Thursday, February 07, 2008

Garden Rivalries

You know, I've never come across a snotty gardener. They are the most helpful, generous and all-around good natured people on the face of the earth. They'll grow something gorgeous and not bat an eye in their eagerness to share advice, seeds and even parts of the plant itself. True gardeners want to spread the wealth, so to speak. They want to get you hooked, to succeed, to enjoy every aspect as much as they do.

But when it comes to competitions - oh boy!

Can it get vile? You bet! Here's an example: So who really wins?

This is just one of the reasons I haven't joined Blotanical yet. Granted, Stuart has done one bang-up job on that site, but honestly, I really, really loath the fact there is a 'ranking' system on there. According to many blog comments and posts I've been reading recently, I'm not the only one who feels this way.
All those blogs linked in my sidebar? I like each of them equally. There is no 'better than'.

I even felt funny voting in the Mouse and Trowel Awards, but I swallowed hard and did it to, more or less, give Colleen my support.

Would I like to peruse other blogs that people think are great but I haven't stumbled on yet? Sure. But I think every gardener and garden blogger has a personal style that someone else might not like, but would appeal to me. Does it matter? I don't think so. Would hurting someone's feelings matter because they weren't ranked high? You bet!

Since when did blogging become a 'look at me! I am so fabulous!' sort of thing? Ick...

If I wanted the how to of growing a plant that looks like it should be in a garden magazine, well...I'll look in a garden magazine. I want the blogger's personality! The one that says, "Oops, I screwed up, the plant doesn't look all that good, but it made it anyway. I tried this or that method and look how well it worked/didn't work. It's snowing, raining, sunshining, freezing, God, I hate/love where I live. I tried that plant - it took over/is well behaved. I grew that watermelon a few years ago and the flavor is scrumptious/sucked. I pruned the spirea today (and maybe a finger) and think it was the wrong/right time. This shreader, pruner, glove, gadget is wonderful/sucks to high he**." I don't necessarily want it to be instructional or even helpful, as long as it's fun and an interesting read. You'd be surprised how many garden blogs I read with entries about dogs, cats, kids, husbands, wives, neighbors and inlaws. And I read them, because they're fun and interesting!

I want to read blogs of gardeners that are just starting, have mega-years of experience under their belt or the intermediate that is obsessed with growing something new to them (or me!). The ones with personality - not the one that everyone thinks they need to boost the ego of.

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5 comments:

Christine said...

I like the 'real' ones, too. I went to that site, but I am such a geek that it all looked inaccessable. I am so glad someone doesn't mind my drudging about my kids!

Tina said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tina said...

Hiya, Christine!
Nah - kids are the best thing in the world! Although menopause makes me much less patient with other people's kids (in real life), I still like reading about them.
:)
And you're not the only one that thinks it looks inaccessable - many people have decided it's just too 'complicated' to deal with.

OldRoses said...

Excellent post! I couldn't agree more. When I started garden blogging, there were very few out there. Much to my dismay, as the garden blogging community has grown, it has begun to sink to the level of other blog communities. Lots of competition. Digs at other bloggers. Very judgemental posts.

What can't it just be about gardening like it used to be? A garden blog should be a way for other gardeners to be able to see your garden and hear how you are doing. Period.

Tina said...

Hiya, OldRoses! Thanks so much for stopping by.

I think the whole thing has gotten plain ridiculous.

"What can't it just be about gardening like it used to be? A garden blog should be a way for other gardeners to be able to see your garden and hear how you are doing. Period."

Exactly! Perfectly stated! I agree 1000%. You put it very well in your own blog post about this very thing also. I don't know why the whole thing gets under my skin so badly, but it just does! So, bravo to the one's that keep it real. Those are the ones I'll continue reading.