Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: May 2026
About the publication
Who runs Explore Your Garden?
A team of four. Eleanor B. is the lead editor and senior gardener (Surrey, UK; RHS Level 2). Theo H. covers plant identification and foraging (Pacific Northwest, US; botanist trained at Oregon State). Maya R. covers sustainable practices and permaculture (Galicia, Spain; PDC). Giovanni Picaro is the founder and publisher; he handles the operational side of the publication. Full bios on Meet the Team.
When was the site founded?
Summer 2019. The first articles were published that year and the publication has operated continuously since.
How often do you publish?
Less than larger sites. We prioritize hands-on testing and slow editorial work over volume. Expect a steady cadence of long-form guides and reviews rather than daily news posts.
Where do you test plants?
In three locations: Surrey (UK), the Pacific Northwest (US), and Galicia (Spain). Each test garden has documented conditions on About Us; articles identify which test garden is the source for site-specific advice.
Editorial questions
Do you use AI to write articles?
No. Editorial drafting, opinions, plant identification, and reviews are written by named human team members. Some narrow operational uses (translation help, spell-check, alt-text drafting subject to human review) are permitted and disclosed in our AI Usage Policy.
How do you choose what to review?
The editorial team picks subjects based on what our readers would benefit from knowing about. Affiliate availability and brand outreach do not drive these decisions; the framework is on our Editorial Standards and Product Review Policy pages.
How do I report an error?
Email info [at] exploreyourgarden [punto] site with the subject line Correction request: [URL]. Include the specific text you believe is incorrect and your reasoning. Safety-critical corrections are prioritized. The full process is in our Corrections Policy.
Why don’t your reviews have a numeric score?
Because numeric scores create false precision. A “7.4 out of 10” is not more meaningful than “recommended for X conditions but not Y.” Our verdict categories — Recommended, Conditional recommendation, Not recommended, Verdict deferred — communicate the substance without inviting decimal-point arguments. See How We Test.
Practical and technical
Can I quote your articles?
Yes, in fair-use quantities (roughly up to 150 words from a single article) with attribution and a link to the original. For larger uses, see our Copyright Notice.
Can I translate your articles?
Translation and republication require prior written permission. Email info [at] exploreyourgarden [punto] site with the subject line License request.
Can I use your articles for AI training?
No. We expressly do not authorize the use of our content for training generative AI models. The full statement is in our Copyright Notice.
Why do I see ads on your articles?
Display advertising helps fund the editorial work. Currently we serve ads through Google AdSense. The presence of an ad is not an endorsement of the advertiser; the editorial wall is described in our Editorial Standards.
Why do some links carry “(affiliate link)”?
Because they are affiliate links. If you click and purchase, the retailer pays us a small commission, and you pay the same price either way. The full disclosure is on the Affiliate Disclosure page. Our editorial verdicts are unaffected by affiliate availability.
Privacy and accounts
Do I need an account to read?
No. The site is freely readable.
Do you track me?
We use server logs and, with consent, analytics and advertising cookies. The full picture is in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. You can revisit your cookie consent at any time using the link in the footer.
How do I exercise my GDPR / CCPA rights?
Email privacy [at] exploreyourgarden [punto] site with the subject line specifying the right you wish to exercise. Standard processing time is 30 days; we usually respond sooner.
Gardening-specific
What climate zone do your guides assume?
Different guides assume different zones, and each guide identifies its source test conditions. Generally, our coverage is strongest for USDA zones 8a–9a equivalents (Eleanor’s Surrey, Theo’s Pacific Northwest, Maya’s Galicia) and weaker for very cold or tropical climates — areas where we explicitly seek guest contributors.
Can you identify a plant from a photograph?
We cannot do this on a reader-by-reader basis. For ID help, try local plant-identification communities, your country’s national herbarium or extension service, or a specialist app paired with a field guide. For plant safety queries, see Plant Safety & Hazards.
When should I sow tomatoes / lettuce / [plant]?
Sowing dates depend on your climate and last-frost date. Our guides give the date for the specific test garden the article was developed in; you adjust for your local frost calendar. The general rule for most warm-season crops: indoor sowing 6–8 weeks before last frost, transplant outdoors after last frost.
Why don’t your guides have a clear “best variety” recommendation?
Because there often isn’t one. The “best” tomato for a Mediterranean garden is not the best one for a cool maritime garden. Our guides identify which varieties performed in our test conditions and explain what conditions might change the picture, rather than pretending there is one universal best.
Working with us
Can I submit a guest article?
Yes, with strong preference for areas we currently underrepresent: cold-climate gardening, tropical and subtropical, urban container gardening, gardening practices outside the English-speaking world. See the submission policy on Meet the Team.
Can I sponsor an article or a section?
Sponsorships are accepted under specific conditions, with the editorial wall maintained. See Work with Us.
Can I send you a free product to review?
Yes, with prior communication. Unsolicited samples are returned at the sender’s expense or donated. See the framework on Product Review Policy.
Can I link-exchange with you?
No. We do not exchange links. Editorial articles link to whatever sources serve the article best, on the editorial merits.
Anything else
If your question is not covered here, check the Contact Us page for the right address, or email info [at] exploreyourgarden [punto] site for general inquiries. We read every legitimate email and respond within the timeframes documented on the contact page.
Related pages: Contact Us · About Us · Editorial Standards · Beginner’s Guide · Glossary