It's been a few weeks now since Stuart of Gardening Tips n Ideas rolled out Blotanical, the new and improved web-directory of gardening blogs around the world. If you haven't been back to explore, what are you waiting for? There are over 400 blogs to be checked out, some of them brilliant; you can keep updated on the latest posts easily, if you don't have a newsreader or newsfeed or whatever the heck the RSS feed readers are called. I 'only' have about 100 blogs I read on a daily basis (some don't post daily, or have very short posts, or pretty photos) but there are obviously hundreds of others out there, and so I now pop into Blotanical daily--well, or a few times daily, depending on whether I trip over myself and get logged out!--to meet up with some of those I haven't visited before.
A lot of you who have great blogs have registered, but then haven't been back to explore, comment, favourite, or even tend your own little plot. Again, I gotta ask: whatever are you waiting for? As Mr. MacGregor's Daughter said about garden dreaming, what else is there to do in winter...other than go exploring more blogs and, in time, other websites. I like the way the front page has been redesigned, and now you can quickly see who are new additions to the site. Plus there are places to recommend posts, and there will be areas to review all manner of things to do with gardening in the coming months. It's a really fun site to hang out at, and while I don't profess to be an expert navigator of the site yet (witness my logging myself out more than once), I stand by my original prediction that this will be as good a site--or better--than Dave's Garden, in time. But Stuart has put a huge pile of work into it, and we only get out what we put in by participating, making suggestions, and cheering him on.
Plus it's in our own best interests to participate, collect points to be blotanists of different levels, and drive more traffic to our sites--even if they exist just to entertain and inform, not to make money. I know some people make a decent supplementary income from their blogs, and whether you do or don't...we do put our words out there for others to read, and we do WANT them read, don't we?
Given how much banging-my-head-on-the-table I did in doing something relatively simply like redesigning the look of bloomingwriter--and thank you to all for your nice comments, and especially thanks to Kylee of Our Little Acre for putting up those posts on giving blogs a makeover--I can only imagine how much work creating and maintaining a site like Blotanical would be. So to Stuart, here's a big bouquet of appreciation for this site; it's a terrific resource for gardeners of all skills, and it will just continue to grow.
Now, my blogging friends...click on over to Blotanical and get tending your plots! I'll see you there soon, I hope. And I want to see some others join in the race between Carolyn of Sweet Home and Garden Chicago and me to hit the next level of Blotanist. ;-)
I registered there early in November and I've just been lax about updating my information. Thanks for the nudge to get back over there!
ReplyDeleteYour site looks just beautiful, Jodi!
I didn't know to do anything but register. Thanks, I'll get right over there!
ReplyDeleteFrances at Faire Garden
Now, I feel bad that I haven't looked at my info lately. I'll go do it. What a great idea for a post.
ReplyDeleteI just tried to log into blotanical, write an email to Stuart for help, update my plot, all failures. Are they having trouble with the site, or is it just me?
ReplyDeleteGreat new look! The love watercolor flowers add such a nice touch to an already pretty blog. I am behind on my blog reading--been busy! Looks like you have had some excitement up your way.
ReplyDeleteLight snow here, but warm.
Sandy
Jodi this is an amazingly awesome post promoting Blotanical. Thank you so much...I had to wipe away a sentimental tear before commenting. Thank you so much and I'm glad you're enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteFrances - I hope you've received my follow up email and have been able to log back in. My apologies.
Thanks for the tip, Jodi. I'm kinda...um...slow about these things and just registered. I haven't heard back from them yet except for them to say they're considering my blog.
ReplyDeleteJodi
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments on our loss of Lucy. I know you have a wonderful cat family too, it takes another cat person to know how this feels. I think you are right about being a better person to have had such beautiful little furry souls with us. Thank you also for the idea of planting special plants for them.
I didn't know where else to comment. I am in blotanical too and Stewart is a really nice person.
I'm still in awe of your wallpaper for the blog .. it is gorgeous.
Thanks again
Joy
Hi Jodi, I am registered at Blogtanical. I just don't get over there. You must read faster than I. I have a difficult time keeping up with the few blogs I read. :) I keep forgetting my password there. Such an annoyance. Maybe if I went there more often I wouldn't forget it. Ha...
ReplyDeleteWe can make it better than Dave's Garden, we will make it more fun to use than GardenWeb. I've never subscribed to Dave's Garden because I try to avoid paying for things I can get for free. (Who, me, cheap?) I'm sick of GardenWeb's annoying popup ads screwing up the functioning of my web browser. Blotanical has such great features already & promises to be so much more. A Chicagoan like me can't help but love the ability to "vote early, vote often."
ReplyDeleteBlotanical IS fun, Jodi, and a great resource, as you say. I spend way more time over there than I really should, but I don't think I'll catch you or Carolyn on Blotanist points any time soon. Maybe if we were buried in snow and I couldn't actually garden... ;-)
ReplyDeleteGotta get up pretty early in the morning to catch me, Jodi !
ReplyDeleteJust kidding. Great post.
Well I see you whizzed past me so you must of gotten up early, or, stayed up late?!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see others are enjoying Blotanical as much as I am. And Stuart--you're our hort hero, for doing this. Like Mr. McGregor's Daughter says, we can make it better than those other sites. (I've never dealt with GardenWeb because of the popups, and all the other detritus on that site.
ReplyDeleteJoy...this is a fine place to comment. I AM going to add my email address to the comment form, just haven't got there yet. I hope you're doing okay with the loss of Lucy.
Lisa, I DO read fast. But I always have, and now it's really in my best interests to be a speedy reader, because technically, I'm paid to read. (I review books for a couple of publications along with doing research from reading.)
MMD: I chortled in gle at the 'vote early, vote often' comment. We use that too. How cynical we can be...
Pam...HAHAHA...sure, rub it in about being able to garden while us northerly bums are freezin'... Too true. :-)
Carolyn, as I said in my note to you...I don't sleep much. And I read most of the time I'm awake, unless I'm writing, gardening, or doing something else that precludes me having my nose in a book, a magazine, or my computer screen. ;-)
Jodi, you sound so convincing :)
ReplyDeleteMy problem is that I barely have enough time to read 5 or 6 blogs since it takes so long to load (that dial up problem mostly). I WILL head over to Blotanical because you make so much sense ... I just don't know that I'd have time to 'work it'. You are great to encourage us and to promote Stuart's hard work! I'll make Blotanical my very next visit after clicking this - promise :)
Diane at Sand to Glass
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