The garden-blogging scene
Boy, I’ve missed you all! Last Friday I returned from my two-week vacation in Tanzania and Amsterdam (and my even longer absence to get some work done before I left). After recovering from jet lag and spending some much-needed time with my family, I spent several days catching up with the many garden blogs I follow, posting a few comments here and there, and easing back into the garden-blogging scene.
The first thing I learned was that central Texas gardeners were absolutely deluged with rain while I was gone. (My own jungly garden certainly testifies to that. I spent three hours hacking back the front garden last weekend, and I still need to attack the back.) Another thing I noticed is that northern gardens are looking especially gorgeous in these days of high summer. I’ve enjoyed everyone’s beautiful photos and musings on life in the garden.
My husband and computer guru moved Digging to a new server while I was gone. If you’ve had any trouble accessing my site, I appreciate your taking the time to find me again. Until this morning, I hadn’t learned how to post photos (there’s a new process), but I think I’m getting it figured out, so look for a few vacation shots in the next couple of days. I must get it figured out before the next Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day.
A few months ago, I wrote an article for the local paper about the proliferation of garden blogs from Austin. At the time I knew of 10 local bloggers. But just the other day, Stuart’s Gardening Blog Directory introduced me to an 11th Austin garden-blogger, Laura of Playing in the Dirt. I look forward to seeing what’s going in Laura’s garden.
This morning I discovered that Connie Reece at the website Every Dot Connects referenced my article about Austin garden-bloggers from a marketer’s point of view. She writes, “Now, if you owned a local nursery or related business, how would you respond to this proliferation of garden blogs? Here’s what I would advise: join the conversation. Not as a retailer but a participant.”
She wisely advises nursery owners and the like not to hide the fact that they’re in the business, nor surreptitiously inject plugs for their business into the conversation. Readers would be turned off by that as soon as they figured it out. But commenting or even blogging as a fellow plant lover can be an opportunity to establish a relationship with potential customers, as she points out.
I like this idea, and of course it’s already being done by many people in garden-related businesses, including myself as a garden designer (although I started my blog before I got into the business) and nursery owner Trey Pitsenberger in California.
So, business owners, if the robust garden-blogging scene inspires you to become part of the “conversation,” just make sure it’s all about the love of gardening. And if that brings customers to you, so much the better.
I had to change my RSS feed in Bloglines. Wasn’t aware that you were back because the feed wasn’t updating.
Thanks for taking the time to find me again, Kathy! —Pam
Yea! You’re back! You’ve been missed. I’m looking forward to hearing about your trip, I hope
you had fun.
Thanks, Robin! I had a great time and will post about it soon. —Pam
Welcome home, Pam. Hope you had a marvelous vacation. Can’t wait to see the photos.
Kudos to your husband for moving your blog to a different server for you. It’s great to have help!
A few photos (culled from 2,000) will be up tonight or tomorrow. And yes, I’m very grateful to have a techie spouse willing to help out when needed. —Pam
Laura of Playing in the Dirt has set up her site without the comment feature. She explains why in the “About Laura” section.
I thought that was interesting, since that option was just discussed at Kathy’s Cold Climate Garden in a long and lively discussion about the protocol and etiquette of blogging comments.
Thanks for the link to Every Dot Connects – also interesting, Pam.
Annie
In that respect, Laura’s site is like Tom Spencer’s Soul of the Garden—perhaps not technically a blog since it lacks the interactive component. But I end up calling them all blogs anyway. I haven’t read my RSS feeds today, so I haven’t seen Kathy’s discussion, but I’ll definitely check it out. Thanks. —Pam
Pam… no problems finding you. I sure hope you figure out how to upload pictures before Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day. It wouldn’t be the same without you!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens, where she can’t find enough people to take zucchini off her hands
Thanks, Carol. I’ll do a test run tonight to see if I can get some photos uploaded. And, man, I wish I lived near you so I could take some zucchini off your hands. —Pam
Pam: We all missed you so! Glad you are back and can’t wait to see the pictures. The EM is going to Tanzania in Nov. Not my cup of tea but looking forward to your tales of adventure! Perhaps I will change my mind!
Layanee, what is EM? If you have a chance to go too, I’d say jump at it. It was an amazingly beautiful and wild place. I’ll be posting pics soon. —Pam
Welcome back! Glad you’re coming home to the product of the flood instead of the actual flood. It got U G L Y for a while, but the plants loved it.
Yes, the plants look pretty happy. Sounds like we may get a little more rain this weekend. —Pam
Welcome back; everyone’s missed you!
I can’t wait to see pictures of your garden.
Thanks, Chuck. I’ll post pics of my garden on Bloom Day. Until then, for a change of scenery, it’s going to be Tanzania and Amsterdam. —Pam