What are your DG and NE Forum stories??

What brought you to DG and then to the Forum?

Here's my DG story. A few years ago, as now, I was always researching plants - usually on Google. As I did so I kept seeing this Dave's Garden come up - usually on the first page. It was generally a photo, but sometimes a plant rating or comment. I kept ignoring it, seeing it as kind of a nuisance. I wanted 'real' info - from 'experts' or Universities, even nurseries.

After a while I said - let me check this thing out a bit closer. I went to the homepage and was struck by how many plants they had info on and especially how extensive PlantFiles was. I joined in Sep '04. I had no interest in Forums at all. Never engaged in that on the web and was never into chat, etc. For the first few months I used PF and Garden Watchdog and contributed to them as well. I posted a bit on a few Forums but not much. Then I became a regular poster to Photos, and I remain a regular today.

After Photos, the next Forum that I got interested in and became a regular was Trees and Shrubs. They had some top-notch people there. Some time later, I posted a few times on NE, but did not become a regular until January of this year. The first post I made on NE was May of '06 on a thread discussing Lyme disease. Since January, I've posted on more than one occasion!!

What are your stories??

Victor, I started the same way you did...looking for info on specific plants. If you search for a few and keep seeing PlantFiles, you can't ignore it. Then I got frustrated because I could only do 10 searches a day, so I joined. As long as I was a member, I figured I would look around some. Northeast Gardening seemed a logical place to start, so I introduced myself. The rest is history. I've been hanging here since spring of 2005. By the time I started in Roses, where I practically lived while I was getting my rose garden started, this place had just about consumed all my spare time. Roses is now my 'home away from home' with good friends there, too.

Trees...so many knowledgeable people, way over my head but I go there as often as I need to for help. I can't hang around there too much because there seem to be personal crises popping up too much.

I love Orchids. Even though my collection is meager they welcomed me warmly just as if I were a 'real' orchid person. this is kind of a winter home.

Hummingbirds and Butterflies...great folks there, too. Lots of info and very generous people who got me started on a garden of my own with seeds and encouragement.

Cottage Gardening...I was one of those who lobbied to start this one because I wanted to start a cottage garden and I did this year. I don't spend as much time as I would like to there, but I just participated in a seed swap where I got 146 packs of seed :0)

I dabble in a few more...Artisans, Wildlife (there was a wonderful thread about a raccoon family that I HAD to follow), Needlearts, Health ...CAN'T DO ANY MORE...must sleep and eat...must keep my marriage alive...must find time for actual gardening...

I love the idea for this thread, Victor.
I am going to have to come back to it a bit later, as it is time for Little Miss "M" to get up for the day. I may get the chance to write a nice, long post a bit later in the day.

Debbie - we do actually discuss gardening on NE once in a while!! I agree about the constant growth and expansion of DG - not only with new features, but with tools. Thread Watcher and Latest Posts are great additions.

Jan, I did not mention it in my post but I stopped hanging at Trees for the same reason. Have not been there since the Spring. Same thing with Sustainable Alternatives, where I was a regular for a few months.

My start was the same as most have already said. The name of Dave's Garden just kept popping up constantly. For months I just used Garden Watchdog and when I found out how I could join I did it the same day.

I, too, found the same thing with the Tree forum and dropped out. Naturally, I enjoy NE the most, probably because of "Victor!"

Aw Shucks!! Thanks Pirl!! This Forum is chock full of great people.

Once more Vic pulls a winner from his mind kaleidoscopic,
And starts another fascinating Northeast forum topic!
....

I had been blissfully puttering for years, getting my garden info from the 'Victory Garden' TV show, when a bad tomato year started me searching the web for consolation. Eventually I discovered the DG tomato forum and its guru, Carolyn Male, and subscribed so I could ask questions. It took a few months, but after browsing the NE forum, everyone seemed to be having such a good time, I had to join in.

I've been a gardener for years and years but never had much time for anything else until I retired 6 months ago. I found DG by plant research on Google. I started with Photos Forum and still check it constantly because I so love the amazing photos that get posted all day. I have learned so much from those guys. I post my daily offerings there. Then sweet Candyce d-mailed me and invited me to join in the NE Forum. Geographically, you all are home and I can relate to whatever is discussed. Although I don't join in much with the chatting, I'm listening. I dabble in the Bird Forum also, mostly just looking at the variety of birds posted daily.

Don - thanks for the poetic intro and your story! Bebop - feel free to join in more often - especially with the actual gardening stuff! Don't hesitate to start threads. I guarantee if there's a topic that interests you, it also interests others here as well.

I got my first computer in the fall of 2005. I knew nothing of the web, boy was I amazed!! I think I stayed up for 3 days just surfing---I looked up everything that popped into my head. Until then, i thought the library was a cool place--wow---the net is amazing.

DG popped up while I was searching all my houseplants. What attracted me to it was the Journal--lol---and I still can't make it work!! but I do love the forums. I came to the Northeast forum by accident, thanks to the recent posts area on our home page. You all seemed like such a nice group of people.

I hang out in the AV forum and lurk a lot in the pets forum among others. I watch the Canadian forum, but is is sooo slow in there.

I have most of my fun here with you guys/gals though.

Wow - how many others are lurking in Pets?? Animals included? A bit intimidating! Of course Canada is slow - it's FREEZING!

You're a welcome addition to our family.

It isn't freezing out here on Vancouver Island, just sopping wet...I lurk here because pirl told me how good it is, and because it's one of the few forums that always makes me laugh...

Chomp, chomp - (me eating my words) - 5 minutes after writing that, it promptly began to snow! Big wet flakes drifting down...Victor must have esp.

I was pulling my hair out with a prolific weed in my veggie garden in NH in July, so I decided to Google "weed identification". That took me straight to DG. I had never spent much time on my home computer until I retired, because my job kept me tied to way too much research, but once retired and in need of info, I was interested in all that DG seemed to offer. When I got back the answer to my weed question within about an hour, I was sold. I tinkered with the site for a few days, and then decided to subscribe to get into the rest of the site. Candyce was also the one who invited me to come to the NE forum, and the rest is history. This is the forum where I feel most at home, but I have occasionally checked out pets, recipes, frugal living and the Florida gardening forum. I like the chatty friendliness of the NE forum, and the fact that there is always someone around chatting and having fun. In NE, people rarely get cranky without some reason and don't take themselves too seriously.....lots of humor and jabs, and really interesting, kind people. I especially like how everyone cuts each other a lot of slack when one of us says something stupid. I have seen people hang onto some comment with venom in other forums (fora??), and that's not for me. I don't come here to get annoyed or to annoy anyone, so I like how things are kept light and very supportive of each other. I also like that NE people do not think of themselves as an exclusive group. Everyone from anywhere is genuinely welcomed and included, and everyone values the postings of anyone who chimes in. When someone has a bad day or something serious to contend with, there is true support and caring. What's not to like?? The banter - especially of our Regular Guy Smileys (and you know who you are, guys!) always makes me laugh, and the there are some of the kindest people anywhere who grace this forum on a regular basis.

I also agree with Victor that people should start threads, because chances are that others are often interested in the topics as well. It keeps things diverse and interesting.

I don't lurk in the Pets Forum - it is my second DG home. Someone has to help Wallingford with his manly cat club!

Yes, Cat. The people on that forum are extremely helpful! I forgot to mention that I have had wonderful help from those on the sewing and quilting forum as well. DG subscribers are amazingly generous in taking time to give ideas and assistance - and plants and seeds and great advice! LOL

Nice story Louise. I just can't believe you were using a prolific weed to pull your hair out! Tweezers work fine.

I believe I was led here by Plantfiles also. Can't remember what plant in particular.The dahlia forum was also a draw. I had been on GW previous to this and will still check it if really bored.
I first posted in the NE forum a few months after it started in early '06. If I remember right it had to do with bugging Dena. I knew many of the beginning regulars from other forums so it was easy to fit in.
I'm not too hard to find in Dahlias,Perennials,Photos,Annuals or anything else where opportunity strikes. I have posted in about 2/3 of the regional forums at one time or another.

Soap and candle making?? How about Australia?

Wouldn't want to upset our relationship with AUS. No other countries than Canada - I was totally blown off with my post there.
Trash to pets a few times.

I'm pushing for a Greenland Gardening Forum. Can't do much worse than European Gardening with 13 posts! I'm starting to think I have more posts than half of the forums!

My name is debi, and I'm a DGaholic.
My story is similar to others, googled plants and found DG. And since DH's name is Dave I jumped right on.
It took almost a year to discover the forums, and when I realized I couldn't read more than the first post, I subscribed.
I didn't find the NE forum for a bit, but once I did, it became my favorite. Welcoming and pleasant.
Never did anyone ignore a post or make me feel unwelcome to post. Except maybe Dopey, but that was quickly rectified!! Now I feel like I have a whole new group of friends.

I used Garden Watchdog for years before I knew there was anything else in Dave's Garden. I joined because I started feeling guilty about using Watchdog so often without paying for the service.

I never expected to post in the forums because I already had friends and neighbors to chat with in person and couldn't imagine striking up friendships with disembodied entities I didn't know.

When I finally did decide to make some overtures, I naturally started out in the Rose and Iris forums, because those are the plants that are most abundant in my garden. I was royally snubbed in both places and ran away in dread. I needed a "homeroom," however, so I bought hundreds of alpines and persuaded Dave to revive the defunct Alpine and Rock Gardening Forum. It proved to be a wonderful place.

I eventually went back to the Rose Forum and refused to be driven away by the purists who thought any rose cultivated after 1862 was a miserable upstart and a pale imitation of the old garden roses. I still don't have the courage to go back to the Iris Forum.

Along the way, I've spent a lot of time in Perennials, Photos, and Pets. The regulars in all three of those forums are wonderful people, but Pets ultimately grew too depressing: too many pet illness and death reports.

The California forum is oddly desolate: So many DG members in California, but so few posts.

The Brugmansia and Garden Design forums are just plain scary.

I'm enjoying the NE gardening forum immensely because the threads are more interesting and because people are funnier and more clever here. They also apparently take the trouble to proofread before they click on "send." That sounds petty and arrogant, I know, but the nearly incomprehensible posts in some forums are irritating.

Count me as another person who found DG through web surfing for info, and always coming across Plantfiles and Garden Watchdog. So I started looking through the forums, and then subscribed. I don't post a whole lot, but I do check in here every day (often several times a day!) to read.

Like someone above mentioned, I feel like NE is "home". It's always the first forum I check here, and the one where I feel most comfortable. I do check out some others, mostly Sustainable Alternatives, where I also post, and Perennials, where I sometimes post. Most of the others I go to I just read - Market Growers, Annuals, Organic Gardening, Soil and Composting, Containers.

I might not post a lot, but I do enjoy reading here and appreciate the input of all of you!

:)
Dee

We'll have to get a birthday thread for Victor in the CA forum. That is of course if there isn't a Victor Gardening forum by then.

Ha! Good one Al! Well, since no one is apparently using the CA Forum...

Zuzu - you touched on many great points. There are forums where you can be treated as an outsider, even after being there a while. I like your comment about some minimal proofreading. Minor typos or spelling errors don't bother me at all but there was one person on another Forum that was beyond belief. I really thought it was some attempt at a new written language! Reading the posts literally gave me headaches. Luckily, it's one of those forums I no longer visit.

...or a Victor's Garden.

Cheryl, did the snow stick?

Zuzu sent me a post by someone on another forum and it truly was difficult to read with the amount of typos and tortured English.

Pirl and I sent each other our picks for the most ludicrous post of the day for a while, but a steady diet of those ultimately grew too depressing also. We're more selective now.

Victor, I know exactly who you are talking about on the sustainable alternatives forum! Even the dogs in the Dog House in the Pets forum type better and they can't use uppercase because of the size of their paws!

Pirl & Zu - maybe a new feature for DG? My brother and I used to have All-Ugly teams from pro sports.

Pro? Darn could have made it. No amateurs?

Hmmmm I actually happened upon this site while looking for a forum for Ontario Gardening but couldn't seem to find any good Canadian ones. I kept coming back to this one because it seemed as though people were really helpful. I joined this board and I have been around ever since....I don't even use any other gardening websites - just this one.

It did stick, Pirl, and my short trip to run errands was very entertaining. Folks out here have great difficulty navigating in snow, while in (supposed) control of a vehicle....I saw one small car which had somehow slid from the road, and insinuated itself between a parked car, and the nice privet hedge bordering the front of a property. It sat quite neatly on the sidewalk, looking for all the world as if it was meant to be double-parked that way.

When I was out walking the dogs later on, I saw a small boy trying to catch the dollar-sized snowflakes upon his tongue. Since it was dark out and no-one would notice, I tried for a few myself - and almost walked into a street sign.

Cheryl - well that should have taught you that small boys are best at catching snowflakes and it's not meant for those over nine years old! I can picture that car quite well from your description. You and Dawn are cross country Canadians and you're both very welcome here on the NE forum. So many folks think all of us live with our sled dogs and eat whale blubber for dinner!

While Zuzu and I exchanged the posts each day we found there was no shortage of people who couldn't pass a third grade class for English and have no chance of making sense.

"Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" comes to mind most readily right now. I love hearing stories about the 'new' English and the 'new' grammar. They make me so darned frustrated with the system of education!!! Yes. I proofread. Most times.

I came to Dave's Garden just this year through a search for information about Scabiosa, a plant that had been given to me. I found DG listed in the #1 slot on Ask.com. I began reading the information offered in PlantFiles, looked around the DG site a bit, and was totally blown away by the amount of gardening knowledge!! It took about 20 minutes for me to decide that I needed to be a member, and, having no credit card, was extremely happy to see that DG would accept a check. It was mailed off the same day, and I have been a member since June of this year.

I don't remember how I found the NE forum, but I know that I was here as soon as my subscription was active ... and I don't plan on leaving!!! This is my 'other' family now, as well as those new subscribers that I see popping up in the 'Welcome our New Subscribers' box on my home page. I send out a welcome note to them and invite them to come over to the NE Forum by giving them a direct link to our foolishness.

I simply believe that Dave's Garden is where I belong.

In the spring of this year, i was trying to find out what this amazing, beautiful white flower that came up out of seeds from a $1 wildflower can last summer was. (i had never planted anything before last summer) There was only one, though it bloomed quite a few times, and it just seemed so special and remarkable, i wanted to plant more.
Somehow i found the canister, and started typing each name into google.
Well, i had no luck, but of course, i kept getting hits on DG. Finally i came here and found the ID forum, and posted the picture of my magic white flower (i had used it for my online Xmas card last year!). And i got an answer in less than 30 minutes.
After all that...

My extraordinary white flower was a cosmos.

i never laugh at people who post totally obvious common plants on the ID forum. a few months ago, i was one of them!

It's so true, Amy. What's a new plant to many of us is well known to so many others. Once we're armed with a name then we can become fans of that plant - like all the daylily "fans".

I'm a daylily fan fan, sometimes they get these stalky round things that come up in them - I promptly cut them out ;)