With spring a reality for some and only a promise for others, gardeners' minds and imaginations are turning toward this year's better-than-ever garden. The bright covers of the garden magazines beckon from newsstand and checkout displays. Which to buy? I can get a half flat of annuals for the price of most magazines, so I want to choose carefully! And this goes double if I am considering a subscription.
[Note: There are wide differences among garden magazines in terms of editorial vs. ad content, and how much actual substance you get for the price, so I have calculated this information and added it at the end of the review.]
What is the difference between a Horticulturist and a Gardener? I don't know, but I am sure that I am just a gardener. The idea of "Horticulture Magazine," appeals to the snob in me (I thought it was the journal of the American Horticultural Society, but no, that is "American Gardener") but the actuality is a bit disappointing. Compared with the friendliness of "Organic Gardening" or the classiness of "Fine Gardening" it seems rather stuffy. The writing tends to be pedestrian and visually it just lacks pizzaz. . However, it is a good, informative publication for the serious gardener – er, horticulturist.
A Walk Through the Current Issue (April, 2001)
Up Front: Well, we are already in trouble. The cover is meant to grab, with a brilliant orange fritillaria to illustrate the lead story, but I don't like orange flowers and I don't like fritillarias. The cluttered cover design is like a newstand magazine. The Table of Contents page and Contributors pages are -- just there. "Guest Word" is a pleasant column about spring bulbs with some tempting ideas – a grape hyacinth in "electric turquoise" – now that I'd like to see. Letters and Q&A round out the introductory pages. "HortJournal" is "A Compendium of Ideas, Information, and News." It features a couple who collect, dry, and decorate with interesting plants, memories of their travels. Goes on to extol sweet potato vines and Giant Kohlrabi (really!), and ends up with notes on events of interest to the horticulturalist. "Field Notes" takes us on a tour of regional highlights, with pretty pictures for each – spring-flowering trees in Chicago; trilliums (shouldn't that be trillia?) in Virginia.... Also regionally organized is "The Smart Gardener's To-Do List for April. Then "Step by Step" illustrates the process for "Growing Columbines from Seed," closing out the up-front departments.
The Main Event: The main editorial section is organized by standard topics. "Techniques" gives us "A fresh perspective on...hanging containers," with photos of some genuinely witty treatments. "Garden Classics" introduces a stunning tree peony. AHA! Now here is something for me! – a woodland garden in Louisiana. True, I am several zones north, but I am always looking for inspiration for my little shade garden even if I have to translate the concepts. One basic concept here is using native plants, and that translates anywhere.
Now we come to the fritillarias, ("Sampler")and I am prepared to yawn. But the pictures won't let me. There are so many of them, and such lovely yellows and strange purples and greens. I may have to think this through again. The "Perennials" section gives us the misleadingly named carrot family, with its many and useful incarnations. "Elements of Design" gives me more ideas for boundaries between lawn and garden. "Trees and Shrubs" introduces a handful of small specimen trees, with good information on their uses and culture. "Plants of Merit" introduces a pretty dwarf shrub, Duranta erecta, which you have to go to (or be in) North Carolina to buy. "Tools" reviews and gives guidance on using edge and brush trimmers, and similar information on watering.
Back of the Book: Four tempting pages of Horticultural-sponsored travel and education programs segue to the book reviews, and that's it, except for the ads, of course, and the last page "Destinations," with basic information for visiting Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, DC.
Details: The organization is clear, and for the regular reader the sections make it easy to go right to the material you like. Plant information tends to be buried in the text rather than highlighted in sidebars, which is a tad annoying for the reader who just wants to hit the highlights and get back out into the yard. Ads are scattered throughout the magazine, but are not overly intrusive. It is a worthy publication with plenty of substance for the serious gardener.
Website: www.hortmag.com, but I have not been able to connect this week (March 26-April 2, 2001).
Pages: 100
Ratio of editorial to ad content: 1.32 (in favor of editorial content)
Price of editorial pages (based on current issue and newstand price): 11.4 cents a page
Number of irritating postcards: 4
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