else!
Diana – Sadly, most of my pictures of Lucinda Hutson’s garden aren’t artistic, but were rather for my idea file for future projects. I really liked Lucinda’s hardscaping and her back patio and office, since she used so many kinds of materials and stone and blended them all together seamlessly. The few pictures I took of her gardens are filled with people bending over, and since I am occasionally a humane person… 😉
Ah well, maybe I will see them privately one day! I know, no butts, no guts is a good photo posting rule! I’ll just have to hear and read about it!
Great job showing us Jenny’s tour, Diana. (I was on Frank’s.) I echo Melissa: I’m amazed we pulled off such an event. Wasn’t it a blast?!
And Lori, thank you for being humane in not posting butt pictures from Lucinda’s house. I’m sure some of them featured my own.
I love your pictures! I want to go next time!
Diana,
You were fabulous! I enjoyed spending time with you and very much appreciated your driving me around to all the great Austin sites. You are lovely and charming–just like your blog.
Hugs,
Robin at Bumblebee
Pam – it was funny – while we were on Jenny’s tour, we were wondering about yours! It was great and we tried to be on our best behavior.
Christine – I’m pretty sure there will be a next time since we all had so much fun, so we will see you then.
Robin – It was great to meet you, too, and really get to visit while driving around. Hope SF is/was good. You’ll have to take some pictures for us in Geneva. Have a great trip.
Diana: Lovely photos! Now I’ll have to go on to your post on the David garden.
Thanks, Karen. It’s so easy with such beautiful backdrops as the Wildflower Center and the David/Peese garden. They were just amazing.