Out of curiosity, did the NGA previously have discussion forums like we have here ?

Esperanza said: Janet, just so you know, I value your contributions no matter where you live. That goes for all members that live outside the U.S.

Absolutely!!!! This is exactly the way I feel too.

Absolutely two.

Weedwhacker said:Out of curiosity, did the NGA previously have discussion forums like we have here ?

At one point in the distant past they had forums. I have them archived here:

http://garden.org/boards/

They were never very active, and eventually I'll probably just remove them from the site.

There are a ton of gardening sites in the world.
A while back many folks thought that DG was the best; then they jumped ship and headed to ATP.
If folks have been happy here on ATP there is no reason to leave just because of a name change or a feeling or an interpretation or imagined slight.

I did a quick check on the internet and found Top 50 gardening sites according to Similar Web...in no particular order:

(US) https://www.similarweb.com/cou...

(Australia) https://www.similarweb.com/cou...

(Belgium) https://www.similarweb.com/cou...

(UK) https://www.similarweb.com/cou...

(France) https://www.similarweb.com/cou...

(Germany) https://www.similarweb.com/cou...

(Brazil) https://www.similarweb.com/cou...

(Mexico) https://www.similarweb.com/cou...

I did a similar search to find the top 50 gardening sites worldwide:
https://www.similarweb.com/cat...

We are a gardening family; we are a gardening nation. Everyone who contributes is appreciated. Every question is a learning opportunity.
No matter what we call ourselves...there is a lot of work to do if we are to see our name jump higher on the lists.

Janet, Add me to the list above. You're a treasure that we value, and I would hate to see you go.

Janet is a huge asset to the site! No one knows bugs like her! And that's a great thing!

To Dave, just wanted to point out that I got a response to a Tree Mail and it sent me the usual email notification. The sender now says NGA but in the subject line it still says I got a Tree mail from ATP. Just one more thing to clean up when you get to it.

Thanks Melanie, I fixed that.

Trying to convey our thoughts/feelings/desires about the NGA is a bit like asking someone to please explain their philosophy on life in 100 words or less. Nevertheless, I'll give it another go- maybe giving you a couple of other thoughts will help explain a little bit more:

ATP was primarily a website.
The NGA is a national organization with a long history which we hope to revive to it's formal glory as the years go on. It goes far beyond a website, and an online community, even though that will be an integral part of it- but it is still just a PART of the NGA- not the whole. I'm thinking that's where some of the distress comes from. Some of you are looking at the NGA as just a website, which is now "US only"--this is not the case. The NGA is (or was, and will again be) an organization with many different outlets.

The website and the community will continue to be just as it is now. Nothing but the name, and eventually some layout issues, will change for all of you.

For Dave and I (and our family), we have taken on the task of the rest of the NGA and it's mission- this will, over time, include encouraging, teaching, gardeners- bringing together the gardening industry- the educators, the vendors, and the gardeners. Working closely with all 3 of these groups. Working with conferences, grants, and programs across the US. These are physical things, that really don't have anything to do with our online family here. So, when I say that the NGA has a US mission, I mean that the NGA as a WHOLE- my day-to-day job as I'm working with business, educational establishments, and event coordinators- these are all US events/organizations/people. This part of the NGA is 100% our responsibility as we build it back up, and does not affect our online community at all.

As an aside: While at one time, when the NGA has many many employees, there may have been grants given to our worldwide gardening friends, our (The Whitingers) focus *on that aspect of the NGA* will remain just here in the US, simply because of logistics. We have a hugely huge job ahead of us just right here, and we want to give it our full attention.

So, in a short summary, the NGA is far more than a website. But the website will remain very important and running just as it always has as a part of a reviving organization whose focus is as much face-to-face as it is online.

It is an easy thing for someone from the US to tell someone not from the US to stop worrying or complaining about the perception of US-centrism.

That approach compounds the perception rather than easing it.

It's about much, much more than ATP. Or the internet. It's about history and world affairs and culture and a million other things. And we, as US people, are generally just blind to it.

But, in this case, a simple "get over it " will probably not produce the intended result.

@evermorelawnless, are you looking for a specific change? Are you calling for some action to be taken? Or are you just wanting to be a dissenting voice, sounding the alarm about what bad things might happen in the future?

evermorelawnless: Please do not make anything political related to gardening. We have enough of that all day long with the news. I come here to learn more about gardening and really enjoy the fact that people take helping others improve their skills, seriously. This is a great website- and there are a lot of very smart people on board!

Delete

When I spoke at the Direct Gardening Association Conference in February (where I met Dave) I was in garden heaven. Being live with like-minded people, sharing our passion, and embracing the pure joy of a commonality was a highlight in my life. I hope the NGA offers many opportunities around the country where we meet live and in person! I can't wait for things like this.

Happiness follows those who are happy.

I already said long ago that I'm not changing the name of this organization. You're beating a dead horse at this point.

Get the National Garden Bureau to change their name (along with the All-American Selections award), and get the American Hemerocallis Society to change their name. Once both of those acquiesce, we can continue this conversation. Until then, the matter is closed.

Dave and Trish. Thanks for ALL you're doing to make our world a nicer place to live.
Happy Earth Day!

Good for you, Dave! Politics doesn't belong here, and I'm sick of the whining. I think you have said what needs to be said very well, and some folks just want the "politically correct" BS . Most of us would rather just learn and enjoy this site.

It is kind of confusing. Before we were at a site called All Things Plants to talk about plants. Now the name sounds like a garden club we have to join. The name doesn't fit the site to me. Are we going on have to pay to join this association soon?

Following this thread has been most interesting....some like the new name...some don't....so be it. BUT bottom line...this is an awsome gardening site fixin to get even better...that being said, I personally salute Dave and Trish for allowing us, the membership, to voice our opinions and gripes without fear of being booted out as long as said opinions and gripes do not get ugly. I have been a member of the "family" since before the decision to make DG a subscription site was made and intend to stay part of it. I sincerely hope that those who feel slighted and no longer "at home" will give it some time and allow the dust to settle....if you choose to leave please know that YOU WILL BE MISSED

Today is Earth Day - Everybody - calm down. This is a garden site and a garden association - not something that affects the welfare of the universe. Enjoy what is offered (at no cost, by the way). Talk about plants, gardens, animals - if this site does not meet your needs, look around - there are other sites available ( it is doubtful any of them are as good as this one, however). But please stop attacking the people who are offering this site (at no cost to us, remember). If anyone feels the need to keep attacking this subject, perhaps he/she could start a thread in the Sandbox forum with their concerns where the topic can be discussed endlessly and let Admin get this thread back to introducing us to the new features available and plans to improve the site and iron out any rough spots. The main message here is gardening, plants, animals, and good friends across the entire universe. The good feeling of this site is what has distinguished it from its inception (and this refugee from DG really, really appreciates that good feeling). Let's keep it, please.