We're not worthy

We who promote Garden Walk Buffalo and its accompanying book/DVD were dealt a crushing blow recently when Garden Design magazine, after some consideration, declined to consider a feature on our event—well, not a style feature anyway.

Not that I really blame them. GD sets the bar pretty high on design matters—they usually deal in international trends, not backyard ponds and front yard perennial beds. Even our architecture is probably too stuffy for them. Victorian: been there, done that, they're likely thinking.

We've been sending information on the walk around to national gardening press, in the hopes we'll get some positive media attention directed toward a city that could use it. After all, over 260 gardens, no jurying, absolutely free, neighborhood revitalization, housing values going up, book, DVD, other garden walks springing up all over the city—it's a story, right?

Not for Garden Design, apparently. It's OK; we have other interest.

I guess the gardeners on the walk (and most of the gardeners I am meeting through blogs, as far as I can tell) are happy to express their personal gardening aesthetic however that may take shape. They don't care much for design trends—sure, a few seem more or less inspired by Japanese gardens, traditional English borders, or various forms of rock gardens. Not the stuff high design is made of.

Those Garden Design gardens are a heavy lift, though. Talk about high maintenance. The people who come through my garden during the walk and say "A lot of work!" have no idea.