Acer Palmatum Red wine?

Dont prune Picea Pungens Hoopsi?

And BTW pruning a Picea Pungens creates a lot better plant!

Stick to the Google book !

Red wine acer? Any google info?

Don't know what your problem is pal but if you don't like the answers people put on here, then may i suggest you shut the door on your way out.

What's got into you Japon? I do not Google for answers I can and do use Google to find info as a link for someone when a question is complicated. Bulba tends to check he is giving correct info on specific bulbs by checking his books - as Andy says if you don't like this site all of a sudden then leave.

An 'expert' is someone who gets paid a lot of money for giving an opinion that sounds good on the day. On this site 'expert' is in the eyes of the beholder! We are gardeners with varying levels of experience, it is you who attaches the label 'expert', Japon, not us. We find information wherever we can to help other gardeners who have a question.

Don't know about you japon, but I only answer on things I know about. Especially things I grow or have tended for others.
google is a good basis to start on some things, but you can't beat a good book, especially the rhs ones, for answers. So if you want an answer you could google it yourself.

There is a lot of experience on here: people have grown and tended to gardens for a long time and that experience is worth sharing. Most questions tend to be within the same plants that we have experience in growing. I also have gardening books and a memory as does everyone else.

The problem with just googling is that you can get the wrong info as the same info is often repeated over and over again. For example hardiness ratings. They are a US invention and do not relate to the UK well as we have far wetter winters for our hardiness rating, so you cannot really follow that advice straight from google - it is best to ask here and I welcome everyones input.

There are no so called 'experts' on here just a variety of experiences I have gardened all my life and I love the swapping of experiences. What I avoid is confrontation for the sake of it!

As said, the thing that even Google can not give you is EXPERIENCE. The 'experts' who can be found on the television and radio, don't know everything and aren't always right. I have been gardening for many years, as have other members and right or wrong we are happy to share other peoples' gardening experiences and their joy of gardening.

what's google ?

Like Moon Grower I rarely use Google for anything to do with gardening. And like Bulbaholic I tend to go and check my books for names and such like.
I do use Search engines to find the latest name for plants as they are changing a lot of them because of DNA discoveries.
And like others I only answer about things which are within my experience. But then I have only been growing things for a short time, about 40 years or so. I would ove to be an 'expert' on something.
So if you think Google gives all the answers then go and use it.

I agree with Owdboggy that the internet has its uses - to find out who is selling a specific plant for example and I regularly visit the RHS and Garden Organic websites for info.

I'm with the others I only answer questions on things I have experience with.

If I have googled I do it to help the enquirer, because as many have said, they are not IT experts, and don't always know how to get around the net.

When i have googled I state that I have googled because I don't always agree with what I find, meaning it is NOT MY opinion!

If I refer the enquirer to my website this so that I can give them a more comprehensive answer to their question because my website is built up from diaries I have kept of my experiences, not someone else's!

Before answering a question I read any other replies,and if I concur with what I read, I don't go over the same ground again! However if I think I can add to previous replies I do.

I also like to add pictures where I can to back up my answers so people can see proof of my answers if this be needed,

Speaking of which; it would be a nice facility if we could add the picture/s within the answer to clarify some situations ( management please take note!)

But most of all I respect the answers given by others, choose how they get their information!

After all they have taken the time to answer such questions so they deserve some form of recognition for their efforts.

So although you might be partially correct, I don't think you have the right to paint us all with the same brush without knowing the facts!...Tg

Well said Tg

Personally I use a variety of sources to try and find out about what I want to know, but I'm grateful to other GoYers for taking the time to answer my questions when I do put them on here - they don't have to! And I appreciate the help whether it's from a beginner like myself or someone with years of experience.

Sometimes I doubt my memory and don't want to give wrong information so double check.......you can't do that unless you know what to answer in the first place......try it Jaopn but be aware google.....especially wikipedia can be wrong and how will you know?

I am rather upset by the tone of this and a previous question by this member.

You and me both Pamg

and me

Well I, on the other hand, am vastly amused by this confrontational question - and even more amused by Andy's pithy answer way up on the thread. I don't feel the need to defend or explain myself against the implied criticism of being 'a so called expert' nor 'just googling it' - I KNOW why and what I do, don't need your approval or permission for it either way, Japon. If you feel you want better info, put your hand in your wallet and pay for it from a professional like myself or any of the myriad of others - tailored, accurate, researched, and all for probably less than a oner.

So Japon, answer the riddle yourself please - 'why put a question here when all these so called experts just google it" - I don't know, why do you ask us -maybe you should ask google instead, lol!

)( )( )( )( )( round of applause for Bamboo......:0))

I usually put a question here when I have FAILED to find an answer by just googling it, and also when I want to benefit from the advice of somebody who has actually grown it. In several cases for identifying plants, those on this site have saved me hours of searching through photos on line, with no guarantee that I will ever find the correct answer.
It works well.

o-/ that's me taking a bow, Pam...;-))

well said Bamboo :) and Bertie, i agree, I do the same

Yup well said Bamboo

Have you noticed that very often when one does Google a question, one is referred to this site for an answer?

Yes, Owdboggy - and actually, that's how I discovered one of my earlier answers was inaccurate, or at least, the varietal name I used was - it was the only reference to the Pieris I was looking for, I think I called it 'silver queen' when it should have been 'flaming silver'. Good thing really, I went into the question and gave the correct name instead...just a week or so later though!

I'm loving the answers to this question!! :))) Would never get this much wit Googling something :)))

You know, Japon, I've been thinking about this, and it seems to me that its not us who are wrong, nor whether we use books or google or our own heads to provide answers - what's wrong is your belief that this site consists of 'experts'. It doesn't. This site is for people who like gardening, love gardening, are only just starting gardening and any other garden related reason for wanting to belong to an amateur gardening community online.
If you adjust your grasp of reality, you will see that your expectations and beliefs were misplaced - did you really think, ever since you joined 2 years ago, that everyone on here was an 'expert' or a professional, and was giving out their information and advice for absolutely nothing? I've been a professional for over half my life, and yes, I answer questions - but that's because I'm virtually retired now and have time on my hands, unfortunately minus the physical strength and energy I used to have. And if you listen to Gardener's Question time, questions are put to a panel of experts - and that panel of experts may well give 4 different answers.
In the end you pay your money and take your choice - except in this case, you don't actually pay any money at all. And if you don't like 'sharing', which is mostly what happens on here, then perhaps this isn't the best place for you.
I'm somewhat puzzled as to why you've got a bee up your bottom about this after 2 years on here, but I guess there must be a reason of some sort.

What is an "expert" anyway...?

I went to catering college for 2 years......I still burn cakes(especially when on Goy)

I did a year taking the nch but my cuttings don't always take

Mum taught me to knit 50 years ago and I drop stitches.....

I could go on.....the word is experience, learning all the time wherever and whenever, here on Goy there is a whole world of experience at our fingertips and friendship that is just amazing....

(there I feel better now....)

I must say i just enjoy this site,i dont care if they are experts or not,everyone is friendly and knows a darn site more than i do. I have spent many a happy hour since discovering GOY just browsing.There is no pleasure to be had from google,and you have to know what you are asking ,were as on GOY someone will figure out what you want no matter how vague. Anyway given that we have google etc. and yet so many people post questions here, figure it out yourself !

As much as I agree with all of you, I think your eloquent comments defending this wonderful site, and trying to justify your input , I fear will fall on deaf ears, in a nutshell, their loss

The odd thing Dido is that Japon has been on GoY since 2009 so not a newby... Bamboo eloquent as ever :-) I don't think any of us knows all the answers and at times this is obvious when we get asked to i.d. a plant and come up with several different answers... Without actually seeing the plant, photo(s) are not the same, we all do our best.

Hear, hear MG :0)

Strange membership history here, 4 photos posted but never a comment until now?

I think we can assume that something's going on for Japon, and it may not be related to the site...
And Drc, Japon has asked many questions in his/her two years of membership.

Thx. Dido

Perhaps he/she is having a 1. Victor Meldrew moment 2. midlife crisis or 3. senior moment. Carry on everyone, I love this site and everyone on it with their helpful advice. And I do google as well!!

Whatever's up Japon, I hope you get it sorted and see the good in things again.

Oh my goodness! I am mightily impressed with the comments above. Long may GoYers and their valuable advice and encouragement thrive - whether they google or not. (It's only one of many tools in the armoury.)

I think this is a fantastic site! I have learnt loads!

Well I hope Japon takes a few minutes to read all these splendid answers.

Hear hear, Moon grower (and Steragram).

It would be nice to see some more pictures of your garden. It must be lovely, all the questions you have asked you must have a lovely array of shrubs etc, I love Liquidamber trees.

Just love all this ; go for it GOY's !

Well I dont Driad, I find it sad and upsetting.

Japon has actually put up an new Q apologising.

Thanks MG

Sorry ,Drc726 , the man is unhappy . All I meant was GoY is such a warm , friendly site , that it does not really need to be defended .

I'm pleased that he apologised