Gardening Blogs Rant
Alright, I am going to rant which is actually a fairly uncommon occurrence. Gardeners are known for their ability to focus on the details of their own small worlds and I am exceptionally good at this. I’m perfectly happy alone, concentrating on the smallest factors in a plot which creates an unintended apathy. I’m selfish with my time, self absorbed in my hobby and fiercely opinionated about gardening practices.
I think most gardeners are similar and gardening blogs an extension of this mindset. Blogs are vanities and all about me, but for heavensakes, it’s time to be a bit more positive and reach for average people who don’t and can’t live for landscaping. Your neighbor who has a full time job and two kids but would like a nice yard could benefit from the help of experienced gardeners. Reach for that person, not just me. Teach them how to grow and create a responsible landscape.
Some gardening blogs are just people seeking validation. I’m not touching that topic as it’s more of a personality disorder than a gardening issue, but for regular blogs I’m getting awfully tired of hearing about how bad things are or being expected just to praise a blogger for posting a photo.
Gardeners, you have a gift. Teach. Share. Be positive! Sure those photos are beautiful but what the heck are the plants in the picture? It’s all fine to say “see, this is my backyard, isn’t it pretty?” but perhaps helping others create such a beautiful environment would be nice. Yes pesticides are bad and yes invasive plants are bad but if you are going to tell me not to plant burning bush remember to tell me that I can plant blueberry instead. Or if a gardening system is showcased, that’s nice but how is it done and why? You are only recycling material to other gardeners who already know these things if you don’t help fix problems or share experience. What about the majority of people, the non gardeners who would like to improve their world and perhaps take up gardening as a hobby? Helping them would be of value. Stop speaking solely to other gardeners on social networks and start speaking to potential gardeners who discover a blog on a web search.
I would like to learn about specific favorite plants of others and how to incorporate them in a design. Maybe I need one. Share! Stop pummeling me with links to a blog where I am supposed to simply tell a blogger what an amazing designer they are, environmentally righteous or some other form of pure ego stroking. That may be of value to a blogger, but it is of no value to me or anyone else who visits. None. Zero. Zip.
And now for the disclaimer – not all gardening blogs are like that and if your blog is not, you know this already. Some are amazing, helpful and inspiring. This post is only a rant.
Citizen Science Project Reporting Backyard Wildlife
I totally understand this rant. I’m an gardening nut, absolutely obsessed with my hobby, with what I consider to be somewhat beautiful gardens, yet I feel so inadequate and out of the loop when I read certain blogs. Not everyone is into each and every aspect of gardening trends and while I like to read about them, I don’t like being made to feel like I’m a lesser being because I don’t embrace this or that. There’s enough room in the gardening world for all of us, and if I’m shown why and how something is done, I just might go in that direction here at Our Little Acre. And even if I don’t, if I’m in a conversation with another gardener and I’ve gotten great information from another source, I’ll refer my friend there.
On the other hand, not all gardening blogs are there for the purpose of educating the public. Many are simply online garden journals for the author’s own use and they are letting it be seen publicly. Mine actually started out that way (it was for my girls, who no longer live at home), but evolved into something more, as others discovered it and started commenting. I grew as a gardener and a blogger as the result of those comments and interaction.
What you say is just one of those valuable “rants,” as you call it, and you’re absolutely right to call it to our attention.
I do agree with journaling and that there are plenty of blogs not out to educate. They are beautiful and personal. Honestly I do not mean to rant on all blogs, just those demanding my attention and wanting me to agree for no particular reason. I have a lot to learn myself about providing quality information.
I really do love what you do with your blog, and I hear and see what you are saying about some others. I “Recycle” yours all the time, because you do something that I am no good at. I am not good at plant profiling and staying on topic and I can always count on you for that. What I try to do is have a conversation and adding your posts (and others) to what I share adds to that. I think we all preach a little in the process, but as long as we keep the conversation open and share in it then I am all for it. The greatest gifts of gardening are learning and sharing what we learn. Some are good at sharing about things, and some are good at sharing about their journey. I do agree thought that many just like to share about themselves, and that it adds little to the journey for the rest of us.
I do think that the new social networking side of this adds value if you actually socialize. I know far more people go to other peoples’ blogs from my links than my own. I am fine with that, because I can’t tell the whole story myself, and none of us can see and know everything ourselves. I have found far more people like you on blog rolls and via tweets than I ever would have found on my own. For this to work, you must actually socializing, find real communities, actually read, and not just tweet everything you see. However, there are those that don’t really share the love, just like to soak it all in, and like to build themselves up. In the end that is not gardening to me because gardening requires conversation with nature and each other. I don’t think you can be a good gardener or garden educator unless you are learning and sharing just like the gardeners who have taught us. For me blogging is a way to keep gardening when the sun goes, and we have all gone home.
In the spirit of exchanging helpful information, where IS your garden located? It would help me get an idea whether any of the plants you blog about might grow for me…thank you.
I am in 7b, north Georgia. I try and point this out when talking about a specific plant (or critter for that matter) as well as link to USDA native range maps. I’m probably not always successful so will pay closer attention. You make a very good point and I’ll put it in the page title somewhere. Thanks!