| Product: |
Gardeners World Magazine |
| Date: |
04.02.07 (381 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: I can read it again and again and still learn something new
Disadvantages: I would just be nit picking
OK, so I’m a 27 year old mum of a toddler who only moved out of her mothers warm and cosy nest 3 years ago. Now my mother said “You mite be able to wash the dishes pet, but you may as well pave over any garden you may have” when she saw what I did to my rented humble abode 2 years ago. I had just had a baby and summer was coming with a vengeance and I wanted it to be all lovely for photographs for our memories.
I dug a patch of land out and had plans for it to be all flowery and attracting ladybirds and butterflies for my little baby. I wanted to be the best mum in the world you see. At that time I didn’t know my cleatis from my hosta and bought whatever was cheapest from ebay. What a mess – a 2metre x 2metre patch of land full of bulbs ans seeds that I hadn’t a clue when to plant or when they would flower.
So you get the picture I was (and still am to be fair) a novice. 18 months we rented that house and decided that it was time to try and buy a house. Being first time buyers we got a really good deal from the builders of a new house (shoe box actually!) and moved in there. Oh it was lovely – WAS! I decided that I wanted borders all round my front lawn. Digging away last summer I found little grubs. All worked stopped till I found out what they were. And that was it.. I loved finding out about the leather jacket grubs. I had and when to treat to get rid of them. My passion for gardening and for educating myself about the basics was ignited. I bought Alan Titchmarch’s Gardener’s Year book and I felt a little more confident.
Browsing magazines in Tesco’s there were many gardening mags to choose from but the BBC logo and the fact I’d actually seen 1 or 2 programs I decided to choose BBC Gardener’s World.
Now this is going to be a hard review to write because 1) this is only my 4th review. 2) this magazine is excellent but I just don’t know why!
I have had 3 other gardening magazines that just don’t hold my interest. I browse through them without taking any interest or picking up any skills or knowledge. I cannot put my finger on why Gardener’s World keeps me intrigued. I shall go through it wilth you and hopefully at the end of it we’ll see just why I think it’s a fab mag.
The magazine month is the actual month eg, I bought February’s issue 2nd Feb (magazine on sale 25th Jan – 26th Feb). They only started doing this a few months back but I feel it was the right decision. It ludicrous to have a gardening magazine for February that has March’s date on it. Good call mag makers!
The font cover is always stunning. A close up of a plant and maybe wildlife. This month there’s a tortoiseshell butterfly on a verbena. Beautiful colours and a bold print title really does make the magazine stand out from all the rest. Old Alan’s face on their might just pull a few extra punter’s too.. sorry Mr Titchmarsh!
The magazine costs £3.10 which is typical for a gardening magazine in my opinion. Gardening Answers is £3.00 to compare.
The website address www.gardenersworld.com is displayed on the front cover too. The website itself is rather comprehensive. It has the ‘best bits’, in my opinion, from the mag along with programme news, jobs in the garden this month, giveaways, reader club, what’s on guide, a link to subscribe and subscription information too.
So the magazine..
The ‘Fresh Ideas’ section is lovely. I have never actually made anything but I always want too and probably would if I had the equipment to hand. This month they show you how to make a wire heart plant support for Valenines Day. Simple but so effective.
‘We love FEBUARY for..’ Always manages to sum up the feeling of the time of year with sumpious describing words then follows photo’s and easy to follow information with A list plants starring this month.
Alan this month tells us about Wisteria in ‘know your climbers’ A 5 page spread full with photo’s, information about Wisteria, where to buy mail order, how to prune and train and a reader’s pant offer.
In this months issue Sarah Raven also has 5 pages full with information on how quick and easy it is to sow seeds indoors and get your flowers off to a great start.
Every month Roy Lancaster tells us what impressive plant he has seen on his travels. This month he tells of a white birch in Kashmir.
There’s also an article every moth on other people’s impressive gardens telling us their inspiration and ideas.
Joe Swift always offers solutions for how to use plants, often having a complete series of ‘how to do…’
There’s always news about oagic gardening, or conserving water or importance of composting. Real sound facts and advice and good ideas without preaching.
A good section on what to do in your garden now for flowers, in your greenhouse, fruit and veg and general tasks around your garden.
There’s a free PC CD-ROM from www.naturalengland.org.uk about gardening with wildlife in mind.
The next bit I am very excited about. To keep an eye out for.. Foxes. I read the description of the noise they make when they find a vixen. It answers my question of a rather chilling squeal I heard 4.00am about a month a go.. now I’m sure I have foxes walking down my street!!
There’s a section on wildlife gardening followed by Reader Offers. I find these offers not very cheap I have to say but they do have some ‘canny’ ideas.
Carol Klein is featuring at the moment with articles to go along with her BBC2 series ‘Grow Your Own Veg’
Pippa Greenwood features often with advice, this month, on the best onions to grow with Rick Stein providing a ‘home-grown soup’ recipe.
A huge section on buying Propagators followed swiftly buy another reader offer.
9 pages available for reader’s gardening questions. I can tell you I have learnt a thing or three from here!
To follow is a section where readers can ‘Have their say’ Letters, rants’ complaints, tips and polls. Still managing to keep me interested now the magazine is nearing to the end. And of course, ‘up for grabs’ competiotns and giveaways.
There’s a section on Gardens To Visit along with garden discount voucers which I have used in the past. To visit The Alnwick Garden. Following is a place for events and show dates.
The ending pages are pages and pages of classifieds and then.. Tales from Titchmarsh.. he’s so dry.. don’t you just think he’s great.
So That’s my favourite magazine, there’s ofen subscription offers of free gifts or 25% off as is in thins months mag.
I do have a critism though. I do. I am 27 year old female (the looks I get from old and young at checkouts when I’m buying is rather funny!) and I find the advertisements rather ageist.. ACTUALLY I take that back, I must not take any notice of the Flora Proactive, Subaru, cancer research, ibuleve adverts and home in on the chintz plumb furniture covers, ride-on lawn mowers, senior railcard, walk in bath and the bath mate magic air cushion!
I really would love to hear your comments on the magazine. Am I just dazzled by the excitement and the newness of gardening or is this magazine actually very good?
Summary: I hope I havn't made the magazine sound boring with all my waffle!
|
|
