The View from Here

I don’t write much on this blog.  Every now and then, I’ll schedule a bunch of daily photos.  I mostly write on other blogs.

I review books on Pomegranate’s blog here:  http://www.pombooks.net

I write about surfing here:  http://chicksonsticks.wordpress.com

I write about gardening here:  http://www.365daysofgrowingthings.com

I write about business here:  http://www.gardenwriterstoday.com

So, for semi-regular blogging, check out those sites.

Why I Don’t Blog Here

I don’t write much on this blog because I write all the time.  ALL. THE. TIME.  Writing is my job.  Gardening is also kind of my job.  I’ve figured out how to turn reading into a (fun) job. I write about surfing PURELY because I enjoy it.  I write about business on the GWT site because I have something to share with my fellow writers/photographers.  At least, until I run out of things to say.

I don’t blog for a personal audience, and writing for four other blogs, as well as other ghost blogs and writing projects, pretty much uses me up. I’ve found a way to be compensated for writing about everything like to do and write about doing.  Compensated by someone else.   That’s a good situation, yes?  I think so.

I’m Not My Own Brand

This is a bit of my Garden Writers presentation coming out.  I have a brand: The Garden of Words, LLC.  It is my business.  It isn’t Me.  And, I’m not my business.  Let’s pretend I am an attorney (like my Dad might have secretly wanted me to be because he’s one and then we could have practiced together but then I’d still be living in Indianapolis, would not have met my husband and wouldn’t be a surfer-but I digress), I work for a firm.  The firm is my business, but it isn’t Me.  At the end of the day, I’m representing my clients’ interests, not my interests.

It’s the same thing with The Garden of Words.  I represent my clients’ interests.  What I do isn’t about me.  It’s about them.

I don’t want to be the shining star.  I want them to be the shining star.  I want to work and surf. That’s all.

What can Garden Writers Today do for you?

I’m thrilled to be working with Cool Springs Press to create their monthly email newsletters for different segments of the gardening community. One of those is the newsletter for garden writers, in conjunction with Laura Schaub, Managing Editor of the Garden Writers Today website and community.

Currently, you can see a very UNFINISHED, BETA version of GWT here:

http://www.digplantgrow.com/gardenwriters/index.php

There are many other features and feeds that we’re planning to add, but this community and website is first and foremost a resource for you and fellow garden writers.

To make sure that we add information, resources, news, community features and other benefits that are TRUE benefits to writers and photographers, we’re conducting an informal blog survey/meme. We’re asking that garden writers and bloggers post on Tuesday, September 7th, and link back to a home blog post on the Garden Writers Today website. (We’ll have a link widget on there, and I’ll email you back with details about that.)

In your blog post, we’re asking that you answer this simple question:

“What Can Garden Writers Today Do For Me?”

Think of what would help support you, as a writer. Discussions? Tutorials? Photo resources? What would make the GWT site a place that you’d check frequently, even daily?

We’d like you to:

- Write a short post simply listing what would be helpful and why
- Invite your readers to comment to your post or ours with their ideas, as well
- Link to our blog and FB page sometime on Tuesday 9/7

Laura, Jean Ann and I will be promoting everyone’s posts on the FB page and Twitter, which should help you get a bit more traffic. But, mostly, we’re asking this as a favor to the entire community of writers to help us build a website and community that will be helpful for all of us.

Please let me know if you’d like to participate! Email me at ktplant “at” gmail “dot” com

And, thank you, in advance, for your time to help!

My Live Facebook Author Interview with GardenBookstore.net

On Monday, I got an email from Jean Ann VK asking me if I’d like to be the GardenBookstore.net LIVE FACEBOOK AUTHOR INTERVIEW this week.  Now, either they’ve run out of other awesome authors and finally were like “ok, we guess we’ll ask Katie” or they think I have top secret information to share with all y’all (I live in North Carolina).

It is probably a combination of both.   I am super-flattered, and can’t wait to participate.

To follow along and ask questions, you need to “like” GardenBookstore.net on Facebook.  You can do that by clicking this link:  http://www.facebook.com/GardenBookstore

What I have to Offer You

I’m not a “book author.”  Not really.  I ghostwrite books, but I don’t have my name on them.  (Unless you look through the acknowledgments.)  I’m usually listed as “major help,” “editor,” “reader,” “tyrannical fanatic,” or something like that.

I’m more an author of online content:  blogs, newsletters, websites, facebook pages, twitter, etc.  I feel that twitter was MADE for me, or I was made for it.  My life is much more complete with twitter.  But, I digress.

WHY YOU SHOULD TUNE IN FOR THE INTERVIEW?

I thought that all of my adoring fans (all three of you: Hi NATALIE, SUSAN and SHELLEY!) knew about my history working in botanic gardens.  Apparently, I have one adoring fan that did not know about that.  (LAURA-have you or have you not been following my every move since birth?  Oh, I’ve only known you for about a year. K. You’re absolved.)  Working in and managing public gardens around the United States is how I learned a lot of what I hope to share with everyone today.

Have you ever visited a beautiful botanical garden and said to yourself “This is really pretty, but I could NEVER make my garden look like that?”  I’m here to tell you that you CAN.  If you want to.  Even if you just want your front flowerbed to make a BIG SPLASH, I’ll tell you how we do it in the public garden world.

The Practical Side of Gardening

I am a practical gardener.  I don’t have a lot of time to spend in my garden, but I spend all day looking out AT my front garden while I write.  So, I want it to look good.  I want it to look good, even if I can only spent about one full day, every other month, working in it.  (With husband on standby to run to the garden center for supplies if I need him to.  Which he is always pleased to do, because he likes to shop–particularly at garden centers.  We have three birdbaths.)

I don’t want to give everything away here in my blog post, but I’m hoping that you will ask me questions about some of these topics so that I can share my hard-earned tips with you!

• Using annuals without breaking the bank
• Designing your own mixed border for year-round color
• IPM (Integrated pest management) or, in my case, NPM  (No Pest Management)
• Why it is OK to hire a lawn service and what you should look for if you do
• How a little bit of basic botany can go a long way toward helping you tend your garden.
• We’re not kidding about mulch
• Irrigation–do you have it–are you using it properly
• and my VERY FAVORITE TOPIC EVER: how to water your plants correctly.
• Dealing with deer and other animals around large pieces of property or big flower beds
• MASS PLANTING: you CAN do it.

Plus more! I’ve worked at the Smithsonian, Marie Selby Botanical Garden, Indianapolis Zoo, Airlie Gardens, Fort Ticonderoga, Washington Park Arboretum, Longwood Gardens, Winterthur, and others.  Ask me to tell their secrets. I’m more than happy to.

Looking forward to seeing you this afternoon!

Surf’s Up!

It’s summer: so, when I’m not working my butt off for people, I’m probably surfing.  Then, when I get around to blogging, I do it over at Chicks on Sticks.

So, surf on over to Chicks on Sticks and go along with me for my SECOND summer of surfing!

http://www.chicksonsticks.wordpress.com

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: June 2010

This month, my garden has the blues.

Clockwise from top left: Agapanthus, Vitex, Salvia ‘Black and Blue’, Angelonia, Agapanthus, Lobelia, Society Garlic, Stokes Aster.

My Other Garden: 365 Days of Growing Things

The other garden I’ve been tending is 365 Days of Growing Things, which will LAUNCH this Friday, June 18th, with lots of fun activities, prizes and services for gardeners.  Here’s a sneak peek at the “signup screen.”

I hope you’ll follow JennMak and me on Twitter @365dayofgrowing and find us on facebook under “365 Days of Growing Things.”

Our opening contests feature items from Two Green Thumbs Mini Garden Center, aHa! Modern Living, Re-Eco, and a pair of Felco #7 hand pruners.  (As well as some other surprises!)

Membership is free, and you’ll also get access to our “Weekly Garden Roundup” (that won’t kill your garden), where we find the best, newest, funniest, and weirdest garden info of the week to share with you.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens

To take the rest of the “virtual garden tour,” head on over to May Dreams Gardens for the OFFICIAL Garden Bloggers Bloom Day List! Carol graciously hosts this every month.  Show her some love! 

Happy Gardening!

Visitor

Some kind of wasp or hornet on Salvia ‘Black and Blue’ in my garden.

Giants among Flowers

My giant rudbeckias in bloom!