My Garden

Broader, but shallower?

Last post 20-01-2009 6:07 PM by Digger. 21 replies.

• 20/01/2009 10:39 AM

  In reply to

  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,200

  Reply | Contact  I don't consider my membership to be expensive VP, when I renewed my membership in November it was £43 which covers the cost of 10 issues - to me the other two are free.  As well as that I am entitled to discounted show tickets, free entry into RHS gardens, discounted or free entry into other gardens that Sarah has already mentioned. I believe that part of our membership fees goes towards all the charitable work that the RHS does, including the Campaign for Schools which is helping the children take an interest in growing things as lets face it - these days a very high percentage of children these days don't know that chips are made from potatoes that grow in the ground.   sue1002

• 20/01/2009 10:44 AM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact I have to agree I think membership of the RHS is excellent value for money, if the RHS wanted to have a reduced rate for people over 75, I wouldn't mind paying an extra 2 or 3 quid a year to support it. Members have expert advice at their fingertips, where else can you contact a scientist over the telephone to discuss a horticultural issue? we are a unique society and I want to keep it that way. digger

• 20/01/2009 10:47 AM	In reply to
  Sarah Buxton Location: London Joined on: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 8	Reply | Contact Thanks Sue, you put it really well! Also thank you VP for the link to your blog site. We were aware of what you did and appreciated the debate it stimulated. Sarah Buxton, Director of Finance

• 20/01/2009 10:47 AM

  In reply to

  VP Location: Chippenham Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 32

  Reply | Contact Sue that was the conclusion I came to in my article too. But there are a lot of people out there who don't feel the same way, especially if they live nowhere near any of the shows or RHS gardens. I am 2 hours away from an RHS garden and there are 2 gardens close to me on the 'free' list. Both are great to visit - Westonbirt Arboretum and Corsham Court. But neither offer the range that one of the RHS gardens has to offer. VP http://vegplotting.blogspot.com

• 20/01/2009 11:53 AM

  In reply to

  Jenny Woods Location: Peripatetic Joined on: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 4

  Reply | Contact Sorry to be a bit late rejoining the debate. I love The Plantsman as far as it goes. How can one not like a magazine that still has the guts to publish in Latin and needs a colour chart the size and weight of a good fighting housebrick for full interpretation?! However I'd love to see articles on garden design, history, philosophy at that challenging level as well. Perhaps I'll just have to stick with my pipedreams of hybidising The Plantsman, Hortus, ThinkinGardens and Andrew Lawson! Jenny

• 20/01/2009 03:58 PM	In reply to
  VP Location: Chippenham Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 32	Reply | Contact 8,000? Is it actually worth doing then? Does that reflect the relatively high price compared to other gardening magazines and/or the lack of outlets that have it available? VP http://vegplotting.blogspot.com

• 20/01/2009 06:07 PM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact Perhaps if members had a choice of magazine the readership of the Plantsman might increase, I remember i suggested it first, I like the garden magazine and I think the changes that have happened are in line with modern thinking, it may have a higher cover price, but I think it has a higher calibre of content than some of the other magazines available, the magazine does have some good articles written  by very well known people who are experts in horticulture digger