Spring Fling Recap: Images and impressions

HE: I have to give the whole Spring Fling thing a big thumbs up. Now that I've had a little time to absorb it all and sort some of my thoughts and impressions, I'm really glad that we went.

First of all, Chicago is such a great city to visit, although I'm not sure I'd want to live there. I like the fact that we could take an easy bus ride from Wisconsin that didn't cost much more that driving when you consider parking, gas and tolls.

SHE: And we've taken the car to Chicago enough times for me to know that it adds pressure and subtracts pleasure for both of us. I loved the hotel they arranged for us: perfect location right in the middle of the action. Nice interior, good flower arrangements scattered about and you couldn't beat the price. I'm hoping we can figure out how to become "members" so we can stay there again! And the added bonus of the great view of all the terra cotta design details on the Rookery Building right out our window. (It's considered the oldest standing high-rise in Chicago, so why didn't we take a look inside since we were right next door? Reason enough to return.)

And as a former Buffalo gal (born and raised), let me point out that you will see some equally fabulous architecture in Buffalo, site of next year's Fling. The city is also home to the first system of parkways and urban green space designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.

HE: There's something invigorating, if perhaps a little masochistic, about walking the streets of a major city. I've always thought that Chicago has been particularly astute about picking public sculpture. Picasso, Miro, Chagal, Dubuffet (above) pop up when you least expect them.

SHE: And the "Bean" and the fountain sculptures in Millennium Park are the best interactive artworks I've seen — anywhere. You can visit them endlessly and be just as fascinated and giddy as the first time you saw them. It's still one of the few places I've been where everyone — regardless of age, gender or race — behaves exactly the same: just like a kid! Just thinking about them makes me smile.

SHE: I'm glad we came down early on Thursday. It was nice to have a day to ourselves and to adjust to city life. And we finally found the Golden Triangle, the store I've been wanting to visit since it's opening. 

HE: Yea, I liked just walking north without an agenda. If we had been on a schedule we would never have gone down that passageway you noticed and I wouldn't have got the picture of that little hidden green space among all the stone.

SHE: I may have dragged you down there, but I actually missed the view you shot. Otherwise, I would have gone up the steps to check it out. (Wait, does it sound like I kept missing the good stuff ....)

HE: In fact, it was often the intimate details of events at Spring Fling that attracted me as a photographer and that stick in my memory. Remember the gardener's bench at Rick Bayless' garden? It had so much more human content than the rest of the garden.

SHE: I think that's because the garden — even though it provides produce for the restaurant — really seemed more like a show garden or teaching garden. It was so pretty and perfect; but I guess that's how it is when you have full time gardeners. Actually, I found it interesting that the gardeners were growing food in the city rather than tending perennial borders in one of the lakeshore enclaves. That did give it a nice, quirky Midwestern touch. 

SHE: You know how every time you hand me the newspaper to read an article that you think will interest me, I read every other story on the page first? That's how I felt about the Lincoln Park Conservatory. I kept being fascinated by everything but the plants. I couldn't care less about this Venus flytrap (above), but I am absolutely in love with the Wardian case and its cache of blue glass chips. Can I have one? Please? Puuullleeeezzzeee?

HE: I don't know that I would ever have gone to see the railroad garden if we hadn't been given passes. But it was really quite enchanting. You know, we did that quite a bit this trip — choosing to do and see things we haven't on other trips to the city. 

SHE: Or even other trips to the Chicago Botanic Garden. We skipped the Japanese garden and did the tram instead. You did still have to twist my arm a bit to get me in to see the trains. I'd love to ride a real train again but these kind of set-ups usually annoy me. It was so much more creative and charming than I had imagined. Only one drawback: they didn't provide enough plant labels. I loved how they used baby trees and dwarf conifers as stand-ins to deal with the issues of scale, but I wanted names. I'd definitely duplicate some plant combos — though never the trains!

SHE: I always come away from garden tours with so many ideas — and potential solutions — for our garden. At CBG you pointed out the side by side comparison of the two colors of gravel we're contemplating for our paths. I found that heavily pruned Weeping Katsura that should help us keep ours in bounds. And this slope of perennials and shrubs — edged with those big rocks — may be the answer to how to deal with the sloping front garden where it meets our long driveway.

HE: As the photographer for our blog, the Fling was a real challenge. I know I probably shouldn't think this way, but in my mind it was something of a competition. I wonder if other bloggers felt that. I kept thinking I had to find a new angle or some detail that no one else noticed. I found myself watching to see what other people shot.

Certain subjects, like the incredible poppies at CBG, were virtual photography battle grounds. I noticed that a couple members of our group had retired to a bench and seemed to be enjoying the photographers as much as the poppies. 

HE: The other stand-out subject was the Lurie Garden in the late afternoon sun. After taking a number of pictures I realized that my real subject was the single red poppy. Including it in the composition somehow anchored the picture — like the period at the end of a sentence.

SHE: More like a scream, you mean! I would shoot myself if it intruded on my perfect river of blues and lavenders. Makes me think of that red peony in our garden that is in the same view as my ribbon of irises along the dry stream and in the bog. The one I said I think I have to move! And what about the dying bulb foliage in that photo? Nobody really knows how to deal with it.

HE: I came away from the weekend with one clear regret. The thought occurred to me late on Saturday that I should have been taking pictures of other bloggers taking pictures. I had a few but realized too late that I had missed countless opportunities. Maybe next year.

SHE: I love this portrait of Mr. Flatbush! And, even though we didn't realize it at the time, CBG was giving us a little poppy foreshadowing.

HE: I'm still enormously impressed with the generosity and organizational skill of our Chicago hosts. And if I didn't get a chance to thank you personally, I'd like to do so now publicly: You did a great job!

SHE: I loved getting to tour Carolyn Gail's house (above) as well as her garden. I am obsessed with interior paint colors and she had some great ones that showed off her artwork to perfection. (For those of you who noticed the Jeep in the front yard across the street from her house, Carolyn says the owner of the house has declared bankruptcy as a result of the economy. That's certainly a dose of reality, in the midst of her lovely neighborhood!)

HE & SHE: What were often the most memorable and instructive times — for both of us — were the intervals between events when we were able to share personal experiences and knowledge of our blogging craft. We look forward to doing even more of that next year in Buffalo.

Comments

[Chicago Garden]

Love the recap and the tone you achieve on your blog with both of you commenting.

It is actually easier to read a blog entry this way. More people should do team blogs like this.

MrBrownThumb @ Chicago Garden

[Helen at Toronto Gardens]

Great recap. I'm hoping we'll be there in Buffalo next year.

[Barbara H.]

I concur with the above - having the two viewpoints really adds information to the blog.

[Gail]

Your recap was wonderful and I was back in Chicago with each sentence! gail

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Mr. BT — It seems to work well for us to do this together. But then we seem to be one of the few gardening couples.

Helen — hope you can make it to Buffalo. And I'd like to figure out if we can squeeze in a Toronto visit. It's been years since I've been there and I'd love to see the city again.

Barbara — So glad we figured out the comment problems!

Gail – The truth is we started with 46 pictures and were rather crabby deciding how to narrow it down and what we really wanted to say. Did a you pick one, I'll pick one and then Mark did his comments and I went back and put in mine. More work than doing it on your own but worth it in the long run — both to us and readers.

[Mr. McGregor's Daughter]

I so agree with you about the little details of scenes. I was also intrigued by the potting benches in the Bayless garden. Even though I learned the lesson last year about taking more photos of people, I still fell short on Saturday, as I was overwhelmed with so much to see. Now, all you have to do is remember about taking photos of people next year in Buffalo.

[Frances]

What a great wrap up, Linda and Mark. I loved the stone photo with the touch of green, not seen on any other blog! Well done! I took a photo of the old radio at Rick Bayless' on the bench, wondering if they really used it as they gardened. There were ideas galore for us all to bring home to our own spaces too. But the point of the get together was meeting and mixing with the people. We all have wondered why we took so few people shots, Buffalo will see a different angle for those too. :-)
Frances

[Pam/Digging (Austin)]

Love your recap, esp. that last photo of all of us gabbing. I don't remember feeling a sense of competition for good photos, but like you I did notice what certain other photographers were shooting. I actually took several shots of Mark taking pictures in the Bayless garden, but none of them turned out very well so I didn't post them. And while I took a number of people photos, I try to only post those that make them look good (because that's what I'd want them to do for me! Ah, vanity). :-)

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

MMD, Frances and Pam — I am definitely planning on more people pix next year. But I am of the same opinion as Pam and am always deleting any pix where I'm not looking good (or at least OK) so I always treat others' portraits the same way.

I've really been enjoying all the different takes and am looking forward to checking out all the links on the wrap-up.

[linda]

A bit late to the party, I really enjoyed reading your takes on SF, and your more recent posts too, including the ones on your species peonies and your tea house. Great photos and narratives.