More natural beauty in Moring Garden

At Austin Fling, we'll visit landscape architect Tait Moring's 20-year-old home garden, a sanctuary on the edge of a wild canyon. A unique modern-rustic style, with structural and creative stonework, makes this largely native-plant garden stand out.

Tait says, "To embrace the native landscape, one of my long-term goals is to plant at least one of every native plant that is unique to the region. In a sense, my property has become a 'test kitchen,' a way to actively test the best conditions for specific plant species."

By using native flora, Tait's garden has also become a haven for local wildlife. He commonly sees foxes, hawks, coyotes, roadrunners, owls, bobcats, deer, hummingbirds, wild turkeys, rock squirrels, and many other birds, reptiles and insects.

As you explore, you'll discover some wonderful surprises, including a rock wall that incorporates Tait's childhood rock collection and treasures from his grandfather's cattle ranch, a rare Texas madrone tree, and a vegetable garden of raised stone planters terraced along the edge of the canyon. 

Come join us at Austin Fling, May 3-6, and see this unique garden and many more! Registration info can be found here. 

Austin Fling kicks off with fajitas and fun at Thursday's Welcome Party

Central Library, where our Welcome Party will be held

Flingers, we can't wait to welcome you to Austin in just 8 weeks! We'll be kicking off the Fling with a fun Welcome Party on Thursday, May 3, from 6 to 8 pm, at the architecturally stunning new Central Library in downtown Austin.

We've reserved a spacious private-event space on the ground floor that overlooks the library's native-plant landscaping, and we'll have a catered fajita buffet to start things off Texas style. New Flingers will receive a warm welcome, and we'll all have a chance to mingle and get to know each other before the garden tours begin on Friday.

Central Library opened in October and is already the darling of Austin residents thanks to its inviting modern architecture (pics here) and sun-washed interior. It even has a rooftop reading garden with a view of Lady Bird Lake! If you enjoy architecture and want to take a look around after our welcome event, the library will be open until 9 pm. It really is a must-see.

Rooftop garden at Central Library

We'll walk over to the library together from the lobby of the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown, our official Fling hotel. It's a pleasant 20-minute stroll that'll take us down storied Congress Avenue and along Lady Bird Lake, right past Austin City Hall, which is notable not only for its striking architecture but its sustainably designed landscaping, entirely planted with native Texas plants and irrigated with A/C condensate and other recaptured water.

Our event ends at 7:30 pm, and on the way back, if you're still feeling energetic, there are some great places along the way. You and your new blogging friends might like to stop off for a drink and dessert at Fareground, Austin's hip but totally casual new foodhall. Or check out the cattle-baron-era elegance of the Driskill Bar -- "Texas through and through" -- and settle in with a Batini or Texas Rivival cocktail. Just be sure to get back to the hotel before it gets too late because we start touring bright and early on Friday!

Here's a map of the walking route between our hotel and the library. As you can see, it's super easy. We look forward to kicking off the 2018 Fling with you at Thursday's Welcome Party!

Sharing Nature's Garden at Diana Kirby's garden

Photo: Diana Kirby

Diana Kirby, our fearless lead planner for the upcoming Austin Fling, shares her 1-acre suburban-country garden on her blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, and she'll be sharing it with us at Austin Fling too! 

As soon as you arrive you'll know you're at a gardener's garden. Diana is a true plant lover with design chops to boot. Ribbons of colorful salvia, society garlic, aster, and golden thryallis, anchored by stately, broad-leaved agave, act as welcoming committee. Along the curving walk to the front door, where tall trees provide shade, the bold foliage of sago palm, Persian shield, and root-beer plant offer rich color or texture.

Diana rocks tropical-style color and bold foliage in her back garden, which is designed for entertaining with a swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, and comfortably furnished cabana. She's recently added a rose parterre near her greenhouse and vegetable garden, and she's even claimed growing space outside of her fence for deer-resistant, drought-tolerant agaves, yuccas, and native flowering perennials.

We look forward to sharing Diana's garden with you at the Fling, which is happening May 3-6. Only a few spaces remain, so sign up today!

American Meadows and High Country Gardens help gardeners gain confidence and garden sustainably

Two trusted names in online nurseries, American Meadows and High Country Gardens, are partnering with Garden Bloggers Fling for the 3rd year in a row and will be our Sunday lunch sponsor at Austin Fling! Not only do these sister companies sell great plants, they also publish helpful gardening blogs, and you'll meet their friendly reps, Jenny Prince and Wendy Hatoum, at the Fling. We're excited to note that you'll also meet the founder of High Country Gardens, well-known plantsman (and a regular blogger himself) David Salman, who will join us for part of the Fling tour.

American Meadows is "where confidence grows." Their approach is simple: "For years we have offered gardeners only the best wildflower seeds, flower bulbs, perennial plants and flowers, vegetable seeds and flower seed packets ‐ the ones we grow in our own gardens. We stand ready to help you grow with confidence!"

Known particularly for their wildflower seed mixtures, American Meadows also offers a complete line of flower bulbs and perennials. Their 25+ years of experience in educating and learning from the horticultural industry, which is reflected in their educational and inspirational blog posts and How-To info, has helped many gardeners establish and enjoy their gardens.

American Meadows

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American Meadows Blog

High Country Gardens offers beautiful plants that thrive in the arid West. Their xeric (dry-loving) plants range from agastache to salvia, yucca to ornamental grasses, and include no-mow groundcovers that can be grown in place of thirsty turf grass. Their Pre-Planned Gardens aim to make it easy to create gorgeous gardens and are big sellers.

Pioneers in sustainable gardening for drought-prone regions, High Country Gardens shares inspiring examples of low-maintenance, waterwise gardens on its website and social media, showing Westerners how beautiful their gardens can be when planted with climate-appropriate plants.

Santa Fe horticulturist David Salman founded High Country Gardens in 1993 as a mail-order nursery, offering hard-to-find plants and native and adapted plants for high-desert regions and beyond. In 2012 the Salman family sold High Country Gardens to American Meadows, with David continuing on as chief horticulturist and developer of unique and award-winning plant varieties. He's also a regular contributor to the High Country Gardens blog, so check it out!

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Our thanks to both American Meadows and High Country Gardens for their support of Austin Fling!

Botanical lighting for the garden from Fern Valley Art

Oak and Japanese Maple light bollards (Photo: Fern Valley Art)

While visiting a garden in Fort Worth last fall, I fell in love with the owner's pillar-style garden lights with cut-outs featuring the distinctive leaves of a Japanese maple and an oak. As it happens, the gardener is also the metal artist, and more of her beautiful botanical-themed metalwork, including sculptural flowers and flower "pictures," was displayed throughout her garden. This talented artist is Wanda Stutsman of Fern Valley Art, and she has an online store and can ship anywhere! We're proud to say she's also a sponsor of Austin Fling!

Wild Grass light bollard (Photo: Fern Valley Art)

Wanda specializes in replicating nature in steel. She designs and fabricates Texas native and adapted plants using steel to create unique and beautiful framed art pieces. With her husband, Karl, she creates her outdoor-light bollards with detailing featuring the foliage of plants and trees. They are stunning by day and magical when lit. Check out her entire Nature Series, which includes Japanese maple, oak, palm, and wild grass. She also makes several mid-century modern designs.

We're proud to have Fern Valley Art as a sponsor of Austin Fling, and we have a special surprise for attendees. Wanda is donating one of her lights -- winner's choice -- to our raffle, with free shipping within the continental U.S., or with a $40 shipping credit if the winner lives elsewhere. We'll be displaying her work at the Fling so you can see the quality for yourself. I think you'll fall in love with her work, as I have!

Our thanks to Wanda and Fern Valley Art for their support of Austin Fling! Find them here:

The light bollards are beautiful by day as well.

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