I just received a sample copy of "Garden Gate" . Does anyone subscribe to this and what are your thoughts?
Your opinion of Garden Gate
I subscribe. The articles are wonderful for beginners and intermediate gardners no matter how far you are into gardening.
I don't plan to resubscribe though,one year of "shadegarden "plans and Sun garden plans" is enough.
I found Daves GRDN. through my subscription. Front page small article "Daves Garden Lists 5 WORST mail order nurseries" Had a history of dissapointments with WFF and sure enough there they were Joined the forums a month later and never looked back.
Jo Ann
I susbscribe, a bi-monthly subscription, cheap enough, few advertisements, good info. I found WWF good and Forest Farm lousy... depends on one's individual experience. ☺
You are right. I think if you can go to the nursery you have a better chance of plant survival.
Mail order was a big dissapointment, all but 1 poppy plants died before winter.
It's a good one without too much clutter. I must admit that I just don't read most of my gardening mags and will probably let all the subscriptions lapse.
Used to have this one and I think it is worth the price particularly when you are planning new gardens. The only one I have now is PPP and I use the 10% discount at the garden center I go to, pays for itself and is a regional magazine for the northeast.
I have always had good luck with WFF and order a few things usually every year. They are local and that is a plus for me.
I like Garden Gate. I have subscribed for years. I always think I will let the subscription lapse but at the last minute I always resubscribe!
It is rather basic, but sometimes, that's what you need, and it can be a good springboard to further research.
OK, I have to ask. What is WWF?
Remember I just crawled out from under that rock.
WFF - White Flower Farm, a retail and online nursery.
That was the WWF, before they lost their lawsuit to the World Wildlife Fund. Now they are the WWE.
Thanks Victor, another good reason to have some men in DG. They can answer the wrestling questions and tease us when our comments leave us "wide open" for comments by quick thinkers like Vic.
Ha ha. I have never been into wrestling but it's part of the culture so you can't get away from it! Now mud wresting...
Yes!!! What did I tell you!!! You saw the opening... Men! (rolling eyes)
I didn't know WWE changed because of a lawsuit.
It has always been labled "entertainment"
I have to laugh at the people who think it's real.
My ex. used to write publicity for a Buffalo promoter--Pedro Martinez. I went to rehearsals. Did you know they have a false floor in the ring so when the oponant slams down it makes a bigger noise.
Just a little bit of more usless information from:
Jo Ann
WHAT! YOU MEAN IT ISN'T REAL?
I guess I'll have to take down my 629 posters.
I really enjoy Garden Gate. In my opinion it is definetly worth the cost. But then for some reason I really enjoy looking at garden plans.....
I always thought that WWE was a completely different wrestling league (or what ever you call them!) than WWF. LOL. Shows what I know!!
Wait...White Flower Farm has a bad reputation?? I thought it was one of the best??
Like a few peeps have already said, it depends on everyone personal experience. I ordered from them once, WFF, and didn't have much luck, and it was a "test" order. I ordered from FF (Forest Farm) this year, and was blown away. What I've been doing now, is looking at the GW (Garden Watchdog) and if a company has as many complaints as they do positives, it's a no no. Or if they are in the same number catagory...ie, 40 negatives, and 49 positives. I've just begun to not necessarily rely on other gardeners opinions, but to look at their reviews, and determine if it was the company or the person posting the review.
I purchase Garden Gate, but subscribe to Fine Gardening.
I buy them for the articles, not the centerfolds...
I believe the negative experiences with WFF are for mail order. They need to tighten up the business on that end.
Living close enough to go and purchase and pick what you want is another thing.
They are owned by William Sonoma now ,I believe.
The competition in the mailorder nursery business is so intense now it's easier to just shop elswhere.I always check garden watchdog and look at nurseries mentioned on this forum.
I live in the "flower city" so we have tons of nurseries here and I ordered only what I couldn't buy localy.The best experience with WFF was a bush.
Had a beautiful Exbury Azalea from WFF when they were just starting to branch out 40 years ago. excuse the punn.
That bush is still blooming at my old house.
I visited their retail place and found it very $$$.
They are expensive.
There is a fancy yuppy nursery here that William Sonoma ownes and they are the same, more expensive than anybody else, the chachki show room is full of high end garden stuff, they cater to the buyer who thinks"if it's expensive it must be good".
Nice selection though.
I can buy plants online and even with S&H the plants are less.
For those of you who are in the area the name of the nursery is Grossmans on the Webster Fairport Road.
Another pricey place in my neighborhood is Galleas on Jefferson Road.
Garden Gate Magazine is one of two from the same publisher that I keep reading. All other magazines seem to run a year and get dropped and sometimes reordered several years later. I do that to check and see if my first or second opinion was right on dropped magazines.
Pictures are abundant and subjects put me on a garden tour with each arrival of a new one. Three different issues over as many years helped us arrive at a patio and drainage combination solution that stumpped me and two professional landscapers. I never know what I will find that applies to our little half acre.
Garden Gate is not unlike even Dave's Garden Site.....same 'ole same 'ole and then someone posts a pix or utters some words that is the little nudge I need to dig in and create or redesign a garden. It is a dream book that provides ample "how too" support.
RIGHT ON
I look forward to every issue.
Jo Ann
I just found out that Garden Watchdog also has a list of garden magazines (in which Garden Gate is quite favorably listed). Go to Garden Watchdog, scroll down near the bottom and in the Category box, select Magazines.
I think I'll go through this list and recommend some of the higher rated mags to our local librarian to replace the so-so ones he subscribes to now.
I'm going to be in the minority here. I don't like Garden Gate. I feel the articles are not in depth enough, and may be fine for beginners. The pictures are nice and inspirational, however, but often the plants are labeled with the common name, which I don't think should be used. That makes it too easy to confuse. I'd rather have it be the proper name, and then in parentheses the common name.
I subscribe to, and love Fine Gardening. Their staff and guest writers are top notch gardeners/ plantspeople.
I agree, Polly. It's basic. I like Fine Gardening too, and subscribe (though often don't find time to read!) Another I like is American Gardener, the AHS magazine.
I find the articles in GG to be usefull to me. This is only my 2nd year of serious gardening, so I am constantly looking for new ways to do things and to simily learn. I have found GG very helpful. I do agree that they should use the plants proper name and common name. Alot of times you need the proper name to find a plant. Fine Gardening is also a great mag. If I had to choose I would probably pick FG over GG. They have great articles.
If you subscribe to GG and then decide its not for you, you can always cancel your subscription. I tried Garden Design and found it was not for me after 1 issue and canceled.
I couldn't stand Garden Design. Way too snobbish.
"Too snobbish"... remember this is from the DGer' who likes mud wrestling!!! LOL
But only in high heels.
I never read Garden Gate, except for the free copy they sent me. That was enjoyable. I have two subscriptions, only enough that I know I can read. I keep them in the bathroom. Fine Gardening and The Family Handyman.