What gardening blogs do you read?

Do you have a morning ritual of reading gardening blogs? I do, and find lots of inspiration and information from them. In fact, I'm looking for more! Here's some (okay most) of my favorites:

Fine Gardening's GPOD. http://www.finegardening.com/blog/garden-photo
Indianapolis Museum of Art Blog. http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/
A Way To Garden. http://awaytogarden.com/
Danger Garden. http://dangergarden.blogspot.com/
UM Extension Grow It Eat It Blog. http://groweat.blogspot.com
Garden Rant. http://gardenrant.com/
Rotary Botanical Gardens Hort Blog. http://rotarygardens.blogspot.com/
An Obsessive Neurotic Gardener. http://www.obsessiveneuroticgardener.com/
Dirt Simple. http://www.deborahsilver.com/blog/
Studio G. http://www.studiogblog.com/

I showed you mine, now show me yours! :)

One of the gifts I was given in my early adventures as a gardener here in Maryland was the book
Pass a long Plants by Felder Rushing, so when the internet became a resource for me I
found his site/blog a great place to explore and revisit. Have been there many times and there is still so much to 'see'! Feeds the whimsy wacky in me!
http://www.felderrushing.net/

I consistently find George Weigel's writtings to be helpful and click on him if it comes up in a wider search. I consider him 'local' so ideas/advice more relevant as to garden performance/plants.
http://georgeweigel.net/about-george

Currently I am enjoying another Deleware Valley gardener at Carolyn's Shade Gardens which is also a small specialty nursery for mini hosta. She grows the plants I grow or want to grow. And I am mostlyshade and glad of it! I am happy playing with subtle combos of texture, leaf color and forms and a great Spring and fall show and a quiet almost self maintaining summer of soothing green.
http://carolynsshadegardens.com/

And for inspiration: http://www.inspirationgreen.com/index.php?q=succulent-inspiration.html
see pic below.

PS, I come by my gardening harbringing by passion and profession

I don't really have any gardening blogs to read. I guess I have some now to pick from.

Judy, I loved this: http://www.inspirationgreen.com/assets/images/Blog-Building/green%20walls/verticalGarden2.jpg

I keep an eye on Don Hyatt, the premiere source locally when it comes to "native deciduous azaleas." You can browse about him here, http://www.donaldhyatt.com/index.html

Judy,
I just found Carolyn's Shade Garden blog a few weeks ago and got lost on hosta rabbit trails for waay too long. Would enjoy a visit to her nursery.
Loved the succulent people. So creative!

Paul,
So where do you find inspiration?

Oh I love that Obsessive Neurotic Gardener blog! He has a great sense of humor about gardening in some pretty tough conditions (constant deer pressure, wet clay, exactly zero shade).

I'm a big fan of Gatsby's Gardens: http://gatsbysgardens.blogspot.com/

This Seattle based gardener: http://www.rhonestreetgardens.com/

And this PA gardener: http://hayefield.com/

Right now DG is plenty overwhelming for me. Perhaps maybe I follow too many forums.

I have never read or been on a Blog either. I, sort of, consider DG a HUGE Blog.
I do not journal and am not really a reader--too short an attention span.

DG consumes all the time I wish to spend sitting by my computer.
Have too much else to do outside in my own garden to find another "addiction"...

Having my garden look beautiful and comfy inspires me. I look at all the beauty
of flowers as. almost, a miracle. From bare earth to blazing colors....Youza!

Gita

I like to read gardening blogs, because they're not as interactive as DG. I feel like I can just read them and not respond, whereas I feel like an active participant on DG.

Paul, MidAt is just about the only forum I follow at DG. I tried following some of the other forums but it got to be too much.

I can see that I am going to be busy whilst on vaca trying to check out these blogs. Carolyn's isn't all that far from me. Wink, wink. Haven't been there, but surely would like to.

Between mid-at and the NE forum I can spend hours.

SSG, I'm with you on that. I'm a "lurker" by nature and sometimes I just want to see pretty pictures of flowers. I see a lot of great combos or plants I never would have known about, or get to view gardens I will probably never see in "real life". For example, Danger Garden is totally not my style/climate but that's what I like about it. I don't know enough about agaves or Oregon's climate to engage in a forum convo about them, but I like to read the blog about them and see the pictures!

I also like that on blogs you don't have to click on the thumbnails to see the pictures. I'm lazy like that. Also, the Dave's Garden website gets incredibly slow for me sometimes. I guess I'm lazy and impatient?

Gatsby's Gardens is a great one. Definitely adding it to my blog reader! If you like that one, you should definitely check out the Rotary Botanical Garden Hort Blog, by Mark Dwyer. Lots of individual plants highlighted and identified, often they are trials or new varieties.

Really don't have time for other favorites besides DG, but found this one when researching Lucky Bamboo. Like its humor and info
Plants are the Strangest People
http://plantsarethestrangestpeople.blogspot.com

I don't read any gardening blogs regularly either.

But I've starting listening to gardening podcasts -- so far my favorite is A Way to Garden with Margaret Roach, http://awaytogarden.com/. I don't listen while gardening though -- I'm afraid my iPod will hit the mud.

If any of you can recommend any other podcasts, I'm all ears.

Very interesting and informative question and answer here......I am like some of others who have answered that reading Dave's keeps me plenty busy.....in fact, I haven't even had time for a couple of months to keep up with Dave's and so glad that things have settled enough here that I can get back to reading and participating and enjoying one of the favorite parts of my day....which usually starts here.

Pretty much any gardening knowledge I have I have gotten here at Daves. I think back some few years and the very little I knew about gardening.....today I know a lot more than ever, but still know that there is life long learning to be done with this topic. Plants have always been a passion of mine and little did I know the first Dave's thread I read that I would be spending hours upon hours learning so much about it by visiting this website.

My husband I haven't had the chance to do much gardening wise this year, but past years efforts are sure putting on a beautiful show for us now.....my back yard is blooming its head off now with some of the most lovely specimens of plant life that I have ever seen. A real mood lifter for sure to see the colors and design of the masterpieces.....So glad to have the opportunity to interact with others who love the earth as much as I do....you gardeners are the very best!!!

Ruby

One source of great info is not on computer but on the radio. I can get "You Bet Your Garden" at 90.9. It's a very good source of into where they take calls and answer questions. Just found some enlighten info on why my lawn might be brown even though we do the grub and fertilizing regimen that is recommended. We seeded with mostly Blue Grass which is a cool weather grass and did not have enough of the other seed that would stand up to this hot weather. Also learned that plug aerating should never be done in spring. Fall only.

Roses -- I listened to a podcast of "You Bet Your Garden" yesterday, and realized it is put on by Mike McGrath who used to edit "Organic Gardening" but was fired for being too irreverent. I like the radio show, though he is a bit rough on callers.

Any other radio shows you like? It seems to me there used to be one on WAMU in the DC area, but I've forgotten the name and can't find it now. I really like downloading the podcasts to listen to in doctor offices, etc.

I try to find P. Allen Smith when he comes on the "Create" channel which is 105.7 for us and not always available.

I'll try to hunt it down -- thanks. http://www.createtv.com/CreateProgram.nsf/vProgramsByNola/PASG

Thanks, Happy. This schedule cannot be found in the TV section of our newspaper!! Just bookmarked it.

I c/p it and printed it out to keep by my TV.

Not even sure I can get that channel---will try....
Seems that, it runs ALL day long. I KNOW i am not going to sit there
and watch it..
I have basic Cable... G.

It's on basic cable. I gave a TiVo, and I was able to find it easily on the Tivo site. There may be other tv listings that do the same (www.TVGuide.com seems to let you search local listings).

P. Allen Smith Garden Style, is on channel 9 WUSA at 4am -- so you'd want to have some kind of recording device!

Funny, I had thought I was an omnivore on gardening, but I can't grow vegetables (not enough sun) and have little interest in annuals (I'm too cheap), and don't have a pond or bog or rooftop garden, and don't want carnivorous plants, etc. etc., so I find many of these shows don't interest me all that much. I do love podcasts though, for when waiting in doctor offices, etc.; somehow they pass the time faster than music.

IF it would apply to all and any TV listings---
what is the channel number fort this show?

Like--47==Travel
40==Animal planet
46==H&G
37==history. etc...

I have NO TiVo--and I have no recording devices....
My electronics are very basic,,,nothing new...A TV--and a Remote.

Thanks, G.

The channel number varies based on your location and cable provider. So Animal Planet is 130 for me, though it is 40 for you (per your post above). So you'd have to go to the website for your cable provider to look it up. You should be able to search on that site for different tv shows by name.

I don't read any garden blogs, I barely have time for DG and ATP

Does anyone here use Pinterest?

I have found it to be a great resource for researching planting combinations or new varieties. Just today I did a Pinterest Search for "acalypha" and found tons of new varieties and interesting ways to use them. Many hort companies are using pinterest to generate buzz about their new introductions that way too. You get vastly different image results when you compare a google image search for "acalypha" to a pinterest search for "acalypha". I was really surprised by the difference. You don't need to have an account to search on pinterest, btw.

Do you guys seek out gardening inspiration or do you just collect plants that pique your interests? What is your gardening goal: to have a cohesive look, or to have a collection of plants that you love for whatever reason, or is it that you just love the challenge of growing things? Does it even matter to have a goal? Maybe I'm being too philosophical, I'm just hoping to get to know you guys better. :)

karen--

"JB" is very active on Pinterest...
She is the Holiday Cctus expert around here....

I haven't used Pinterest -- I spend too much time on line as it is, so I'm not looking to increase that weakness! But from what you say, it sounds like a great resource.

Because my yard is mostly not sunny and is very hilly -- lots of erosion -- I tend to look for perennials and small shrubs that will thrive in my conditions. So I am less fussy about color combinations than I am determined to get long-lived plants that don't require a lot of maintenance. I do try to have something in bloom all the time.

I don't set goals, because I'd be frustrated at not meeting them -- and as soon as I turn my back, a bed that I thought was "just so" is full of weeds and tawdry. For me, gardening is an escape and I try hard not to let it dictate or set standards I have to worry about meeting. My yard is hardly a showcase!

This message was edited Aug 8, 2013 10:54 AM

As with all things internet Pinterest is only as much of a time-suck as you make it. I don't really click too much on people's "1000 best ways to reuse a mason jar" sorts of things, and kind of try to keep a mindset of being an idea producer rather than consumer. I like that I can take all of the beautiful pictures I see all over the internet and have them all on one page (ONE CLICK!). I don't have a lot of followers, I don't have it connected to FB, I don't follow a lot of individuals, mostly organizations or bloggers or hort companies. That keeps my pinterest stuff interesting and unusual rather than drivel.

Happy, I have a goal-driven personality so maybe that's why I'm asking. I agree that it's an escape for me. An escape from my job wherein I set lots of goals and am super frustrated that I haven't been able to meet them for reasons outside of my control. The goals I set in the garden are small and attainable, and SO satisfying when I fulfill them. Goal 1: switch out the front yard bed every year with something to wow the neighbors (so far, accomplished). Goal 2. fewer bare spots in the backyard this year than last. etc. (so far: 2 steps forward, 1 step back)

But you know Happy, you sort of do have garden goals: to have something blooming at all times, to fill in your AFH, to find enjoyment and satisfaction in the process. :)

Okay so no hort blogs, no pinterest.... books? do you guys read gardening books? My two favorites are Contemporary Color in the Landscape http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Color-Landscape-Designers-Combinations/dp/0881929964 and Envisioning the Garden http://www.amazon.com/Envisioning-Garden-Scale-Distance-Meaning/dp/0393733424

I LOVE gardening podcasts -- podcasts in general -- podcasts of radio shows -- I don't spend that much time listening to them, but I love them when I do (waiting for doctor appointments, for example). I'm trying to find those that really key in to my interests. This is fairly new for me; I used to use my iPod just for music.

On gardening books, yes, I read and reread and reread. Current favorites:

Armitage: Herbaceous Perennail Plants, http://www.amazon.com/Herbaceous-Perennial-Plants-Identification-Attributes/dp/1588747751/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375977444&sr=8-2&keywords=herbaceous+perennial

DiSabato-Aust: Well-Tended Perennial Garden, http://www.amazon.com/The-Well-Tended-Perennial-Garden-Techniques/dp/0881924148/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375977518&sr=8-2&keywords=aust+perennial (I still use the first edition -- I need to get the new one)

DiSabato-Aust: 50 High-Impact, Low-Care Garden Plants http://www.amazon.com/50-High-Impact-Low-Care-Garden-Plants/dp/0881929506/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1375977518&sr=8-4&keywords=aust+perennial

Graham Rice: Planting the Dry Shade Garden: The Best Plants for the Toughest Spot in Your Garden. http://www.amazon.com/Planting-Dry-Shade-Garden-Toughest/dp/1604691875/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375977655&sr=8-1&keywords=dry+shade

Scott Calhoun: Designer Plant Combinations: 105 Stunning Gardens Using Six Plants or Fewer, http://www.amazon.com/Designer-Plant-Combinations-Stunning-Gardens/dp/1603420770/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375977778&sr=1-1&keywords=designer+plant+combinations

Karen--I will comment a bit on here.....

Since I have been gardening WAYYY before you were even born,
40 years, at least--I kind of know all I NEED to know for my gardening.

In the early years--I subscribed to the Time Life Series books
on "Encyclopedia of Gardening". It was supposed to be 7 books--
so no biggie! Even back then, they cost plenty of $ each.
Well--the books kept coming and coming--so I did not dare to stop--
sort of the same if you subscribe to the national Geographic. Can't stop!
It ended up being 22 books.

Same thing on the Series of Time Life "Nature Library?.
That series ended up being 32 books.

Do I really read them? NO! I look through them (pretty pictures) and that is that.
The Gardening books-- I have used as a referrencel many times. Good info-
but somewhat dated now.

The thing is--I AM NOT a reader! Nor books--not magazines--not Newspapers,
but I subscribe to all of those....
I look through them--read an article or two if it interests me, look at the pictures
and then put it away....to finish later.....YEAH???
This last Dec.--I had to cancel my "Nat'l Geographic" because I had a pile
of about 20 that were still in their plastic wrappers. WHY pay $32/yr. more
for next years subscription? Just being realistic....

SO--all the Fancy Schmancy gardeing magazines and books do not interest me.
All the garden ideas in these are so far out of my realm--it never matters....

For one--I do not have 2 acres of land---and I do not have a Gardener, who keeps everything perfect. Mulching--pruning--planting--dead-heading--etc...
Those photos in the magazines are like "props".
I DO subscribe to the Martha Stewart magazine---love it, when I get
a chance to look through it...BUT--I have many copies of that one also sitting unopened.
BUT--The MS Magazine is a great value--$20 per year--and you get all
these neat ideas and recipes and good advice to boot. LOVE IT!

Blogs? Never been on one....unless DG can be considered a "blog"?
I do not "do" any Social Media--I do not have an I-Pad---I do not even
use my cell phone. (I DO have one)--Have NO need for any of it...

I have loads of gardening knowledge--some of which you will never find
in any books. My brain is like a sponge when it comes to absorbing
all kinds of trivial information to do with gardening.
Like a computer--need something? Click "search"--and there it is!!
And--every day--I learn something new--thanks to DG and the people on it.
And--hopefully--I can pass enough things on to make someone a better gardener.

Gita

Oh look at these podcasts I found, from the Chicago Botanical: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/plant-evaluation-notes/id376879760?mt=2 . I am a pig in mud (or will be, when I have a moment to listen to them).

And to go with it, a link to the trial garden results: http://www.chicagobotanic.org/research/plant_evaluation/index.php

Boy...article writing may be getting really outdated soon enough- everything will be a podcast.

LOL -- no, articles are much more convenient -- except when you're sitting in a doctor's office or at the grocery store...

I abhor waiting in a medical office without my preferred reading material!!

If I have to wait--I usually grab one of those Movie Star magazines,,
Empty, mundane reading...catching up on all the gossip...

If there was a Smithsonian mag.--I would opt for that. G.

That's what I used to do to, but now I'm hooked on listening to garden podcasts.

Hey Happy, I just wanted to tell you that the writer of one of my favorite gardening blogs now has started doing podcasts too :) I haven't personally listened to them. Let me know what you think!
http://www.obsessiveneuroticgardener.com/

I'm listening to it right now. He doesn't seem to be on the Apple Store - don't know how to download it to iTunes. Any ideas?

No, I'm sorry, I have no experience in that dept. Hope you enjoy the podcast though!

This message was edited Oct 18, 2013 2:41 PM

I did, but I had to sit at my computer to listen and that got old fast so I signed off.

I just happened across this forum after finally joining Dave's and wanted to thank you for reading my blog - obsessive neurotic gardener. Also, I do have all of the podcasts available in iTunes now and here is the link - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/gardening-talk-ong-blog-talk/id828452389. Looking forward to chatting on the forums here!


John