"What's New" at the Watchdog

We've recently had dozesn of new entries in the Watchdog. Since we don't designate the newest additions as "new", and it takes Google a while to index the new stuff, I thought I'd list some of the most recent additions for your viewing pleasure. (It is the season to plan and dream and scheme, right?) These are in no particular order; I hope y'all enjoy browsing them as much as I did pulling the list together!

Wildlife/Birding
IPM of Alaska: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2291
Hummingbird Shop: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2343

Books & Videos
Effortless Gardening: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2269
GardenPlans.com: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2346/
Fulcrum Publishing: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2271

Composting
SoilSoup: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2275
PlanTea: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2319/

Succulents
Cactus Store: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2280
Living Wreath: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2274

Orchids
Big Leaf Orchids: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2290
Hawaii Orchids: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2323
Loresco Tropical Plants: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2326

Tropicals & Bamboo
Skychild Tropicals: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2338
Bamboo Plantation: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2294

Greenhouses
Garden Solution: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2295
Discount Greenhouse Kits: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2285
Indoor Gardening: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2345/

Garden Decor (I guess this week's pollbooth question inspired me to find a bunch of new sources!)
Adirondack Wood Products: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2311
Owl's Head: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2298
Whetsell Lumber (oak barrels): http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2310
Mud Art: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2308
New Lenox Statuary: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2328
Garden Ventures: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2327
Yard Art & More: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2303

Seeds
Nativeflora.com: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2300
Rancid Sawdust: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2278
Harvest Moon Farms: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2282/

Roses & Peonies
Countryside Roses: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2286/
Twin Creeks Peonies: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2325

Supplies
Mister Landscaper Microsprinkler: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2305
Orion Industries (garden markers): http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2320
N&B Horticultural Products: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2315
Bug Blaster: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2318

Perennials
McLane's Country Garden: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2292
Cochato Nursery: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2340
Pennard Plants: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2333

Irises & Lilies
Iris Sisters Farm: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2317
DJ Enterprises: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2313

Water Gardening
Support Enterprises: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2307
Stone Works: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2299
Puddle and Pond: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2341

Trees
Byles Nursery: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2301
B&E Crape Myrtle Farm: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2331
Fruitlover's Nursery: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2288
Segal Ranch Hybrid Poplars: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2336

Just for curiosity, are companies deleted if you find out they have gone out of business?

We got the heads up on this being Tom Clothier's final year(not sure he is in there anyway).

Kathy, when I come across information that a company has closed (or a business owner notifies me they're shutting down), I post a brief explanation and remove the phone number, email and street addresses from the entry.

It's worked out pretty well - it lets former/repeat customers learn what has happened, rather than having them assume we don't have a listing for the company. At some point, I'm hoping Dave will give me an icon to use for closed businesses, along the same lines as the star, flag and "X".

In the case of Tom Clothier, I've avoided posting anything until I hear the disposition of his seed business (I keep hearing that someone else is going to assume the reins.) A similar situation occurred last year when Chuck Wyatt passed away; for the time being we have the new and former business names listed: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/48/

I'll also take this opportunity to request that users report dead links, defunct businesses, or new businesses so we can keep the Watchdog as current as possible. With more than 2,300 entries now, it's a big task, and I'm always glad to get a note when something needs my attention.

I just added a new company :) Garden Smiles aka Carruth Studios. I only have retail dealings with them (they have a store in town) but noted that in my description.

Question: why is that one company flagged, with only a company comment? I thought flags meant "caution"? There were no positive/negative ratings about them.

Removing the neutral flag from company comments is on poor Dave's never-ending list of to-do's.

We started out with a yellow meaning "neutral", but once we married it to a flag, it became a visual "caution" instead. So we need to remove it altogether, or replace it with an icon just for company comments (personally I think I'd prefer to remove any icon, but that's just me :)

I like the icons: they give an instant message about whether any member has had dealing with the company or not, and the over-all group consensus. It just made me wonder to see that one.