Comments on: Online Community Building: Gardening vs Landscaping

By: AngelaReitan

AngelaReitan — Sun, 29 May 2011 05:44:00 +0000

I have done both landscaping and gardening. Unfortunately, despite the ability to do significantly more than just mowing the grass and pulling weeds, I am not capable of passing a landscaping exam because I know nothing about paving driveways, installing water features, and other more serious things which would appear on the test for the business license. However, I would like to be able to dig holes and plant rose bushes wherever my clients wish. I’ve had to improve and reposition edging, move gravel and redesign gardens (but rarely), and have even been asked on the occasion to move a tree or shrub from the back yard to the front yard and vice versa. I intend to maintain clients in the real estate industry. When they cannot manage to maintain their houses, I would be hired on to do the necessary work. Does anyone know if it is possible to attain a business license in gardening and occasionally do the small landscaping routines like installing edging without having to get the landscaping license?

By: Sustainable Community Building [for Humans] | Online Community Report

Fri, 07 May 2010 13:28:52 +0000

[…] more on my experience with community building, read Online Community Building: Gardening vs Landscaping. […]

By: Amy Sample Ward

Amy Sample Ward — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:14:24 +0000

Paul –

Thanks so much – glad to hear it resonates with you and I’d love to hear any examples you have from the co-op sector that illustrate this! I couldn’t agree with you more that we have to nurture people individually first to build a movement for change.

By: 3 Steps to Determine Your Website Functionality and Content – Marketing Funnel Revisited « designOdyssey.org

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:29:54 +0000

[…] Online Community Building: Gardening vs. Landscaping. Interesting take on how to structure user interactions. […]

By: ScienceBlogs Channel : Technology | blogcable

ScienceBlogs Channel : Technology | blogcable — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:42:18 +0000

[…] Online Community Building: Gardening vs Landscaping: The Gardener creates an ecosystem open to change, available to new groups, and full of fresh opportunities to emerge naturally. The approach is focused on organic collaboration and growth for the entire community. The gardener is simply there to help, cultivate, and clear the weeds if/when they poke up. […]

By: Paul Danyluk

Paul Danyluk — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:49:43 +0000

Hi Amy,

Thank you for the wonderful metaphor. It really gets to the heart of what we try to do everyday in the co-operative sector.

Cultivating the power and desires of people is the first step in creating real change.

By: Cultivating a Stronger Co-op Sector « On Co-op Advocacy

Cultivating a Stronger Co-op Sector « On Co-op Advocacy — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:46:36 +0000

[…] In a recent blog post, Amy Sample Ward presents the compelling metaphor of gardening vs. landscaping as a way to view […]

By: Gardening the system « Path To Sustainable

Gardening the system « Path To Sustainable — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:49:01 +0000

[…] 10, 2009 by Richard by One man’s perspective Online Community Building: Gardening vs Landscaping: [Via Amy Sample Ward’s Version of NPTech] My latest post is up on the Stanford Social Innovation […]

By: Amy Sample Ward

Amy Sample Ward — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:02:06 +0000

Thanks, Sylvia! You make a great point: we can’t expect the community or individual members to know what they want. That’s why it’s a great idea to be open, provide the channel for input/feedback if people have something to share, but mostly share ideas or proposals for feedback. It’s easier for a community to say it wants a discussion forum instead of a blog (for example) when presented with a survey or opportunity to vote, etc., than it is for members to just start asking for a forum. So, part of the job for the Community Builder is to analyze activity and be one step ahead, thinking of what could continue growing or helping the community do what it wants to do (enable the interaction or growth required) and highlight the options back to the community.

Thanks for joining the conversation!