FAQ
Who We Are
An annual meetup of garden social media such as bloggers, Instagrammers, YouTubers, video-makers, podcasters, and other online garden self-publishers.
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What is the Garden Fling?
Held in a different city each year since its inception in 2008, although we returned to our birthplace for our 10th Anniversary, the Fling has attracted attendees from all over the U.S., as well as Canada, and Europe. The 3- to 4-day weekend event is organized and hosted by volunteers from the host city. Check out this interview about the Fling on Cultivating Place podcast for more.
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Interested in Attending the Fling?
We're glad to hear it! If you'd like to know more about joining the Fling, please read about attendance eligibility and other guidelines. Subscribe to this site for news on how to register once details for the next Fling are complete.
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Would You Like to Be a Sponsor?
Thanks for your interest! We invite companies and individuals to be a part of the Fling by becoming a sponsor. Each year 70 to 100 garden bloggers, online influencers, and gardening content producers from across the United States, as well as Canada, Europe, and beyond, descend on the host city (different each year) for a weekend of inspirational garden touring, socializing, and networking. As influential garden communicators, Fling participants blog, post to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, tweet, pin, and share to other social media about the public and private gardens they tour, the people they meet, and the products that excite them. They lead the discussion of gardening in their communities and the broader reach of the Internet.
Sponsorships help defray the costs associated with Fling activities, including but not limited to garden admissions, catered meals, facility rentals, and transportation. Your company's sponsorship will allow more garden bloggers to attend who might not otherwise be able to afford to go.
In appreciation, sponsor names, logos, and websites are linked to the official Garden Bloggers Fling Blog and Garden Bloggers Fling Facebook Page and acknowledged throughout the Fling event as appropriate. Please see our Sponsor Information page for more details about how your business can become part of this influential social-media event.
Fling Advisory Committee
The committee is a team of volunteers who have attended one or more Flings (many have also hosted) and who support each year's organizing team to help the event run smoothly.
Helen Battersby: Toronto Gardens - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Loree Bohl: Danger Garden - Portland, Oregon
Gail Eichelberger: Clay and Limestone - Nashville, Tennessee
Janet Ledebuhr: The Queen of Seaford - Hodges, South Carolina
Elizabeth Licata: Garden Rant - Buffalo, New York
Jean McWeeney: Dig, Grow, Compost, Blog - San Antonio, Texas
Pam Penick: Digging - Austin, Texas
Teri Speight: Cottage in the Court - District Heights, Maryland
Website Designer: Idelle Fisher: Pickle-Wix - Denver, Colorado
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Want to Host the Fling?
The Fling goes where our volunteer hosting teams take us. So if you'd like your city to be represented, we welcome your proposal! Any potential lead host must be active on garden social media and have attended at least one previous Fling. However, many host teams include non-publishing support members. To check whether a Fling has been held at your city or region, see Upcoming and past Fling locations listed here. ​
Fling hosts put in many hours to organize this detail-oriented event while juggling other demands. But the Advisory Committee is here to help you every step of the way, and has created a comprehensive how-to handbook informed by the experience of every host before you. Contact Advisory member Pam Penick if you have questions about hosting.
Want to attend the Fling?
Here's what you need to know:
Garden social media is, well, social. It's about sharing your garden or those you visit in photos, videos, writing, or the spoken word; about your love of wildlife, nature, and the environment; about your humor or quirky style or thoughtful musings or pugnacious debate about all things gardening. Once you start sharing you join a lively community of garden content creators who enjoy commenting on each others' work and seeing what others do across town or worldwide.
These online relationships are vital and keep many of us going. But from its start in 2008, the mission of the Fling has been to bring us together in real life – to socialize, network, and see gardens together.
How many can attend: Each year, we limit attendees to fewer than 100. Many private gardens on tour are unable to accommodate larger groups. A smaller group also makes organizing easier for our local volunteer planning committees. To manage this, the Fling Advisory Committee has rules about who can attend, which you'll find on this page.
Securing your spot: If you qualify, we urge you to submit your registration form and payment right away once registration is open. Attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis for qualified attendees. Please subscribe to this site for Fling news and updates, or follow our Fling Facebook group. We'll announce registration, as soon as it opens, both here and on Facebook.
Mobility issues: We endeavor to make the Fling accessible to everyone, but since private gardens make up a lot of the touring we do, accessibility may be an issue for those who have difficulty with stairs, standing for long periods, or walking several blocks. If you have special circumstances related to mobility or other issues, please contact the local host committee when registration opens to determine if the tour will be feasible for you.
Qualifications for attending the Fling:
UPDATED December 2022
1. Who is eligible to Fling?
The Garden Fling is an event for garden bloggers and online self-publishers (via Instagram, YouTube, podcasting, and other public social media). We understand that some online publishers cover topics besides gardening, and that's fine. However, we expect prospective attendees to have gardening as their main focus. When the hosts visit your site or stream, they should be able to tell without a deep dig that it's about gardening. The URL you provide must be a public one.
2. Your account must be at least 6 months old
Your social media account, blog or other platform must have been started at least 6 months before registration opens. For example, if registration opens on December 1st, your platform must have been started by June 1st. While we enthusiastically encourage new folks to attend, if your social media outlet or blog is too new for you to register this year, know that we'd love you to attend next year.
3. Your account must be active
Whether your social media presence, blog, or other outlet is brand-new or long-standing, you must have posted at least once in the 6 months before registration opens in order to register. We understand that online publishers may have periods of inactivity. But since this is an event for active publishers, attendees must have active sites.
4. You can be amateur or professional
Anyone who meets the above conditions may register, whether you publish primarily for yourself or for a garden-related business, public garden, nonprofit, etc. Many unpaid online publishers promote their classes, design work, books, etc., and many professionals share personal gardening stories with readers. Part of the Fling's appeal is meeting people with different levels of experience, who cover different subjects and have varying perspectives. We encourage this.
5. Events are exclusively for qualified attendees
Since attendance is limited, tour spots must go only to garden bloggers/social media publishers. Some attendees bring their significant others and meet up after Fling events each day. Often the official Fling hotel offers extended days at the Fling rate, and we encourage you to come early or stay later with family or friends. But all official Fling events, including meals, happy hours, and garden tours, are exclusively for registered attendees.
Fling Advisory Committee