And We’re Back…
May 22, 2011 at 10:28 pm 13 comments
Well, I’ve finally got my head round updating the website – some more recent photos (all totally clickable) and an additional gallery. I wasn’t sure what to put in the latter. At first I was going to keep it to photos of the finished product, thinking of it as my shop window. But then I added some of the field in case people are also interested in how I get there (the finished product, that is, not the field – nobody wants to know that*). But if they are, maybe I should add some which are a bit more warts-and-all. Do people really want to know about the mud and the weeds and the plastic-bottle cloches? Will that make me look honest and down-to-earth, or just amateurish?
Opinions, please.
*Van, occasionally bike.
Entry filed under: Uncategorized. Tags: British cut flowers, English cut flowers, flowers, website.
1.
sandra | May 23, 2011 at 9:35 am
I think warts and all! It shows how far you’ve come, transforming a field of grass and stone into something wonderful! It doesn’t reflect badly on the end product either, just shows what hard work it is to get there.
2.
sandra | May 23, 2011 at 9:38 am
My computer has just told me I’ve ‘duplicated’ my comment, which makes me feel more senile than I believe I actually am! And I don’t think it’s telling the truth.
At the risk of repeating things yet again, I say ‘warts and all’. I said a lot more than that (all nice, of course) but am afraid of getting the same message again. Could tip me over the edge.
3.
sandra | May 23, 2011 at 9:39 am
Oh God, I think I do need help. I now see original comment there, but not another one the same, so it was lying. I knew it.
4.
jwblooms | May 23, 2011 at 10:08 am
Thanks, Sandra. Stop now, though! x
5.
Anja | May 23, 2011 at 7:04 pm
Congratulations with the update. Impressing to do such things in the middle of May..
As a grower I really like to see all the weeds and the mud. It is interesting, and it makes me feel better!
Erin of Floret wrote an article about websites (hers is beautiful) in Growing for Market this winter. She pointed out that people have a romatic idea about farming and working with flowers. She wanted them to keep that picture, and used it as an asset. So the muddy pictures should still have a certain grace then..
6.
jwblooms | May 25, 2011 at 8:48 am
Hi, Anja. Erin makes a good point, although I sometimes long for people to realise how much work goes into producing the flowers and that sustaining the myth does us no favours in the long run. Hmm… Maybe field pictures with the reality edited slightly! Jx
7.
Benjamin Ranyard | May 23, 2011 at 9:03 pm
I don’t have that problem as my field is all dust and no flowers….it’s like ‘warts and…well….nothing!”
8.
Benjamin Ranyard | May 23, 2011 at 9:06 pm
Sorry…that doesn’t answer your question. I would go with the field pics…but then you knew I would.
x
9.
jwblooms | May 25, 2011 at 8:50 am
Yes, the growers always will! It’s the customers I wonder about. I am sometimes worried when people come for wedding consultations that they will be put off by the “unpolished”, shall we say, nature of it all. At least some realistic pictures would warn them in advance… Jx
10.
Benjamin Ranyard | May 28, 2011 at 12:33 am
I read an article about that flower farm that Monty sorted out on the telly for two ladies…they had been turned down a couple of times by brides who couldn’t see beyond the mud etc…
11.
jwblooms | May 28, 2011 at 8:34 pm
Yeah, I saw that too – but I think their place was a mess at the time. I try to keep mine vaguely tidy as people come to the field for consultations, and I always, always pick enough to make a good display in case they can’t envision the final result themselves. But I think you’re right – the website image has to be representative of the final product, no matter how interesting it is for other growers to see the production process! x
12.
Benjamin Ranyard | May 31, 2011 at 7:46 pm
PS How is your white borage? x
13.
jwblooms | June 4, 2011 at 8:23 pm
Ben, I have taken a pic of the borage, which I’ll email you when I can remember where I’ve put it. It is growing healthily if somewhat slowly (although that could just be because of the drought). x