THE NEW AND IMPROVED SWEET GARDEN CHICAGO

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Yesterday was overcast and a little sprinkle of rain made me nervous that the weather wasn't going to cooperate for the visit to my garden.

The Spring Fling group arrived at Andie's, an award-winning Mediterranean restaurant a few blocks from my home, on schedule . Everyone seemed to enjoy the splendid buffet of dishes for vegetarians, carnivores and gluten-sensitive diners alike.

After lunch we proceeded to Sweet Garden Chicago. I'm sure the neighbors were curious to see a big bus pull up in front of my house and 50 people get out. I'll hear from them next week for sure.

My garden was transformed for the first time in 20 years and I know I must be patient. No pun intended but I think it's growing on me !

I didn't get to make a lot of photos because I was so busy being hostess but I'm sure that the other garden bloggers will share theirs.

Congrats to Frances of Faire Garden for winning my painting. I hope you enjoy it, Frances. You must have a bruise from the thump that Carol of May Dreams Gardens gave you when your name was called.

It was great to meet so many of the bloggers that I've come to know and admire. I do so hope that your visit to our fair city of Chicago was a great one.

I wasn't able to do much work on the Spring Fling committee except to open my garden to the group but I do think that everyone should applaud the great work done by Ramon ( Mr. Brown Thumb ) , Gina of My Skinny Garden, Linda at Garden Girl and Rachel at On the Shores of Lake Chicago. They've spent many hours working on Spring Fling, despite many personal hardships and without their dedication and hard work this event would not have been possible.

It was such a pleasure to meet Beth Botts, garden writer for the Chicago Tribune who inspired me to start my own garden design business after being selected for the " most creative " garden award. I'm sure everyone is aware that traditional newspapers as we know them are gradually disappearing and it is with great regret that I learned she was asked to resign and become a free lancer. I shot off a letter to the editor to let him know that he should be increasing, not decreasing, the garden section , the reason that a majority of people buy the paper for anyway.

It was a wonderful day and I enjoyed meeting all of the garden bloggers that attended Spring Fling Chicago.

Kylee of Our Little Acre and her charming mother stopped by Gethsemane Garden Center on Sunday and picked up a few things. They were amazed by our garden center and declared it was one of the most awesome they'd visited.

I wish everyone a safe journey home. Looking forward to see who will host next year.