I started Dry Shade Garden because I enjoy digging into the parts of gardening that are a little awkward, overlooked, or more interesting than they first appear.
I am inclined to say that I am not a professional botanist, historian, or horticultural scientist.
I’m a gardener, a collector of old gardening material, and someone who likes doing the homework before putting something into print.
That means I try to keep the site accurate without pretending I know everything.
How I Choose What to Write About
Most ideas begin with something I have noticed, tried, struggled with, read about, or become curious about.
Sometimes that means a practical gardening problem. Sometimes it starts with an old book, a strange historical detail, or a plant that sent me down a research rabbit hole.
I also pay attention to what readers are looking for. If certain questions keep coming up, or a subject clearly interests people, I may decide it is worth looking into properly.
I do not publish something simply because a topic is popular. There still has to be something useful, interesting, or worth saying.
How I Research Articles
I try to use reliable sources and compare information rather than depending on a single page.
Depending on the subject, that may include:
- horticultural organizations
- botanical gardens
- universities
- government resources
- historical archives
- books and older gardening publications
- reputable gardening publications
For historical pieces, I like going back to older material whenever possible. Modern summaries are useful, but original books, catalogues, newspapers, and botanical publications often tell the story better.
I also use my own experience where it is relevant. If I have tried something myself, I may say so. I try to make it clear when something comes from personal experience rather than formal research.
Accuracy Matters
Gardening is full of advice that gets repeated so often it starts sounding like fact.
I try not to add to that problem.
If a claim looks questionable, I check it. If sources disagree, I try to reflect that instead of forcing a neat answer. Most importantly, I’ll check it myself if I have the chance.
Plant performance can also vary with climate, soil, rainfall, exposure, and plenty of other things, so I avoid presenting personal results as universal rules.
Historical Content
I enjoy writing about the stranger side of gardening history, but entertaining stories still need to be accurate.
When I cover historical subjects, I try to separate documented events from later folklore, popular claims, and stories that have become more dramatic over time.
If something sounds wonderfully ridiculous, that is usually a reason to check it twice, but that makes it even more interesting, doesn’t it?
Personal Experience
Some articles include things I have tried in my own garden or observations I have made over the years.
Those experiences are there to add context, not to replace proper information.
A plant that behaved beautifully for me may sulk in somebody else’s garden. Gardening has a habit of keeping everyone modest.
Product Mentions and Recommendations
If I mention a product, tool, book, or other item, I try to do so because it makes sense in the context of the article.
I do not want Dry Shade Garden to become a catalogue with paragraphs between the links.
If a link is an affiliate link and I may earn a commission through it, I aim to make that clear. Any commission does not change the price paid by the reader.
Commercial relationships do not buy a positive opinion.
Potential Corrections
I can get things wrong.
If I find an error, or someone points out a genuine mistake, I will try to correct it as soon as reasonably possible.
Small spelling or wording changes may be made without notice. More important factual corrections may be updated directly in the article.
Updating Older Content
Gardening advice changes, sources improve, links stop working, and sometimes an old article simply deserves another look.
I may go back and update older pages when I find better information, new research, clearer explanations, or something that needs correcting.
I would rather improve an old article than leave weak information sitting there forever.
AI and Content Creation
I may use digital tools, including AI-assisted tools, during parts of the writing process just to prevent time wasting.
They may help with organizing notes, checking structure, brainstorming questions, or making research easier to manage.
I do not treat automatically generated information as a reliable source by itself.
Anything published on Dry Shade Garden is intended to be reviewed, edited, and shaped before it appears on the site. Facts that matter should still be checked against proper sources.
The final responsibility for what appears here is mine.
Independence
The opinions and conclusions on Dry Shade Garden are my own.
Advertisers, affiliate partners, brands, or other outside parties do not decide what I write or what conclusion I reach.
I would much rather lose a commercial opportunity than pretend something is better than I think it is.
A Final Note
My aim is fairly simple.
I want Dry Shade Garden to be useful, well researched, enjoyable to read, and honest about the difference between established information, personal experience, and the occasional bit of gardening folklore.
There is already enough questionable gardening advice floating around without me adding another shovel load.