Garden Bloggers Fling 2011

I had a GREAT time last summer at the Garden Bloggers gathering in Buffalo.  Check out this series of posts.

So I'm definitely keen on going to the Garden Bloggers Fling 2011 this summer in Seattle.

I'm a veteran of many years of scientific meetings (hmmm), botanical garden (APGA) meetings (much more interesting and collegial with great garden study tours), but the Garden Bloggers meetup was a joy -- how fun to interact with fellow garden bloggers while visiting wonderful gardens.  And, there were NO talks in windowless hotel rooms. How nice.

The BGCI International Congress of Garden Educators has been another favorite meeting  -- what a wonderful experience to interact with counterparts from gardens around the world.  I've been to two:  in NYC and Oxford, England -- both great.

I've thoroughly enjoyed Garden Writers Association meetings for the last three years, (in Portland, Raleigh, and Dallas) too, for similar reasons. There are talks to listen to (in those same windowless hotel rooms), but they're quite informative and interesting, and attending has been beneficial to my work.  (Even if going to GWA and Garden Bloggers is self-financed).

So, I'm looking forward to Seattle, a place I haven't been for many years, but was once quite familiar with.

Visiting more gardens

I'm heading off tomorrow for a conference (Garden Writers Association) in Raleigh, NC. I'm keen as I haven't been to the 'Triangle' in NC for some years (at least 11 or 12).

Home to three major universities, the 'Triangle' has the NC Botanical Garden at UNC Chapel Hill (focused on native plants), a favorite of mine, the JC Raulston Arboretum (at NC State University, focused on interesting plants from around the world), and the Sarah P. Duke Gardens (at Duke University), which includes a variety of lovely gardens, including a wonderful native plant area. We'll be visiting all of these during the conference. In addition, there are wonderful private gardens (Montrose) and great nurseries (Plant Delights and Niche Gardens) included, and interesting gardening vendors in the exhibits.

I had a thoroughly enriching time last year in Portland at my first GWA conference. I think that garden writers (really garden communicators) are essentially gardening educators (like I am) and are keen gardeners, too (ditto).

So it's well worth self-sponsoring attendance (since my garden doesn't have the budget to send any of us for professional development experiences).

I'm looking forward to it.