Garden Design

I've gone through several of these magazines and all I can say "yuck". I will never waste good money on this publication ever again. I counted 5 alcohol advertisements in one issue as well as many clothing ads. Sorry gardening is not about being a well-dressed drunk! The actual gardening articles are rather paltry offerings indeed.

I liked this magazine initially but over the last couple of years it has become really focused on stuff. Lots of ads, lots or articles on thing to buy. Lots of photos of rich people's homes. I find the articles superficial. Not enough data here for me. This will be my last year.

A lot of the articles in this magazine read more like press releases from the marketing departments of their various advertisers (as if there wasn't enough advertising in the magazine already). There is also very little useful gardening advice. There are some really nice pictures in each issue, though, but seeing them isn't worth the price of the magazine.

While this isn't my favorite garden magazine (right now "The Garden" from the Royal Horticultural Society claims that honor), I find myself buying nearly every issue at the newsstand. It's enjoyable enough, and since the ads are nearly all for garden-related products, I don't find them particularly distracting.

This is absolutely one of my favorite magazines. The pictures are beautiful. There are so many ideas for plant combinations and great ideas for new plants. Perhaps light on the horticultural info, but every magazine has several articles about specific gardens and the people who designed and care for them. Also, subscriptions can be gotten on Ebay at a fraction of the usual cost.

Sorry Garden Design, but, the quantity of advertising to the amount of useful information is way out of proportion. You might have the ad dollars, but you don't have my dollars.