I actually thought this would be a nice forum to join, I am a big fan of Monty Don and I love gardening, I spend a lot of time in our lovely garden; but I see the old timers are very averse to welcoming newcomers. Also tempers soon flare among regulars over the slightest thing, with frequently someone getting the wrong end of the stick and continuing to labour a point when it has long been explained away.
The sad part Hostafan is the way you have all attacked me, you have pounced on me like vultures for the kill.
Shame on you all.
Exactly right @Millie Molly Mandy and all credit to you for standing your ground.
I'm sure there will be other people who will agree with those observations, but will be reluctant to put their head above the parapet, because they have seen on many occasions how a small clique of snobby, over-opinionated and prolific posters will gang up on a new or occasional poster like yourself.
Not all the 'old-timers are averse to welcoming newcomers', and there are some prolific posters who are both lovely and knowledgeable. Unfortunately there are others who perhaps like being a big fish in a small pond, and the worst offenders have all posted on this thread. Some of them are disingenuous, some pretentious, and certainly some people who act like 'forum leaders' while having no authority whatsoever to do so. Worst of all, some are plain spiteful, nasty, small-minded and hypocritical, while acting like they are on the moral high ground.
There are some people here who seem to have a very high opinion of themselves and are happiest boasting about their large gardens and privileged lives. If they genuinely wanted to help as much as they claimed, they could do it in a more supportive and encouraging way. I don't use these words lightly, but in reality, they are often no better than playground bullies towards anyone who dares to disagree or have a different perspective.
You are not the first person this group have ganged up on. I've seen it many times, and experienced it myself. I was particularly grateful for the private messages of support I received, so there are clearly lots of people who feel the same way, but don't want to engage publicly.
I wonder how many other people like MMM have joined this forum for the right reasons, then given up or been driven away after being patronised or insulted unfairly like has happened on this thread?
Latin names are vital especially when attempting to distinguish one cultivar from another in terms of its suitability/aftercare requirements etc.
However use of them 'in conversation' much depends who you are talking to. I wouldnt ask my father in law (an experienced gardener) how his Solanum lycopersicum are doing. However if i wanted to ask an expert on why this or that is or isnt suitable for here or there i would be prepared to use the latin name.
Gardening. The cause of, and solution to, all of my problems.
This is getting silly. It does help to know your onions .... and your potatoes and squashes and your cucumbers from your gherkins.
It is perfectly clear that botanical names enable a gardener of any level or experience or budget to research the conditions needed to grow both ornamentals and edibles well and determine if a given plant is suitable for their garden and/or skills.
This thread was started because an experienced gardener with a scientific background was surprised that, having been given a botanical name for their plant, another poster insisted that common names were acceptable - which they are, obviously - and that botanical names are elitist which, clearly they are not. It's not about ganging up or bullying.
It's about how best we can help people asking questions and now illustrates how boorish are those who respond with derision to people who have freely given their time and knowledge to help.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Sorry you feel like that @Chris 11. You obviously have very strong views about a number of the posters on here, who to your mind are a very unpleasant bunch. It makes it very surprising that the forum has existed so long, and also that you choose to use it. I started this thread, for a very genuine reason, as i believe I have illustrated in several of my posts. It is extremely difficult to answer questions about Geraniums, when people are actually asking about Pelargoniums. It is even more difficult to answer a question about poppies, when people could be talking about 15 totally unrelated genus', all known as poppies, or over 25 poppy species, many of which need totally different conditions. It was a bit hurtful to be called elitist, when I was trying to be helpful, as I hope I am when I answer any question. Sadly this just confirms my view that people really dislike experts nowadays. [ Sorry if my loose use of the term expert here, upsets you ]
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
Had I given only the plant's common name the OP might have thought that it indicated it was an edible fruit.
The fact that the plant's botanical name showed it to be a member of the Solanum family, many of which have poisonous fruit, enabled me to check (if I'd not already known) that the fruit the OP had already tasted was toxic and I gave the appropriate warning.
Latin names matter
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
I'm sure there will be other people who will agree with those observations, but will be reluctant to put their head above the parapet, because they have seen on many occasions how a small clique of snobby, over-opinionated and prolific posters will gang up on a new or occasional poster like yourself.
Not all the 'old-timers are averse to welcoming newcomers', and there are some prolific posters who are both lovely and knowledgeable. Unfortunately there are others who perhaps like being a big fish in a small pond, and the worst offenders have all posted on this thread. Some of them are disingenuous, some pretentious, and certainly some people who act like 'forum leaders' while having no authority whatsoever to do so. Worst of all, some are plain spiteful, nasty, small-minded and hypocritical, while acting like they are on the moral high ground.
There are some people here who seem to have a very high opinion of themselves and are happiest boasting about their large gardens and privileged lives. If they genuinely wanted to help as much as they claimed, they could do it in a more supportive and encouraging way. I don't use these words lightly, but in reality, they are often no better than playground bullies towards anyone who dares to disagree or have a different perspective.
You are not the first person this group have ganged up on. I've seen it many times, and experienced it myself. I was particularly grateful for the private messages of support I received, so there are clearly lots of people who feel the same way, but don't want to engage publicly.
I wonder how many other people like MMM have joined this forum for the right reasons, then given up or been driven away after being patronised or insulted unfairly like has happened on this thread?
Nice thistle btw
Latin names are vital especially when attempting to distinguish one cultivar from another in terms of its suitability/aftercare requirements etc.
However use of them 'in conversation' much depends who you are talking to. I wouldnt ask my father in law (an experienced gardener) how his Solanum lycopersicum are doing. However if i wanted to ask an expert on why this or that is or isnt suitable for here or there i would be prepared to use the latin name.
It is perfectly clear that botanical names enable a gardener of any level or experience or budget to research the conditions needed to grow both ornamentals and edibles well and determine if a given plant is suitable for their garden and/or skills.
This thread was started because an experienced gardener with a scientific background was surprised that, having been given a botanical name for their plant, another poster insisted that common names were acceptable - which they are, obviously - and that botanical names are elitist which, clearly they are not. It's not about ganging up or bullying.
It's about how best we can help people asking questions and now illustrates how boorish are those who respond with derision to people who have freely given their time and knowledge to help.
You obviously have very strong views about a number of the posters on here, who to your mind are a very unpleasant bunch. It makes it very surprising that the forum has existed so long, and also that you choose to use it.
I started this thread, for a very genuine reason, as i believe I have illustrated in several of my posts.
It is extremely difficult to answer questions about Geraniums, when people are actually asking about Pelargoniums.
It is even more difficult to answer a question about poppies, when people could be talking about 15 totally unrelated genus', all known as poppies, or over 25 poppy species, many of which need totally different conditions.
It was a bit hurtful to be called elitist, when I was trying to be helpful, as I hope I am when I answer any question.
Sadly this just confirms my view that people really dislike experts nowadays. [ Sorry if my loose use of the term expert here, upsets you ]
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/comment/1953911#Comment_1953911
Had I given only the plant's common name the OP might have thought that it indicated it was an edible fruit.
The fact that the plant's botanical name showed it to be a member of the Solanum family, many of which have poisonous fruit, enabled me to check (if I'd not already known) that the fruit the OP had already tasted was toxic and I gave the appropriate warning.
Latin names matter
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
OP = "original poster" ie, he / she who started the post going.