Read This: Garden Design magazine
Little did I know when the Garden Bloggers Fling kicked off in 2008 with 37 attendees that a few years later the publisher of one of the most respected gardening magazines in the U.S. would be a regular Fling attendee. Garden Design publisher Jim Peterson (pictured above at the Portland Fling) purchased the magazine in 2014, a year after it abruptly ceased publication — one more casualty of the all-too-familiar publishing downturn. Undeterred, Jim moved the magazine’s headquarters from New York to Southern California, and he and new editor-in-chief Thad Orr completely overhauled the venerable publication and its website.
Abandoning the traditional ad-based model, but not print, they restructured the monthly magazine as a quarterly “bookazine” that’s completely ad-free and funded by reader subscriptions. With 132 content-filled pages per issue, well-written articles (one of my favorite staff writers is Genevieve Schmidt) and beautiful photos, and a continued emphasis on design (you won’t find generic “how to stake your tomatoes” or “winterize your deck” articles here), the magazine is a great value for the money.
The current issue of Garden Design has a killer cover photo. I covet this fire pit and orange Adirondacks. The redwoods aren’t bad either.
Before restarting the magazine, Jim reached out to garden writers, bloggers, readers, and former contributors to find out what they wanted in a design-based gardening publication — and he listened. The magazine supports the garden writing community as well; it’s been a sponsor of Garden Bloggers Fling for the past two years, and Jim attends the yearly event and spends time getting to know the bloggers.
My favorite article in the current issue (Summer 2015) features 9 enticing garden getaways, with design ideas you’ll be dreaming about for your own back yard, like the fire pit on the cover.
I’ve enjoyed getting to know him, and I feel a strong loyalty to the magazine that’s published two of my articles that ended up winning awards from Garden Writers Association (here and here).
A contemporary Texas Hill Country garden is featured in the current issue.
If you enjoy reading about beautifully designed gardens, check it out. I think you’ll like it too. Garden Design costs $45 (U.S.) for a year’s subscription, or you can buy it per issue on newsstands. You’ll be reading each issue for at least a week. It also makes a great gift for garden lovers. Click here to subscribe.
Magazine images courtesy of Garden Design.
All material © 2006-2015 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Glad to read another shout-out for Jim and Garden Design Magazine. I would love the magazine even if I had just ran across it on the newsstand. However getting to know Jim (and his wife Valerie who attended the Portland Fling) has taken my appreciation to an entirely different level. Great magazine, great human.
(and thanks for the reminder that I need to renew my subscription!)
Knowing the person behind the magazine does give one an extra appreciation for the publication, doesn’t it? —Pam
Thank you Loree! Really fun getting to know you.
Wish it’s available here. We love the copy we got at the fling last year and have kept it.
I know Garden Design is available in Canada. Hopefully it’ll soon make the jump across the pond too. —Pam
Hi Mark and Gaz
Coming soon. Thank you for your interest!
If you get our free weekly newsletter we will announce it there.
Sincerely,
Jim
Hmmmmmmmmmm I will try to find this. I don’t remember seeing it on the news shelves in my area.
I’m trying to think where I’ve seen it for sale, Lisa. Maybe Barnes & Noble? —Pam
Hi Lisa,
It’s at most Barnes and Noble and a Whole Food stores.
Try a subscription. We have a 100% satisfaction guarantee so if for some reason you don’t want it we will refund any unshipped issues.
Thanks!
Jim
It really is a wonderful publication and Jim is a gem for sure!
Jim is a gem. I like that, Darcy. —Pam
Thanks for your nice comment Darcy. A gem….I’ll ask my wife Valarie and see what she says!
Wow.
Thank you Pam. A project like this is a work in process, as you know, and the feedback and insights (generously supplied) from the flings has been huge for us . Lots of story ideas too 🙂
I’ve got to shout out right back to you- the flings are amazing tours, great people, passionately put together by locals hosts. Great job helping to get it all started. For me, Portland…Toronto…keep them coming!
You noted Genevieve. She is wise beyond her years and has been a trusted advisor to me for several years. She has no problem letting me know what she likes and doesn’t like too ( very valuable!). Thanks Gen!
Thank you Pam
Jim
The Fling succeeds because of bloggers who are passionate about the gardening scenes of their hometowns and their willingness to share them with us. I continue to be amazed by what the hosts put together for us attendees each year. Hope to see you again next year in Minneapolis! —Pam
So happy to see this post. Garden Design is a top-quality publication with a top-quality leadership team. Jim is such a great person to work with and he really listens, is interested in what garden people have to say and well, he’s just fun to be around. Fabulous magazine, I’m so glad I subscribed. It’s one of the only ones I do subscribe to, I love it love it love it.
Jim has a lot of fans! —Pam
I too am a fellow gardener in a hot climate with no water except now you have too much water. We are praying el nino comes through for us this year in So. California.
My fingers are crossed for California to get drought-breaking rains! —Pam
Ha, it takes me a little longer to get through the articles than it does you, Pam! But I’m loving it. Love, love, love the emphasis on design. And Jim is a super nice guy as well!
I love design-focused blogs and magazines, so Garden Design is one of my favorite reads. —Pam
I have to get this magazine! Thanks.
Oh, you do, Gail. —Pam
Hailing from the Piedmont area of N. Carolina I had to reach out to say “hi y’all.” I usually just keep up with your Blog, Pam, and don’t comment; but, I had to jump into the conversation because of the republication of Garden Design. I was so ecstatic that it found a new publisher. I savor the publication and slowly read the articles so as to enjoy them fully until the next edition comes out. So glad Jim and staff are back at publishing a thought provoking, beautifully photographed and well-written garden design magazine. Thank you, thank you.
Thanks for taking the time to comment Marilyn!
Glad you are enjoying Garden Deign.
In a world of quick, scannable articles, and shrinking publications- we are aiming to be just the opposite. In-depth articles with a full 148 pages each issue. This gives the space for more in-depth information and more photography.
Comments like yours inspire our team to always take it to the next level. Thank you!
Jim
Great article, Pam! It was a great pleasure to get to visit with Jim at the Fling. When I asked him why he attended the Garden Bloggers Fling, he told me that he likes to see gardens and design through the eyes of the people on the ground. Wow. Few publishers do this and Garden Design shows it! Thanks, Jim and Pam! ~Julie
Thanks for your comment, Julie. I’m glad I got to meet YOU at the Fling this year too. —Pam
Pam – I’m so honored to be called out – thank you so very much! I am blushing. I adore your work so your compliment means that much more.
It’s a great crew to be working with, and every issue I just feel so inspired getting to talk with such diverse designers and architects. It’s incredible how differently each professional approaches their work – it’s fun trying to distill that and share it in writing.
You do a terrific job with each story, Gen. I really enjoy reading them. Keep up the good work! —Pam
I really need to run down to Barnes & Noble and grab a copy. The article on Mojave Rock Ranch, with those wonderful photos [ http://www.gardendesign.com/desert/joshua-tree.html ] made me want to visit Joshua Tree immediately. Love when garden writers/publishers cover the Southwest.
Me too, Luisa! Garden Design has a nice trend going with the Steve Martino article in a recent back issue and now the Hill Country article. I’m off to read the Joshua tree article you linked to. Thanks for that! —Pam