It seems as though Matthew Appleby's new found fame as Trade Journalist of the Year has gone straight to his head with his early morning rant sorry, fun (2.30am no less) titled: Matthew Appleby's garden awards 2008.
I guess I ought to be proud to have even been mentioned at all but sad that Matthew should stoop so low, considering his status as a high ranking horticulture journalist (amongst themselves anyway).
I thought I would use this opportunity to give Matt (it's OK to call you Matt is it?) a few pointers on blogging and how write on the Internet, so I have added the missing links to his piece.
"It’s nearly the end of the year so, just for fun, here’s my horticulture industry awards for 2008.
How to lose friends and alienate people award winners: Adam Frost, John Clowes, Rachel de Thame, Toby Buckland, Monty Don. Accidentally fell out during course of my work with but friends again now, apart from BBC ones who don’t know who I am and probably have better things to worry about.
Most bathetic line: “The 60s was the time of sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll. It was also when Deans Garden Centre in Scarborough was founded.” (Garden Trade News)
Most deluded: Phil Voice of Landscape Juice: “I’ve been writing about the world economy on my website for nearly two years now.” Phil mainly writes about his difficulties logging onto industry websites.
Beard of the year: Ken Crowther (bootstrap). Runners up: Martyn Cox (tidy) and Greg Loades (trendy)
Moustache of the year: Jamie Robinson (Westland-Edwardian). Runner up: Steve Welch (Wembley groundsman-Carolgees)
Picture desk of the year: Evening Standard. “We don’t use black and white photos.” (when sent a pic of Sissinghurst in the snow)
Press office least likely to answer the phone: RHS (though they're lovely when they do)
Press office least likely to know the answer when they answer the phone: Defra
Satirist of the year: Blog stalker Lionel Blair. MA: “Toby Buckland is caught between two stools.” Lionel: “You are a stool.”
Clown of the year: Garden Monkey to MA: “Your blog’s rubbish-not that I read it. I’ve got better things to do. And how dare you be anonymous.”
Unoriginal idea: ‘Hort Month’ horticulture news by Landscaper magazine. Wonder where that idea came from."
Joking to one side - you were joking Matthew weren't you? It is great to see 'old time' garden journalists coming onto the Internet a bit more.
Just a thought on your Hort Week style, try to use the same font for all your posts - Verdana works best for internet, and tidy up the formatting. Add a few spaces between the text (after all, you are a journalist).
I borrowed your Hort Week picture, hope you don't mind - I am sure your head is bigger than that in real life?

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