following on

Following on from Chitting Kazs` "forums can be hard " thread. What makes Gardeners Corner so popular? I have been on many gardening forums but none of them has been so addictive as this one. Why?

 

We are the only one where if you pm a mod, he will send you a picture of a naked lady.

 

Because unlike so many forums, we don't take ourselves too seriously here. I suspect that's partly down to the way it is moderated. Other forums I'm a member of treat everyone like kids. You drift marginally off topic, and you get chastised. Here its more or less just an open chat. The internet equivalent of chatting to the neighbour over the garden fence. (Except not Bilbo's new neighbour over his now lowered hedge).

 

I think it`s also down to the fact that we are all, basically, back garden gardeners. With no pretentions of grandeur. Well, except for Zigeraniouos.

 

I've participated in three other gardening forums and this is the one I like best. This is what the other ones were like:

#1 This one was OK, but had very old-fashioned software and was sluggish to the point of being moribund. There wasn't much point in posting because there wouldn't be many replies. Good seed exchange person on it, though.

#2 This one was very, very knowledgeable, (and strict about topics and grammar) so much so that I didn't know what plants they were referring to most of the time. Very male-dominated with a slightly strange (to me) atmosphere. A bit of a secret society and I definitely did not have what it took to be a proper member. However, they might have been geeky but those chaps certainly knew their stuff.

#3 Another gardening forum with a fairly narrow focus, again, very blokey and completely obsessed with a small area of horticulture. There's only so many posts I would want to read about, (for example) silver birches. Very friendly with lots of meets for those in the know, though.

Unless you need very detailed information about little known plants, this is far and away the best general gardening forum, having a good balance of fun and fact.

I've participated in forums on other subjects (dance) and they're prone to periodic massive quarrels and conflicting characters who just love needling each other. Great as a spectator sport as long as you don't get involved. A bit of a pointless waste of emotional energy, either way. Also complicated by the fact that forum members were often well-known to each other in real-life as well as cyberspace.

Gardeners Corner is a haven of positive tranquillity in comparison, do you think it's anything to do with the calming effect of gardening?

 

Zigeraniouos Grandifolius if you don't mind:D

This is the only forum where you could post a comment like

And not have your inbox fill up immediately with requests

Also, if the mods see a thread staying on topic for too long, we have to get in there and de rail it

 

It's a good mixture here on GC, the gardening side and the general discussion, with banter/laughs along the way. A relaxed atmosphere makes people happy.........and since when have gardeners taken themselves seriously, well not this lot here, I'm sure!

Ziggy, I'm not into naked lady's, thanks! :nono:

 

Told you that smily was meant for me.

 

We could waffle on about Eupatorium Cannabinum if we wanted to, but it wouldn't make for good reading:sleep:

Best keep you on the edge of your seats, not knowing where the next Rubus Fruiticosus is going to spring up from:D

 

a popular gardening/chicken forum I go on some times makes you feel silly if you stray off topic and gives you a warning if you dare disagree with the clique.
But here its in the rulz a good debate, good advice,and a friendly atmosphere and no criticism if you dont spell some thing quite correctly.
God i'am getting all emotional now

 

Naked lady's are beautiful


Amaryllis belladonna)


Jack McH

 

Got it in one Clueless

A forum where not everyone tries to be more knowledgable than anyone-else

Where those that do have the knowledge, accept those that do not and give kind friendly advice, not talking down to you

The rest of us chatter over the garden fence of events of the day, kids holidays work , jokes, OH and the garden

Jack McHammocklashing