"Sharing your garden"

I am pleased to announce a new feature of our website that enables you to share the story of your own garden.
Sunday, 18 August 2013     

Water feature in the garden of my sister Holly in Sydney

One of the best aspects of gardening is the propensity of gardeners to share. It was this aspect that struck me the most when I took my very first tentative steps into the world of gardening in 1983 by joining the local gardening club. I was the youngest by about 40 years but the delightful club members immediately took me under their wings and drew me into their ambit. They showed me the cuttings table - where for the princely sum of 10 cents, one could purchase pieces cut from members' plants: which they all assured me would grow into new plants. This seemed a revelation to me at the time. As I got to know the other members, many were the plants given to me gratis to try out in my own bare plot. They also shared their extensive knowledge of plants and gardening with this nervous newcomer, and I have been forever grateful to the warm welcome I received at the Eastwood Evening Garden Club all those years ago. The members also ran a spring ramble every year where some of them would open their gardens for the others to visit and get ideas. Such a concept exists in most garden clubs (as it does in the one I presently belong to) - and on a grand scale can be found in the Open Gardens Australia scheme, which my own sister participated in this past weekend.

Not many of us will ever open our gardens to the public, but here at iGarden, we have developed a new site feature called Garden Ramble where members can write a description of their own garden and post photos of it - on a page dedicated to just their own plot, so that other members can have a virtual tour of your garden in cyberspace!

This feature is the result of many hours of work on the part of our resident webmaster, Andrew; and I have at last entered some information about my own garden on a page within the feature, just to get the ball rolling. Whether you want to describe the main areas of your garden (as I have done) or focus on your favourite types of plants - or whatever - it is up to you. Only your first name and postcode will appear on the page. As gardeners, we never cease to learn more from hearing about what other people are doing and growing, and I have gained so much information from readers of my blog over the past five years.

You will see a new menu option called Garden Ramble on most pages now that will take you to the members garden profiles. You need to be an iGarden member, and be logged in, to use Garden Ramble. To start check out my entry and others here and consider sharing your own garden with other readers in this way. We have tried to make the process as user-friendly as possible, and if I can do it, anyone can!


 Reader Comments

1/5  Jan - 2582 (Zone:9 - Cool Temperate) Tuesday, 20 August 2013

That"s a wonderful idea Deirdre! First the early signs of spring were distracting, and now I want to down tools and add to your website instead of working!! Must be fair as work will cause me to miss my garden club meeting tonight. It"s my turn to have the honour of being the baby of the club and love drinking in the advice and visions offered. Thanks for adding your garden - it looks fantastic and it is inspiring for me as our farm garden is not far from where you are so good to see plants that grow in the region. Deirdre


2/5  Pam - 3216 (Zone:10 - Mediteranean) Tuesday, 20 August 2013

Congratulations on this fabulous development. How clever!! I will certainly make a contribution. Look forward to reading about your garden, Pam! Deirdre


3/5  Kathryn - 2069 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Tuesday, 20 August 2013

Fantastic idea Deirdre! Thank you so much for helping to bring garden lovers together the way you do with all the great features on your site. I"d love to share my garden with others and can"t wait to see what other members post about their gardens. Must get to work on my posting! I look forward to reading about your garden, Kathryn. Deirdre


4/5  Lynsey - 2100 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Wednesday, 21 August 2013

What a fantastic idea. I"d love to share my garden too, but it"ll take me a while to work up the courage. Please do tell us about your garden, Lynsey! Deirdre


5/5  Allan - 4300 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 09 September 2013

Great blog I joined my local garden club last year and last month was elected president of the Camira Garden Club and being the youngest member and only male in the group,I am looking for pointers as I have never held a possions like this before.


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