Have you ever had the feeling you’re not being given the whole truth? I suspect it’s part and parcel of modern life; there always seems to be someone trying to tell us what to say and think. The garden is our sanctuary from all that nonsense. It’s a place of peace and tranquillity, where things can just make sense to us.
The great thing about plants is that they just don’t care. Plants have no ego and, beyond their need to survive they have no ambition to dominate or coerce.
Roses don’t judge or manipulate
Gardening is generally a nice thing to be doing. Ours is a meritocracy based on knowledge and ability, a subculture based around sharing ideas and knowledge for the benefit of other gardeners.
That is until we come to realise that the fair and free world of gardening has its closed inner circles and cliques. There are some within horticultural high society who don’t like the idea that gardens and plants are for everyone.
Gatekeepers
There’s a ridiculous amount of gatekeeping in horticulture.
Sometimes it’s about making money, so individuals and organisations keep certain bits of information to themselves for economic reasons. Some gardeners need to feel important, part of an elite, while I’ve come across some who consider the rest of us too inferior to understand the things they know about.
An interesting example of this, and something that I see is common practice in American gardening, is the use of common names. On the surface the widespread use of common names for plants democratises horticulture, opening the world of plants to all.
Hesperantha of Henrietta?
But denying or restricting access to botanical names also suppresses the gardener’s ability to find information beyond the reach of those selling the plant. It’s very difficult to look plants up in an encyclopaedia if you don’t know what its universally accepted name is.
I came across a British houseplant company that took this idea to the extreme. Rather than selling plants with fairly accepted common names, this company gives plants people names. You can buy a Laura, a Becky, a Pete or a Tom, each name referring to a specific plant in their range. The seller tells you what they’ve decided you need to know, and if there’s a problem it makes you entirely reliant on them to get it sorted.
Unless of course you reach out to others for help.
Stay In Your Place
Learning scientific names for plants can be tricky. I’ve been using them for over 25 years so botanical names are a second language for me, but in the early days it was very challenging.
But I learnt. Even now I’m learning. Am I some super-talented plant linguist? No, I’ve had to put in the hard work as though I had learnt any language.
Should gardens just belong to the elite?
The important thing, though, is that I’ve fought against anyone who thinks I should stay in my place. We should all have access to whatever knowledge and information we need and want, and I really believe that it is an obligation for anyone who considers themselves an expert to support the learning of others.
Learning doesn’t have to be dull and boring. Most people learn really well by picking things up, and a free-flow of quality information means that we can all benefit.
The future of gardening relies on us shaking off the influence of gatekeepers.
Fragile Egos
Mine is not a universally accepted point of view. I’ve come across some terribly fragile egos over the years, people for whom the idea of openly sharing knowledge and ideas is wholly and totally abhorrent.
Some talk about practical issues, such as tailoring complex ideas to specific situations, and there may be truth in that. But there are some out there, sometimes well-known names, who have cemented themselves in an elite circle and don’t want to be challenged.
Gardens like this need money, space and social stability
Suffice to say I’m standing firm. I used to long for access to the elite inner circles, to prove myself worthy of inclusion. However over my two and a half decades in horticulture I’ve learnt that there’s so much more fun to be had in the mixing pot of ideas, knowledge and inspiration.
And that’s the thing isn’t it; elite circles require conformity to the group’s ideas and principles. It’s far more fun to be involved in the more open world where people freely talk to each other and share their enthusiasms.
Place In The World
Gardening is threaded with wealth and social position.
The reality is that no matter how universal gardening should be, having a garden of your own relies on three things: money, free time and social stability. Living in a house with a garden, whether rented, mortgaged or bought outright, comes at a cost.
It’s not a good thing or a bad thing; it’s just a thing. But it’s a thing nobody seems willing to acknowledge openly. Big showy gardens can also be expensive, especially if you don’t make your garden yourself and rely on outside expertise.
A Piet Oudolf garden will cost you a fortune
I don’t think there’s a conspiracy at play, just a failure to appreciate the breadth of interest among those with an interest in gardens. There’s an assumption, for example, that ornamental gardening and an interest in plants is reserved for affluent gardeners, while less affluent gardeners are solely interested in the growing of fruits and vegetables. There’s probably truth in these assumptions, but there are certainly a great number of exceptions too.
Gardeners and their gardens represent an almost infinite range of interests. Not everyone, for example, who has a nice big space to make a garden actually wants to do something with it, while affluent gardeners can be interested in growing food and less affluent gardeners can be interested in ornamental plants.
Fighting Back
I’ve sat through too many talks where they drone on and on about how important and how influential they are while not actually parting with any information of relevance to their audience. I’ve heard enthusiastic praise for certain people only for it to emerge that nobody can remember a single thing they’ve said.
There’s got to be more to the great figures of gardening than just personality.
Gardens can be enjoyed by anyone
I don’t think there’s any point trying to dismantle inner circles. There will always be those who seek to elevate themselves above others, but we don’t have to give them any regard. Elites only exist if we subscribe to the idea of some people being more important than others.
Better surely to focus on making things better for all of us? We can all play our part in supporting each other, but all of us who stick our heads above the parapet to discuss horticulture openly should bear in mind that we can play a part in empowering others. The focus should be to elevate all gardeners and not the select few.
Not everyone wants to be an expert. For a good number of gardeners their hobby is an opportunity to amble around with flowers. This is every bit as important; gardening is as about people as it is about plants. My suggestion is that those who want to pursue a deeper understanding of their craft should be allowed to, and encouraged to, without obstacles.
Using botanical names is about being precise. If I tell you I grow coneflowers, would you know if I’m growing yellow or purple blooms? Common names can also be quite regional So while I am sure many gardeners do not want to use latin, it makes sense for us to both speak and record our prized plants with horticultural precision
Absolutely, and that’s why they’re important enough for us all to be using.
My feeling is that the best way to help gardeners get over apprehension is to use them more widely, while of course making sure that we aren’t judgemental with those who are less confident.
Exactly.
Generations of gardeners have been encouraged to share knowledge and information, including plant names, so why should now be different?
Also, a lot of the “common names” are simply translations of Latin names, rather than some folksy old-time name. So you don’t learn any Latin on the one hand, or any folklore and history on the other.
As a garden center owner for four decades in the United States, I have been to countless trade show seminars over the years about what I call “dumbing down the industry” to attract the younger generations. I refuse. Scientific names are real names. Period. I continue to write about plants using scientific names. Once young people begin gardening, they realize fast enough that the only way to look things up on the internet is with scientific names. It opens up the world of plant knowledge to them. I am still considered a relevant teacher to the new and enthusiastic young gardeners and I am not backing down on my methods. Thank you, as always, for your wonderful rant!
It’s interesting isn’t it; it’s assumed that younger generations need everything to be easy for them, so things are made easy and then there’s a lamenting of the fact that everything is too easy for younger generations.
Whatever happened to good quality teaching and learning?!
Hear, hear! It’s their loss.
At the same time – without being elitist – the precision of using botanical names is practical: how else can you check compatibility with your own garden situation? “Full sun / part shade” instructions can lead to great disappointment!
… Must admit some Latin names are less easy to remember than others.
There are some rather challenging ones around aren’t there!
My comment is out of order: Nancy, I say “Hear, hear!” to your comment too! Great gain, no loss.
Referring to people, leaving a talk and not remembering a thing that they heard, it also happens after talks. Especially talks by designers. They have shown us beautiful images of their work, but provided no wisdom about how to get started as do it yourself Gardeners
I wasn’t going to single out designers specifically this time, but yes; people who go to talks given by designers tend to be looking for a bit more than the designer telling the audience how great they are!
Mm! I have moved among gardeners of all sorts for four and a half decades and barely met any barriers, arrogance, negativity and so on. Almost every encounter has been pleasant and educational (for me). The only place I’ve met exclusivity has been with national societies where a few socially arrogant gatekeepers have made life unpleasant. As for Latin names the people who object obviously don’t care what plant I’m talking about and are generally less discerning. So what? It’s their choice and I do my best to pander to them.
Ah yes there are some interesting people around in such circles.
And an excellent point; not everyone wants to go on a gardening ‘journey’ as it were; there has to be things for people who just like to spend time with their flowers.
I suggest that credit be given to local garden clubs and their members who share plants and knowledge. Members without much money to spend create lovely, interesting gardens this way. Members of community vegetable garden clubs support each other, and garden creatively on a budget to grow food for themselves, their families, and friends. Community can provide education about plants and how to grow them. Gatekeepers are not in the picture. Thank you for thinking about this!
Completely agree; there are a great number of people who are incredible advocates for gardening who don’t receive any sort of recognition.
Thank you, Ben, for such a well-written essay, as always thoughtful, kind, and humane. Your example from the houseplant industry was especially instructive. Here in North America, it has actually become especially difficult to find the Latin binomials and official cultivar names for houseplants on the plant tags or in online catalogues. Fortunately, our local wholesale growers of garden plants, and most garden centres that retail them, provide the botanical names, at least in the fine print on the tags. For all the many reasons cited in your article and in the comments, I hope this will continue. As you say, there is nothing elitist about using the Latin names.
I think there may be two factors (among others) that are nudging the industry toward common names and (increasingly) trade names, which are of course different. First, cultivar names, especially for patented material, are now more likely to be non-English combinations of letters and numbers, so the trade names are what people naturally latch onto. Great for commerce, perhaps, but not for knowledge. Second, roughly 50% of the American public has no more than 5th-grade reading skills, and those skills often do not include the ability to decode or sound out unfamiliar words based on their letters. Of course, we don’t need to insist on perfect pronunciation of the Latin names; in fact there’s often more than one acceptable way to say a given one. But when so many folks feel it’s beyond them even to begin to say a new, multisyllabic word like Cal-a-ma-gros-tis, that’s a problem.
I think part of the issue is that when gardeners are given the sort of dumbed-down gardening content there’s a temptation for people to believe that this is something they can’t be involved in.
“Of course, we don’t need to insist on perfect pronunciation of the Latin names; in fact there’s often more than one acceptable way to say a given one.”
I can’t tell you how glad I am that no one laughed when I asked about pruning my “cotton asters”.
Enjoyed this rant. All I’ve ever wanted was to garden in my little plot with flowers and shrubs, and to share plants if I had extras. However, I’ve run into gatekeepers who don’t see gardening the way I do. For example, I once wanted to join a garden club in my small town. (No longer live there.) I was given the club president’s number. When I called, I told her I was interested in joining. She was indignant. She asked in an accusatory tone, “Who ARE you and WHERE do you live!?” ??? My mouth fell open. I wanted to say, “Why I’m Angie. I live and work under the 8th Street Bridge. Me and my Homies REALLY want to join your club!” Of course, I didn’t say that….But even if the president paid me, after that conversation, I would never join. Until then, I didn’t realize what kind of egos are sometimes involved. I’ve had people brag that they had to set the standard for our neighborhood. When I installed a brick pathway, the same people stole bricks from a construction site so they too could install a pathway. Someone else refused to take a beautiful plant I offered them. It wasn’t good enough until they saw it blooming in my yard. Then, they bought the same plant. Geez…They didn’t want it for free.
I do think botanical names are important although I don’t always use them. Have always wanted to make plant labels for my plants in pig Latin just to see what the response would be.
Great rant! I was going to quote you and then comment on it, but then I found another good quote — and then another and another and another. So, I’ll just say, “Bravo!” As for the common names vs. scientific names, I try to follow a “Right place/audience — Right name” attitude. Say I’m in the garden, and I see someone admiring a flower. I’m not going to say, “Nice Antirrhinum majus, isn’t it?” I would get a funny look, but if I did say, “Lovely snapdragons, aren’t they?” I would most likely get a “Yes,” and even possibly, “and I like those flowers over there,” where I would then be able to say, “Oh, the (insert common name here). Those are wonderful. If you’d like those in your garden, look for (insert Latin name here) to make sure you get the one you want.” I’m not a big fan of the rigid everything-must-be-one-way-and-one-way-only. It’s easier to both teach and learn when we use words that everyone understands. We can’t get to level 10 knowledge without first starting at level 1 — and EVERYONE starts at Level 1. Plus, common names can tell us a lot about the plant. Garlic mustard sure sounds tasty (though it’s an invasive here), but Alliaria petiolata . . . maybe someone might catch on to the “Alli” part, but someone just starting to learn probably won’t. As for the growers who name their plants “Todd” or “Margo” and such, well, that’s just annoying. 🙂
Yes, Mae! Scaffolding information is what the most effective teachers do. Additionally, if a seller fails to include the botanical name of a plant, I refuse to buy plants from them. If more plantaholics operated like that, perhaps even the most lackadaisical of sellers would be more responsible about labelling!
Ben, I agree that not all the big names in the gardening elite are what they are cracked up to be. The ones who are, I’ve noticed, tend to be the ones who seem most delighted and driven to share what they know with the rest of us plebes. Excellent discussion.
“” reality is that no matter how universal gardening should be, having a garden of your own relies on three things: money, free time and social stability…
It’s not a good thing or a bad thing; it’s just a thing. But it’s a thing nobody seems willing to acknowledge”
Or maybe it’s a thing hiding in plain sight, so obvious it’s overlooked.
Lately I have been dismayed to notice the lack of Latin names on plant tags. Many years ago I took a job at a rare plant nursery. Although I had been gardening for almost twenty years, I was not familiar with the botanic names of plants. At first, learning the Latin names was overwhelming until I realized that the incredibly lovely (and sometimes difficult to pronounce) name of each plant held so much information about it. I eventually became a master gardener and created my graduation presentation on the history and importance of learning the Latin names of plants,