Although the publishing world is in an uproar with all the changes in the past couple of years, clearly magazines are not dead, just transforming. The recession has put an end to cheap paper, encouraged outsourcing of printing services abroad, and helped fuel the expansion of the Internet as a competitive source of communication. Not only have tools for communication been changing, but the public demand for content is changing, too. With free information interwoven with free misinformation on the web content providers battle over what should be paid and what should be given away. Respected jobs that require talent, hard work, study and often expensive supplies or equipment like photography, illustration and writing are suddenly up for grabs. That’s making survival for these professionals more and more difficult, especially when they are being lumped in with competition from hobbyists, inexperienced people looking for any exposure, and people who love the idea of being published on the Internet even if they have no experience or talent at all. Some of the general public is unclear about what is good or bad and what information is valid and what is not. With no regulation of online input, the discerning reader/viewer needs to demand quality or he or she is not going to get it. There are three new magazines for the gardeners out in 2012 that are offering a chance to find those quality publications.

Greenwoman Magazine

These are challenging times, and just when furors seem at their height, there are also opportunities. Three new magazines have appeared in the gardening world over the past year that have taken advantage of the need for specialization ‘niche markets and are offering quality for those who seek it.

Greenwoman Magazine appeared just over a year ago, braving the in-print market to take advantage of the new trend to find wisdom in the old. This is an artsy magazine filled with information, poetry, art, stories and ecological insights reminiscent of what magazines used to be in the times of our great-grand parents. The magazine is currently printed inexpensively in black and white and includes only relevant advertising that is helpful to the readers. With its simple format Greenwoman Magazine depends on it’s remarkably well-crafted content to attract readers. Unlike other magazines on the market, this one focuses on a high-quality creative, artistic presentation, interesting and in-depth information and a wealth of knowledge on how to live with alternative values that are ‘rooted’ in the earth rather than in current superficial materialism and stress. Picking up a copy of Greenwoman Magazine is like remembering what life has always been about. You can find Greenwoman Magazine at www.greenwomanmagazine.com.

Leaf Magazine

 More recently, a high quality glossy on-line magazine, Leaf Magazine, has opened its pages on the Internet as an international showcase on the best of the garden: landscaping, horticulture, news, ecology, materials, etc. This one has all the glamor of the most expensive, high end fashion magazines on the newsstands, but it is all about the garden, is accessible online and the subscription is free.

Leaf Magazine is written and published by people who know the green industry, not generic publishers. It is beautifully designed and laid out offering a classy look not found in any other garden publications. With information from around the world, you can find ideas for plants, landscape design and information on some of the newest developments in the industry. Not only is it full of ideas, news and useful information, Leaf Magazine is a handsome production in itself and a pleasure just to look at.  It is exciting to see the birth of a quality magazine in this gendre.  Subscribe to Leaf Magazine for free  at www.leafmagazine.com.

GrowWrite Magazine

The most recent online magazine, GrowWrite, opens its pages in January 2012. This is a magazine for the special niche of the garden writer.  Addressing the business itself, legalities, technicalities, the written word as an art, it offers vital information to writers, photographers, artists, speakers, editors, publishers, teachers and other people involved in green industry communications. GrowWrite contains timely information on what is going on in the business as well as how to conduct a successful business, offering well-written articles on social networking, tips on Search Engine Optimization and social networking among other relavant topics. It should be an indispensable tool for anyone in the garden publishing world. GrowWrite is also free to online subscribers. Find it at www.growwrite.com.

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