I was involved with the conversation side of another GW forum until it got political. Talk about a mood killer. Never again.

Plus, I've looked at the Perennial Forum Conversation side and it kind of looks like a well established group who've all been involved with each other for years. I'm not terribly interested in trying to break into something like that. I'm quite content with the Discussion side.

Kevin

Kevin...so true...but that was quite awhile ago. They have all moved on...take a look over there...

I still think that this is one of the most active forums, and I wish we could get a current conversation going. (they moved on two months ago)

All my best conversations are about plants. :)

I've never even looked at the Conversations side of the forum--I'm too interested in the general perennial discussions. Things may slow down occasionally but it's certainly never (or rarely) boring checking the forum each day. Why would I look for more stimulation than what I've reliably found on this forum the past several years?

gardenweed...of course you have a good point regarding all the information and stimulation we need about perennials is on this side and I never find it boring either...

The *other* side is just *off-topic* and it just seems like it could be interesting ... ahhh well, .. sigh .. I guess nobody is interested .. I wonder why Garden Web thought it was a good idea .. sigh ..

Wow, honestly, I never even noticed there was a conversations side to this forum! Whaddya know?

Dee

I think I have this figured out...I started out over on the decorating side of garden web, and on the decorating forum the conversation side is almost as busy as the regular side.

However, that doesn't seem to be the case on any of the garden forums. There was a long-running discussion on the conversation side of this particular forum (perennials), but it appears it only involved one group of posters...and they have *left the building* as the saying goes.

Lefleur - I not realise there were 'conversation' forums....and I probably wouldn't bother anyway - although I have been directed to 'Hot Topics' a couple of times when I have got a bit.....ranty. Feel free to converse here - we (me) usually do and not always about flowers either. Course, there will usually be someone who moans that discussions about Detroit and bankruptcy, caring for children, pets, fiscal issues, our insanely useless govt., the iniquity of Monsanto etc.etc. not being 'appropriate' but there is a solution to that known as SOB (scroll on by) .Just make sure you signpost inflammatory stuff (because there are those of a sensitive disposition - not me, obvs) and post away.

Almost all of what I would post on the conversation side I post on the Hot Topic, which is not a forum fo rthe thin skinned

KimKa

Like campanula and kimka, I'd suggest lefleur peruse the Hot topics threads to see if that is the kind of "conversation" desired.

It's definitely not the "Hi! Howdy, tell me all about yourself" kind of forum, but you will learn about posters and what interests them and punches their buttons.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hot Topics

Count me as another one who had no idea there were conversation forums!

I never noticed it either. I posted so L is not talking to the wind. LOL

You have been warned. Do not go to Hot Topics if you are sensitive. I do not think you will find out much about people. It only gives you a view of how some people feel very passionate of and their world view. It can get ugly.

I am aware of the conversations part of many of the forums and have read some but do not post regularly on them. Mostly because of time factors. There is so much to learn and read in the topics sections that it takes up my online time. The exception is Cottage Gardens Off Topics Discussion section where I play trivia Saturdays and Sundays.

I prefer to keep my opinions to myself since I don't feel they contribute to impartial, mature, adult conversations in most cases. We each are entitled to our opinions, views & preferences. Sharing them might lead to friction and discord between posters which doesn't merit a place in my garden, either in its design or its contents.

For those wishing for closer contact with others, there are other social media venues. I claim & value many friends met via GardenWeb but don't necessarily seek daily discourse with them.

While many of us share a passion for gardening, perennials in particular, due to various demographic factors, there are those who don't share a common view of other events & influences that affect our lives. I'm guessing this isn't the venue that satisfies your need for more personal contact.

Didn't mean to sound haughty, just being practical.

gardenweed - You stated that perfectly and right to the point which I like.

Actually, if I'm going to get into an in-depth conversation with anyone where complex feelings and opinions are expressed, I want to do that face to face or at least over the phone. IMO - the internet is not the place to do that. I've tried numerous times and it gets way too frustrating and too many nuances of real communication are missed.

I love these forums for sharing information and experiences concerning the passions we share in common. In this case, growing plants. I really want nothing else from anyone and don't care to know much more from anyone.

Kevin

Well, add me to the list of clueless. I never noticed or even thought about the Conversation section either. Isn't that kind of what we do here anyhow? talk with each other about the thing that interests us --- in this case perennials?

So I was curious and took a look at some postings on the Conversations side of the Perennial Forum. Kevin, is "The Last of the Idylls" the "group" you were talking about? It's a group that moved to Facebook? Seems that their conversations are more on the topic of each person's life and what's new with them, and they do seem to have a long meandering conversation going as "old" friends would. Lots of personal photos, too, which I wouldn't do at all.

Whats Obama's favorite perennial? The rest, you people beat your brains out over it. Solving the worlds garden problems is less stressful. Its a more civil existence with plant lovers.

Obama's favorite perennial? Daylilies of course! No controversy there, right? ;)

The name Obama itself sounds like a rare perennial in my ears. Seriously. Obama speciosa. Definitely a perennial.

molie - I haven't taken a look at that in a long time, but yes, that kind of internet "sharing" is simply not my cup of tea at all. In my experience with other Conversation sides to forums, the most innocent kind of topic can so south very quickly if someone casually introduces a comment that can be viewed as political or religious or anything like that. Oh my, can things get heated quickly! I just don't want any part of something like that. Done that. Been there. No more.

karin and wieslaw just gave 2 perfect examples of that. Perfect! I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole and I really, really want to. It's so tempting, but it would be suicide.

Kevin

Kevin, I meant it sounded good. In my mother's native language (Polish) it rhymes with a lot of words: brama(gate), dama(lady), szrama(scar), lama(lama), jama(burrow), ta sama (the same), pidzama (pyjamas), rama(frame), panorama, fama (fame, gossip), plama(stain), reklama(advert), Jokohama(Yokohama), Fudzijama and Dalajlama (Dalai Lama)

This post was edited by wieslaw59 on Wed, Jul 24, 13 at 18:30

wieslaw, thanks - you've now got me singing that darn banana song! :) If you don't know what I'm talking about - good! Don't try to find out, lol. Trust me. You'll be rhyming things with "banana" in your head all day.

:)
Dee