Sometimes I think we’re bonkers. In 2017, we inherited an annual garden journal that was already a hit, and yet we kept on trying to make it better.
Then, we introduced an interactive digital version of the immense gardener’s source directory. We laminated the print book’s covers to stand up to soiled fingers and power-use. We added a back pocket to more easily store the year’s plant tags, empty seed packs, and photos. And, every year after that first quick handover, we went through every single entry in the contents to update them.
That last one won’t stop until we do.
In 2019, we changed the name from the Toronto Gardener’s Journal to the Toronto and Golden Horseshoe Gardener’s Journal because the contents covered much more than the GTA. In fact, they go beyond the Golden Horseshoe to include most of Southern Ontario.
The only reason we didn’t change the name to the “Southern Ontario Gardener’s Journal” is that we needed to gather more info about garden centres in the southwest of the province.
But the name didn’t stop gardeners outside our region from ordering. Every year! For years! Our journal had regular users from Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Northern Ontario, to B.C. And only prohibitive cross-border mailing costs prevented us fulfilling requests from New York State. They’d heard about it on CBC Radio!
Frankly, the updates and changes take a ridiculous amount of time to do, both the checking and the programming. On an hourly basis, my sister, Sarah (the designer), and I (the editor) don’t make much. Changes like last year’s lamination and environmentally friendly mailers add to hard costs. And we get no money for advertising or sponsored listings; none. Bonkers, right?
But the price didn’t change since 2009, when the journal, managed by its creator, Margaret Bennet-Alder, was redesigned. We even reduced the price for the digital Source Ebook. Why? Because, like in Margaret’s day, it remains a labour of love and a service to gardeners. We learned tonnes when making our tips and listings up to date. Plus, and this is a big one, we get feedback like this:
“I can’t speak highly enough about the journal. I’m excited each year to show my work colleagues, and anyone who’ll listen, how cool it is when it arrives.”
With COVID bringing more and more people into the garden, Sarah and I are looked forward to being there with them in print as well as in spirit.
1 comment
Each year, when we begin this journey as novice publishers, we wonder how many copies of the Gardener’s Journal to print, and how quickly or slowly they’ll sell. In 2020/21, two events, where we in the past have had booths for in-person selling, were COVID-cancelled. We were worried! But our bookstore clients all increased their orders this year and most have fully or nearly sold out. It’s now February 4th, and we only have eight books in our own stock left. Last year, it was June when we sold our final journal. These are clear signs that the pandemic has sent people into the garden.