My Podcast and Other Unforeseen Benefits of Garden Blogging
Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 1:10PM 
If you have ever wondered what I look like, that's me on the right, with Dave Ledoux. A while back he interviewed me for his Back to My Garden show, and my podcast came out this week! This was an honor, and I had a lot of fun talking about my experiences in gardening. Now, if you want to hear my Southern accent just click here. It takes about thirty minutes, but I promise, the time goes by quickly!
This podcast was just one of many benefits that have come to me through my blog. No, I haven't earned a penny from it, and that was never my intention. I started blogging about five and a half years ago, and at the time I had not the foggiest idea what I was doing. I had zero concept of the amount of work and time involved. I was barely computer literate.
What was my intention? I wanted to write about gardening and to share my garden with others, and I wanted to improve my photography skills. One of my sons encouraged me to begin a blog, and with a little help on his part, I began.
So what has come of it?
I have made so many new friends from around the world! True, I have never seen many of them, but we share a common love of gardening. Others I have met in person, and I have visited their gardens and/or they have visited mine. Eddie Aldridge, who founded the beautiful Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, not far from where I live, discovered my blog one day and called me up. (Actually it was his wife Kay who came across my blog and encouraged him to read it.) We visited and got to know each other, and then Eddie nominated me to be on the Board of Directors at Aldridge Gardens.
I have been asked to speak about various gardening topics in the community and to help educate the public about good gardening practices. Individuals and garden groups sometimes come to tour my garden, and I have been able to share my garden stories with them. Poor souls! I like to tell my yarns; almost everything in my garden has a story!
Truly, one of the best benefits of blogging is that my garden has become a better garden. I have learned so much from the community of gardeners. I have become an organic gardener because of what I learned from other garden bloggers. I have become much more knowledgeable about the interconnections of wildlife, plants and soil.
Tiger swallowtail butterfly
The British architect Russell Page once said, "Green fingers are the extension of a verdant heart." I have come to realize that gardeners are some of the best people in the world. The world needs more gardeners! Most of them are nurturing, giving, creative types. They tend to be enthusiastic and ever optimistic. However, I am not sure if they garden because they are that way, or if they become that way because they garden.
Dogwood trees, Cornus florida, are beginning to open their blooms!If you have a blog, I encourage you to consistently put out the best content you can. It may take a few years, but I promise something good will come of it! As my particular part of the world is enveloped in spring, I listen to the birds and keep on gardening. Happy blogging!
Reader Comments (25)
Great to see the lovely face behind the lovely blog, and the voice too! Blogging can certainly bring so many benefits and would encourage more people to do it. And it's a wonderful community too :)
What a treat to see your smiling face! Can't wait to listen to the podcast!
That's wonderful Deb, and a great pic of you too. Congrats on running such an informative and inspirational website on your garden an related issues.
How cool to have all of those opportunities! That place is beautiful, and I love your photos! I plan to listen to the podcast this week while I am doing some housework.
That's exciting! It's wonderful to find your passion and then be able to share your knowledge and excitement with others. What a lovely picture of you. I'll check out the podcast!
It was fun to listen to your podcast, Deb! Your enthusiasm about gardening came across loud and clear. Blogging has expanded my world too. Sadly, most of my local friends aren't gardening enthusiasts but my blog, as well as the blogs I read regularly like yours, have provided me invaluable contacts with others as nuts about plants and gardens as I am. Thanks for widening my circle of garden friends!
Hi Deb, I enjoyed the pastcast very much. You really have a way with words. But I already knew that from reading your blog these past few years. I hope you will soon be on the 'A Way to Garden' podcast.
Hi Deb, after quite a long time visiting you and your garden in cyberspace, it was great to see your face and hear your voice. It has been a wonderful journey - sharing our passion for gardening. It must be a great experience to be on the board of that superb looking public garden, and I'm sure they have benefitted enormously from your input.
Great to see your face and to hear your voice! I wholeheartedly agree with your comments about blogging and I am delighted to read of the benefits it has brought to you - so richly deserved.
I love reading about gardens and gardeners around the globe. It has certainly expanded my knowledge and I hope that it has made me a more thoughtful gardener.
How wonderful to put a face and voice to your blog! Congratulations on all your success, you will be in great demand!
Seeing your garden through your blog, it always looks so wonderful, no matter what time of year it is, I'm sure lots more readers will be taking a virtual wander through it soon!
Deb you deserve all of the wonderful opportunities that have, and will come your way. Your garden is a dream...do I keep saying that? I do, but it is.
And congrats to you on doing this.
Jen
Congrats Deb on a wonderful podcast...loved the picture and your voice. There are many benefits to blogging and the relationships formed are the best.
I heard your podcast and it was so nice of you to be asked by Back to My Garden. I am glad you talked about wildlife and letting nature take care of itself. Also when you mentioned layers in the garden, both big like your garden or small like a city garden. I liked the story about your Marriage Tree. It was fate it lived unharmed. It is a very interesting show. When he started, he mentioned 99 tips, I have a friend here that does this for a talk she gives. I am passing his link along.
Very nice post, Deb.
As you know, I enjoyed your podcast -- and your accent ;)
Happy Spring!
Great interview! I could not have answered those spur-of-the-moment questions there at the end.
Dear Deb, so nice to see a photo of you and get a little bit of a visual impression of the person behind this great blog. I am happy to read that so many good things have come out of blogging for you. When I have a little bit more time I will come back and listen to the podcast featuring you. How exciting is that?
In my case I mostly value the contact, even though it is mostly only virtual, with other passionate gardeners that I have gained through blogging.
I agree with you, that it is important to put the best possible content out when blogging, but would add without killing yourself, since every blogger knows, how time consuming blogging can get. It still should be fun!
Happy spring to you! Looking forward to your upcoming posts!
Warm regards,
Christina
Oh, how fun to be part of the podcast and work with other gardens! The garden blogging community is such a great one, I think! I also think that it's true that gardeners have such great qualities. I think it's similar to animal-lovers - one must have some kindness and love in one's heart to care so much about other living things :)
verdant heart!
Coming to the podcast tomorrow, as the 3 of them are sleeping ...
Deb, Congratulations on your well-deserved recognition! I always think of you when I'm listening to NPR and they have reports from their southern reporter, Debbie Elliot -- even though I know she's not you. It was fun to hear your voice; your accent sounds just like one of my former colleagues at Gettysburg College, who is from Birmingham.
Hi Deb, just want to let you know that I have answered your question about a possible climbing rose for your garden on my blog. Sorry for the three day delay in my response, I was very busy.
Warm regards,
Christina
Lovely photos. You give me inspiration.
I have a woodland garden in Kent UK.
Having problems with rabbits!
Do you?
Hi everyone! Thank you all for your comments! Sally Bell, welcome to my blog! Yes I sometimes have problems with rabbits, but not too bad. They once ate two flats of pansies I had just planted. But the foxes keep their numbers down. My greatest enemies are voles!
How lovely to see a photo of you and listen to the podcast, congratulation on being featured! I so agree with you about what you say about blogging and becoming a better gardener, the things I have learned through blogging the past 4 years is priceless and I have met so many wonderful people – some even in person.
It’s funny you mention the definition of spring, in my language Norwegian, the word spring means run – and I suppose it has the same origin :-)
(But the season spring is called vår – a completely different word)
It’s great to see your garden has sprung into action, loved your Pieris, one of my favourites at this time of year, I lost my 12 year old pieris last year and have been meaning to replace it, I certainly will once I am settled in my new house. Enjoy your spring garden!
Who is that young beautiful woman with a charming smile?
Deb, I am so glad to see you!!! I'm sorry I missed this post: March 28 was our first day in Hawaii (spring break)! You are a great writer, and I'd love to visit your garden and listen to your stories!
Now, I'll check out the podcast - I know it'll be the time well spent!
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations! You and your blog deserves every bit of recognition. That's a great picture of you!
I can detect a slight Southern accent in your voice. Now DH's parents have strong Southern accents, although DH and his brothers do not. I think that's because so many people from other regions have moved to the area where he grew up because of the universities and Research Triangle Park.
I am very glad that your son suggested that you blog about your garden!