Re: survey

Lily:

First, I am not "feigning" curiosity over this issue. 
My curiosity is real.

Second, I have taken the classes in landscape design
and I have spent some years in the landscape industry
(going on 33 years now).  So, there is "schooling,
money, and experience" in my own pocket.  I call
myself a "garden designer" but I hope others don't say
I'm "so-called".

Third, "knowledge" goes well beyond a classroom and
even beyond one's own experience.  I do not know
everything.  My professors did not teach me
everything.  I cannot learn everything from my friends
and professional associates and I do not think that I
will ever know everything.  But I strive to always
learn everything I can.

But more than learning everything for myself, the
purpose of this last "survery/inquiry" (and all my
surveys) was to get information that I can use to
share with my gardening classes that I teach here in
the Santa Maria area.  I always feel uncomfortable
teaching anyone only what I know -- I'd rather share
with my students the experience and knowledge of many,
especially the experience and knowledge of the kind of
folks that are members of this e-group.  And I never
pretend that what I share with my students is MY
knowledge and experience.

Not only am I a horticultural consultant
("so-called"?), I am also a business consultant and I
am writing a book on small business management and
marketing.  One of the keys I've found in the success
of small businesses is for beginning small business
owners to find themselves "mentors" -- already
successful people in the same or similar business who
are willing to share their experience and knowledge. 
Not surprisingly, it's easy to find many such generous
people, good folks who share it all willingly and at
no charge.

So, I am somewhat taken off guard by your e-mail.  I
am sending this e-mail back to the Mediterranean group
members, however, simply to ask if anyone else feels
as you do.  It could be I haven't realized that what
you are saying also may be feelings among the others. 
If so, I am sorry.  If so, I will quit sending my
"surveys" to this group.

Humbly,
Joe Seals

--- Lily Ricardi <edges@mcn.org> wrote:
> Joe,
> It really frosts me when you feign curiosity over an
> issue that has taken professional garden designers
> some years of schooling, money and experience to
> learn.  Your survey seems more like an easy, cheap
> way to get answers without doing the work. 
> I know so many so called 'garden designers' that
> have done a few gardens for friends and have decided
> what a fun way to make a living. Until you have a
> bad experience.
> 
> I suggest you take a few landscape design classes
> that deal with all designer/client processes.  
> 
> I also must say that I'm  very generous with my
> knowledge. In fact my mission statement for my work
> at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is
> "CREATING GATEWAYS TO KNOWLEDGE, THROUGH THE WORLD
> OF PLANTS WHERE SCIENCE AND ART COME TOGETHER.."
> So I'm surprised by my reaction to your question,
> but I've decided to send it rather than stew about
> it.
> Lily Ricardi
> MCBG
> Perennial Garden Curator
> Education Coordinator
> 


=====
Joe Seals
Santa Maria, California --
where the weather is always perfect
and my garden always has something blooming
and birds galore

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