So we have been blogging for four years, amazing how time flies! Four years of sharing our passion for plants and plant related adventures both in and out of our garden.
As we were sat down a couple of days ago and found ourselves reminiscing the things we got up to with regards to garden blogging over the past four years two main thoughts sprouted:
We rarely, if ever answer on our blog the questions that are often asked us by those who visit our garden in person as well as people we meet in person.
And that we rarely, and again if ever talk about the blog itself.
As soon as those two thoughts came up we also asked ourselves why we never did. The answer: they are a lot more complicated to discuss than meets the eye.
Then a follow up idea came up: Why don't we at least try?
Okay so that's the idea now, we will but in trickles...
Now going back to the two main ideas, first the questions. There are several questions that are asked us over and over again, same sort of questions that may vary in theme but the gists are the same. Some are a bit more unique to us whilst some I can imagine other garden bloggers can relate to. The ones that immediately stood out for us and will try to answer on future blog posts are:
Will you ever move homes and change gardens?
Any thoughts or plans about moving abroad?
Any plans to get into professional horticulture and make a living out of it?
What are your thoughts about social media and privacy?
So many questions, not always easy to answer...
For the second idea, as much as we opted not to before we thought it might be fun to start doing so now: to every so often blog about the blog itself. We'll share some insight into how we run our blog as well as tidbits and stories as to how some blog posts came to be. We'll also share some of the fascinating stories, gossip, and adventures (and misadventures) we've had over the past few years as we immersed ourselves into this wonderful thing called blogging.
Come to think of it, it's amazing how many things never did make it to our blog for one reason or another, funny and wonderful stories that would be great to share now, even if just hints a few years after the event. There are some things too however that we simply can only witness but cannot blog about. There are taboo subjects in the world of gardening too believe it or not. Confidence and retaining trust from the people we interact with are still of utmost importance. But if we're feeling adventurous we might occasionally dip into those subjects and drop hints without causing ripples (only tiny ones perhaps). Blog about the Blog, that's how we'll call them.
Fellow garden bloggers, can you relate?
Now when should we start, hmmmm....
Mark and Gaz :-)
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
I've enjoyed reading your blog and would appreciate a "behind-the-scenes" peek at it. Here are some of my own questions: how do you divide up the duties between the two of you? Is there any kind of division of labor? Any differenceso of opinion or disagreements about what to plant, or where? And when I see "Mark and Gaz" blogging or commenting, are both of you really sitting at the keyboard together, do you take turns, or is it one or the other of you who does most of it?
ReplyDeleteThanks John and likewise :) Mark at the moment does most of the blogging but Gaz nearly does all the admin side of the blog and replies to correspondence on email. We blog on either of our spare time. We have our share of disagreements on things but we do work well together, team effort.
DeleteInteresting! I look forward to your blog entries about your blog!
ReplyDeleteThat's nice Peter :)
DeleteThis promises to be very very interesting... please write about these topics soon :)
ReplyDeleteHope so Lisa and will do :)
DeleteKeeping a blog fresh becomes increasingly difficult, doesn't it? I'll be interested to see where you take these new lines of discussion.
ReplyDeleteIt does Kris, mainly because of time constraints as work are extra hectic at the moment for the both of us plus the time of the year. But there's always something to blog about :)
DeleteThe Blog Blog is something we can all obviously relate to. It should launch some interesting discussions. Co-gardening is an issue that comes up here a lot. If we were co-bloggers as well we might very well end up not speaking. Hearing how you two pull it off would be fascinating.
ReplyDeleteWe're hoping that will be the case Ricki as a lot of garden bloggers will be able to relate to some of the topics that will crop up in the future :)
DeleteYesssss! I want a no-holds-barred look at Alternative Eden. The gossip. The dirt. The naked truth. LOL.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I do want to know: Will you ever move???
The Naked Truth, I like the sound of that Gerhard :)
DeleteTo answer your question briefly, yes!
As a long-term blogger (and long-term follower of your blog) my enthusiasm waves and wanes but you guys have always seemed to kept things new and interesting. I'm looking forward to these posts.
ReplyDeletewaxes not waves.....
DeleteThat's a normal pattern Missy and sometimes non blogging life gets in the way too. Funny enough one of the behind the scenes advice that we gave to someone recently is that to keep the blog active and consistent. We try to follow our own advice, most of the time anyway :)
DeleteSo many thoughts based on what I just read!!! I can't wait to read what you right. Are you sure you shouldn't start an alternative (secret, password encoded) blog for this?
ReplyDeleteCircling back around to the question of moving it's not one I would have ever thought to ask but, maybe? USA...West coast? Maybe???
That thought crossed our minds too Loree. In fact there is a website/blog out there already somewhere that we set up a year or so ago for some behind the scenes tidbits. We haven't done anything else about it though. Probably for the best to just do it on this blog but just modify things a bit...
DeleteOh good lord! My fingers type too fast! Write not right!
ReplyDeleteBtw, feel fry to do the same, would love to hear behind the scenes tidbits from your side :)) and yes moving to the U.S. has crossed our minds. Lots of paperwork involved but is feasible...
DeleteGreat idea - it's something I've done too and I've enjoyed adding a different dimension to the blog. I've also had some fun with it - spoof GQT's based on keyword searches hitting the blog (sadly not a rich source to plunder any more with the way Google has developed this side of things) and a spoof magazine based on the language differences between the UK and USA :)
ReplyDeletePS as for your point about blog post ideas which haven't made it to your blog yet, my list is over 300! As you say in your comment replies, there is always somethig to blog about, but real life gets in the way (as it should do) :)
DeleteIt certainly does Michelle :) I like the spoof GQT and magazine, they sound fun and just adds that something extra to the blog or an alternative website. Over 300 posts, sounds like a very interesting personal archive of unseen thoughts :))
DeleteCome on ... I'm waiting :-) Think it would be great to have some insight into the blog itself and the stories along the way. I think they would brighten many a long winter evening. I would also love to know how your garden evolved - was it carefully planned & designed or did it just happen over time ?
ReplyDeleteOhh I don't know where to start now Jane but I'm glad to hear you're looking forward to them :) there were some planning involved when it came to developing our garden but nothing rigid and we modified and adapted things as we went along. It was more fun that way :)
DeleteThe idea sounds like a fun winter series now that your projects are winding down.
ReplyDeleteTrue Shirley, although not too sure about winding down, it seems things are still busy as it was in the summer...
DeleteAbout time too. Time you two came out of the closet and dished the dirt. I guess many of the questions you claim to have been asked are really things that have been whirling around in your own heads but you never realised. Let the gossip commence as long as you don't mention me :-) xxxx
ReplyDeleteWe'll try our best Don :)) yes those questions whirl in our heads, and then just as we're about over thinking about it, it gets asked again.
DeleteInteresting. I always love reading about blogging from other bloggers, but I have never ( well, extremely rarely) mentioned the process of blogging on my own blog. I have been at it for five years, and it does become difficult coming up with fresh ideas! I wonder if I will do this forever. I look forward to reading some of your blogging stories!
ReplyDeleteComing up with fresh ideas can be difficult Debs. Although what we personally find more tricky are not the ideas but just what else happens in real life which is a priority of course. See how it goes, so any options I don't even know when to start :)
DeleteHow cool the real skinny! You have so many accomplishments. Except for the unfortunate fire. I would love to heart behind the scene dirt! How fun!
ReplyDeleteThe behind the scenes things will trickle through in time Candice :)
Delete