I have pondered these things since the old Prodigy back in '92-'94. It seems to me that a forum needs to have at least a few new queries and a few follow-ups on page one on most days or they lose viability. The last time I checked there were several that might work better if merged but I have been visiting gardenweb since '97 and have never seen a merger. A few have been removed but I think that was because of abuse and not non-use.

I totally disagree with this. Forum activity has ups and downs, subject to times and seasons, etc.

I agree. Let's merge Topiary and Giant Vegetables.

Then we'll have Giant Vegetable Topiary. Sounds like tofu sculpture.

Others here are clamoring for yet more precisely targeted forums that focus on a comparatively narrow interest. It's a mistake. The number of forums to scroll through here is already way too big. Too big and also uneven, with certain topics like Magnolias that have fairly large interest groups never having been represented here at all. One way to judge which plant forums might get traffic could be to see which plant groups have membership organizations (societies).

>> The number of forums to scroll through here is already way too big. Simple solution, bboy....don't expect these forums to fit your criteria of entertainment! Too many forums for you? Self edit. Forums that don't appeal to you? Again, self edit.
These forums are not required to keep you busy when you are bored with your particular favorites.
The simple fact that you complain about having to scroll through all the forums says more about your addiction to the forum format than any "legitimate" complaint you may have about underused forums. It is not up to you to decide which forums should stay and or go. Find another hobby... most forums are based on people who share a hobby... your hobby, however, seems to be based on internet forums addiction.

Silly

Thanks for your Silly remarks.

There have been numerous comments here over the years about the proliferation of forums, with negative perceptions about superspecialization resulting in too many forums with scant traffic and the difficulty in getting answers to questions that might need to be cross-posted to several different forums to reach enough knowledgeable people.

Past management has never been willing to close or merge even stagnantly inactive forums, however. And some forums have succeeded in spite of seeming to be too narrowly based on location or a single genus.

My only suggestion for a merger would be between Tropicalesque Gardening (very slow most of the time) with the more active Tropicals forum. Combining Professional Gardening with Landscape Design would be a mistake, I think. The Professional forum is about running a business and other occupational topics for horticulturists, landscapers etc., while Design is intended as a non-commercial forum for anyone with an interest in garden design (a few businesspeople have difficulty in recognizing this distinction, which probably reflects territorial urges rather than the need to stay on topic and make the forum welcoming for everyone).

If anything could use a good cleaning up and shrinkage to promote ease of use, it's the forum home page, with its multiple small-type lists of forums, busy appearance and unattractive fonts.

I mostly agree with bboy. For example, I had no clue that there was a Maple forum until I stumbled across it while scrolling through the LONG list looking for this forum (and why is it that this forum link is only buried in the long alphabetical listing?). If I had a question about a Maple I would go to the Tree forum. Why no Oak forum? Why no Bradford Pear forum? (maybe "Bradford Pear Lovers Anonymous")

As pointed out by Eric, some narrow topic forums thrive. The Hosta forum was always a busy place. But the Azalea & Rhododendron forum seemed slow enough that I would probably get a better answer over on the Shrub forum.

- Brent

I agree. I think combining some of them would be advantageous, but combining The Kitchen Table, and Hot Topics isn't one of them.

I too wonder why Maples have their own forum...seems would be best in with the rest of the trees. If I had a Maple tree question, my first thought would be to see the 'Tree Forum.'

As it happens, hostas, maples, rhododendrons and azaleas (and magnolias) are examples of categories that contain enough interest for societies (membership organizations) devoted solely to those topics to have formed and persisted. Any one of these same subjects being slow here would not be due to a lack of interest among gardeners generally. But it might make sense to do something like close rhododendrons and azaleas for being slow here, whatever the reason is, even though it is a popular topic elsewhere. I'd think a signal would be many of same questions being asked repeatedly on another, already busier forum as on the slow one.

"The Professional forum is about running a business and other occupational topics for horticulturists, landscapers etc., while Design is intended as a non-commercial forum for anyone with an interest in garden design (a few businesspeople have difficulty in recognizing this distinction, which probably reflects territorial urges rather than the need to stay on topic and make the forum welcoming for everyone)."
The item in parenthesis is basically a misunderstanding of the motivation of people that frequent the Garden web and who make a living from designing gardens. If one wants to discuss design rather than simply supply trite answers about what to plant where it is not due to commercial interests but rather an attempt to expand an interest in landscape design which is a broader question than "what to plant where". I don't look at many forums, there are far too many but perhaps "Landscape Design" could be modified so that more serious questions were acceptable.

"The item in parenthesis is basically a misunderstanding of the motivation of people that frequent the Garden web and who make a living from designing gardens."

Making a living from garden design is nice, but inquiries about selecting file cabinets, how to increase one's consultation fees, marketing and the like (all of which occasionally turn up on the Design forum) are business concerns (which belong here) and not garden design issues.

Seriously. ;)

However, they are a garden designers issues and help to keep the forum alive. Sometimes purely commercial posts arise but usually these are people who signed up solely for that purpose and not regular contributors, fortunately they disappear as quickly as they appeared. If someone is not interested in a particular topic they can quite easily pass it by and start another one more in keeping with their own expectations. The interests of designers and gardeners are not mutually exclusive and neither are those of professionals and DIYers. In fact it is this mix that makes the design forum work.

The NEW Tropical Fruit forum is taking off fast!!!

Some posts are on the NEW Lucky Bamboo forum! Check it out?

Put me down as a "no" for merging Topiary and Giant Veggies. Two way different catagories.