The perils of giving and receiving garden criticism

Private garden open to gardenbloggers during the 2013 Fling.

I cant get this provocative post by Anne Wareham out of my mind. (Its on the U.K.s Think in Gardens highly recommended!) It seems that a well-known gardener was shocked to read criticism of her garden, which criticism was so well known that Anne was shocked that the gardener was shocked. Apparently if your garden is well known, reviews of them even negative reviews are just a Google search away.

Anne describes seeing gardens flattered in print, knowing full well that the writer really thought the garden was (quoting some recent criticism shed heard) dull, twee, full of stupid wiggly-wobbly lines, over decorated, and old-fashioned. Or, quite simply, crap. The Americans tend to be especially blunt.

Wow. So though Americans are rarely critical of gardens publicly even public gardens we rudely bash gardens we see abroad. To the gardeners face! Ive heard a few grumbles among garden visitors but nothing like what Annes hearing yikes.

But she goes on to make me look differently at criticism, at least of the famous gardens that people pay good money to see. Why not help potential visitors make good choices? And honest reviews help the gardener:

And I know thereby that no garden in this country has room for complacency many (maybe all?!) of the so-say great gardens attract a great deal of behind their backs criticism and really would benefit from discovering what people are actually thinking. Especially critical, of course, are knowledgeable gardeners but also visitors from abroad. The latter are often very forthcoming and very disappointed.

Dont they owe something to people who frequently travel considerable distances and pay substantial entrance charges?

So its a NOT like attacking the gardens open to us for free during our yearly Gardenblogger Flings or on a local tour. Its asking for payment that changes the dynamic.

For modest gardens like my own that visitors see for free, I hope for compliments and expect people to keep their criticisms to themselves. Yet, some of my gardens best features are the result of visitor suggestions, so how to get them without putting my ego on the line? I like Annes suggestion: You may also ask someone who tells you that they admire your garden what one thing they would do to improve it.

But please weigh in! When and how do you think gardens should be reviewed? And what about hearing criticism of your own garden?

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