What do you honestly think about someone who goes to "Oxford" for gardening?

I have a close relative who went to Oxford for gardening yet they do really LITTLE of it (planting,designing, watching beaufiful plants grow).

Basically they haven't any real experience, only book knowledge.

Yet I have this neighbor close by who is an avid gardener/plants many shrubs, bulbs,seeds, trees~just about ANYTHING you could think of. They enjoy it, get down in the soil and plant away .....

What do you think of the person who took gardening classes at Oxford TRYING to give advice to AN EXPERIENCED gardner of several years?

(tries to tell them what to plant, basically talking down to them,ect--when all they've personally planted was a couple of rose bushes and tomato plants?)

What's your opinion on this matter please?

THank you for your thoughts

What do you honestly think about someone who goes to "Oxford" for gardening?
Although I have a degree in organic chemistry (I never give 'answers' in chemistry though, it seems too much like work-lol !) and have taken the Master Gardeners courses, it's my 50 yrs."in the dirt" that people respect the most. I've gardened in the southern UK and four US hardiness zones and have "killed" more plants than people with twice my experience. Gardening is both an art and a science and without both, all is chaos. It sounds like Oxford might be a little insecure and intimidated around real gardeners and could use a few as friends. By the same token a good gardener should never turn down good advice and Oxford should be used as the resource he is. RScott
Reply:You can check out http://www.1800topsoil.com to speak to a local pro. Report Abuse
Reply:They teach how to garden in Oxford? Golly I wish my university did that. Personally book knowledge is good but experience gardening is even more because then you get the feel of planting. The neighbors don't have to listen to ur relative but it would be nice if they did so they can get to know more detailed stuff about soil type and conditinos and other factors that can influence planting from the Oxford relative. It never hurts to know more, even if your an expert on the field.
Reply:I think your neighbor can take care of himself / herself and you have too much time on your hands. Stay out of it.
Reply:There is no reason your neighbor has to listen to your relative. I think it's unfortunate that people have to become so self important but I think its great that your neighbor is able to live out a passion. Just tune out the know it all when it comes to gardening and support your neighbor's creativity and genius.
Reply:It sounds just like a person who call themselves a psychologist in the field of family and raising children, but have never been married or had children themselves???? Yes, I have had one of those in my family, but I let the so-called advice go in one ear and out the other.



Experience is ALWAYS the best teacher, ALWAYS!
Reply:You sure he isn't studying landscape architecture? In landscape architecture students learn how to space plants, efficiently water them, design gardens and yards, appropriate plants for certain climates, sunlight levels for plants, how to care for plants, the list goes on...

By the way, at most landscape architecture schools, students are taught first hand how to handle plants, planting, trimming, pruning, growing, and all kinds of neat hands-on things.

Like anything, with knowledge you can never go wrong.

sweating