Garden Writing Jobs & Magazines

Every industry has magazines that help professionals stay up to date with current trends, news and events – even the gardening industry.

Magazines focus on different niches and develop loyal followings both online and in print. They are a wonderful source of information for both hobbyists and professionals.

Gardening magazines are full of articles, features, and snippets of fun and important gardening info. There are lots of gardening magazines available and they all have their own niche – kitchen gardens, organic gardening, urban gardens, nurseries, fine gardening, flowers. There is a gardening magazine that matches every interest and skill level.

If you could read all the information in every gardening magazine, you would be an expert gardener in no time. Gardening magazines focus on how-to articles, garden profiles, holiday specials, gear reviews, gardener profiles, expert advice, hot tips, time saving advice, regional information, garden show highlights, industry interviews, competition coverage, and planting techniques. Some websites even have videos to help you learn the skills you need.

Gardening magazines are written and produced by gardeners. One slogan for Urban Garden Magazine sums it up, “written by growers, read by growers.” Besides typical magazine jobs, the two big gardening magazine jobs are garden writers and garden photographers.

Garden writers are freelance or professional writers who write articles about horticulture. They are sometimes called horticultural journalists. These gardening experts can work full time or part time. They need to have a love for plants and an appreciation for gardening excellence. Most had their own gardens before they became involved in the industry.

There is a never-ending supply of gardening topics if you know where to look. Articles on how to grow fresh garlic, reviews of the newest hydroponic equipment, a feature on trees, profiles of botanical garden exhibits, interviews with award winning garden designers, and container gardening growing tips are all fun to write. People will tune into a garden writer’s expertise and apply it to their own gardens and plants.

Garden writers will find writing jobs work with gardening magazines – both online and print. Gardening companies need press releases written. Garden centers release weekly newsletters. Gardeners write books. Newspapers supply weekly gardening sections. Retail stores detail their products in catalogs. Marketers work on gardening blogs. All of them employ writers.

No garden writing would be complete without their plant-loving partner – garden photography. Garden photographers take photos of plants. They may travel the world to snap a shot of award winning petunias, capture the colorful autumn leaves of an apple orchard, or photograph the National Arboretum in the early spring morning. Their photos inspire viewers and capture the allure of gardening.

A garden photographer views every plant through the lens of an SLR camera. They must take into account lights, shadows, and seasons to create works of art. It’s a real accomplishment to have garden photos published in a gardening magazine or online, but the ultimate reward for any garden photographer is to win the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition.

Both garden writers and garden photographers have unique jobs that allow them to live a life of gardening. Garden writers and garden photographers are typically paid on a per project basis. Pay for a garden writer or garden photographer can range from around $10 for an online article or photo to over $1,000 for a magazine feature.

Writers and photographers both build a resume by developing a portfolio. The more you write or the more you take photos, the better you will be. Working for a gardening magazine is a fun lifestyle that allows you to see the best that the gardening world has to offer.

Quick Facts About Garden Writing Jobs

Job Title: Garden Writer, Horticulture Journalist, Garden Photographer
Description: Write or photograph gardens
Employers: Magazines, Websites, Retailers
Pay: Depends on experience

Links:
Garden Writers Association
International Garden Photographer of the Year
Garden Photographer Association

Magazines:
American Gardener
American Nurseryman
Better Homes and Gardens
Fine Gardening
Garden Design
Growing
Horticulture
Organic Gardening
Sports Turf Magazine
Urban Garden