"mich" wrote in message
...
I think a lot of this debate is rather like trying to establish the
difference between a florist, a floral artist and a flower arranger!

In this case we are dealing with the gardener, the garden designer and the
plantsman

In the former case ( flower arranging) the differences are quite technical
and revolve around type of work they do ( and in the case of the
professional the type of training and certification) and the context in
which they operate and their interests.

Probably the same is true of gardening.

I consider most of the historic "gardeners" on GW , up to and including AT
to be gardeners. I would also put Sarah raven and Gay Search in that
group.

Joe swift, R.de T Chris Beardshaw, and most of the modern breed (
including Mr. D. Gavin and his over the garden fence neighbour in
conflict at Chelsea Bunny Guinness ( sp? Dont touch the stuff myself- as
in the famous Irish beer which no doubt Mr. Gavin loves even though he
doesn't agree with its namesake !) ;-) and such like to be garden
designers.

Plantsmen ( and I believe AT is probably also a plantsman, as maybe
several
others , although its not his main craft) are people like the bloke from
Great Dixter etc ( sorry cant remember his name)


What a wonderful fresh look at it.

However, knowing very little of flower arranging/florist/arty-bit I can't
say it definitely correct.
Within gardening, there are various levels of skill, but anyone qualifies
for the title as long as they have the desire.
I don't suppose the same goes within flower-whatsits.

I would say that throughout by career, I have regarded plantsmen/women to be
the grower, be that commercially or otherwise. The knowledge required to
successfully grow the plants is something that they can pass unto gardeners
and garden designers.
They can as you imply, be all 3
Equally, experienced gardeners can teach designers quite a lot.
Equally they too may have the capacity to be all 3
For reasons of practicality, garden designers should be capable of having at
least some reasonable level of gardening/plantsgrowers skill and it should
also be self evident in their designs. Sadly all too often it isn't.They
rarely are anything more than designers.
Given that 2 out of the 3 categories are capable of all 3 levels, but one
category usually seems bereft of such flexibility, might it be just such
flexibility that defines the term "Real Gardener"?

Patrick