We have a new website!  Please visit our new site at www.gardenfling.org to keep up  with news and upcoming Fling events.    We are now The Fling, previously called the Garden Bloggers Fling ..read more

2022 Madison Fling attendees at the UW-Madison Arboretum Thanks for joining us! We love reading your posts about the Madison Fling, and so do other bloggers and communicators, our tour's garden owners and sponsors, and the gardening public. To help us find your posts as you publish them during the weeks and months ahead, please tag them on Facebook and Instagram with our hashtag #gbfling2022. Also, please share your links on our official Facebook page, and you can send them to madisongbfling@gmail.com. Stay tuned for more. We'll be collecting your coverage here (see below) so ..read more

Opening Night: Thursday, June 23 4:30 to 5:30 pm: Stop by our table in the Concourse Hotel lobby, to pick up your ID badge and your swag bag. Wear your badge every day; it's your ticket to board the bus. If you miss the registration time, contact Anneliese or Beth at the welcome reception (Madison Children's Museum at 6 p.m.) and we'll find a time after the reception to get your things. The swag bag will contain lots of goodies PLUS the tour routes and garden descriptions; be sure to find them in the bag and take them with you on the bus. Daily Departures and Arrivals DEPARTURES Buses bo ..read more

The Madison Fling is just over two weeks away! What should you bring, and what should you wear? Here are a few suggestions: Things to Pack: Camera! Extra camera batteries and memory card COVID masks (we'll include one in your swag bag, and we'll have a few extras) Proof of COVID vaccination (you'll be asked at registration) Hat Phone and camera chargers An umbrella to protect your camera in case of rain Mosquito/tick repellent Sunscreen Sunglasses Your Fling buttons if you've been to the Fling before (don't worry newbies, we've got you covered!) Business cards Note: These are just a fe ..read more

Cheers to CobraHead, another bloom-level sponsor that has been with us from the start! Since 2002, the CobraHead Weeder & Cultivator has been the ultimate garden tool for weeding and gardening. The CobraHead is a multipurpose hand tool for use in gardening, horticulture, and agriculture that's superior to all similar tools on the market. The CobraHead team has designed a line of gardening products to help all landscapers and gardeners weed more efficiently. CobraHead’s goal is to “offer you the best tools in earth.” The complete line of CobraHead Weeder & Cu ..read more

Another sponsor that's been with us since the start is John & Bob's Smart Soil Solutions. Thank you, John & Bob's! The secret to lush gardens, lawns, productive flowers, fruits, and vegetables lies in the health of the soil. Nature's most powerful organic ingredients infuse your soil with life. John & Bob's four-product system of Optimize, Nourish-Biosol, Maximize, and Penetrate is the easy, effective, and organic way to make your soil healthy. John & Bob's system feeds beneficial soil organisms with its unique blend of organic compounds, minerals, and microbes. John &a ..read more

Clockwise from top left: Tradescantia virginiana, Geranium maculatum, Syringa spp., Aquilegia canadensis, Baptisia alba, Magnolia spp. Center: Anemone canadensis.(Unfortunately, the Syringas and Magnolias will be finished blooming at Fling time.) What plants will be blooming and peaking during the Fling? We don't know for sure, but we touched on a few of the likely stars in our FAQ post back in October. And we thought it might be helpful to share some of the plant lists from several of our host gardens. Monarda fistulosa Olbrich Botanical Gardens shares plant lists by sea ..read more

We're re-posting this culinary information for the new Fling registrants and as a reminder for all: When you visit Madison, be prepared to be surprised by the quality of the food in this mid-size Midwestern city. The variety and types of foods range widely, too. From high-end to typical supper club food, you can find just about any cuisine you desire. In addition to boasting numerous James Beard award-winners, Madison (more broadly Wisconsin) is home to some unique culinary traditions, including: Cheeses: Yes, you can get some of the best cheeses in the world here ..read more

Let’s hear it for another Bloom Level sponsor of the 2022 Fling: Monrovia! Inspired by the beauty of plants, gardens, and landscapes everywhere, Harry E. Rosedale, Sr., founded Monrovia in 1926. Since then, the company has become a premier grower of shrubs, trees, edibles, perennials, and houseplants, growing more than 4,000 varieties. Monrovia collaborates with breeders around the world to introduce improved plant varieties to North America. Monrovia’s nursery locations in Oregon, California, Georgia, and Connecticut provide premium-quality plants helping gardeners Grow Beautifully ..read more

We think it's a special place! Here are some brief thoughts from the Fling planning committee about gardening in our little part of the world: Anneliese Valdes is part of the Cobrahead LLC family team, serving in sales marketing and shipping, among other areas. The Cambridge, Wis., company was formed to develop and market the Cobrahead Weeder and Cultivator—a multi-purpose hand tool for use in gardening, horticulture, and agriculture. Anneliese is also a talented musician, and member of the indie/pop band, Gentle Brontosaurus. “Wisconsin's winters are long and often harsh, but we still ma ..read more