Report on the Survey of MGS Members – November 2011

Report on the Survey of MGS Members – November 2011

Wherever a number of items are listed in this report, the order of the list reflects the order of importance to members or the number of times a point was mentioned.

Questionnaires were filled in by 400 members, representing 26% of the total membership and including representatives from every branch and those living outside the branch network. 20% of the replies came from members who had joined in the last two years and 94% were completed in English, the balance being in French or Greek.

Almost all (87%) had their own mediterranean garden. Of those without, most lived in non-mediterranean climate areas, but a number lived in cities within the zone, in particular, Athens.

How did you hear about the MGS?

52% of respondents heard about the society through a member or friend, a level that was very similar across all countries, but strongest in Spain. After this, at around 17% each, came the internet and articles in newspapers and magazines. Other avenues quoted included MGS stands at  plant fairs, gardening books and catalogues, other horticultural societies and public lectures.

It was also clear from the comments that word of mouth has been the most successful means of recruiting new members; many quoted the name of the individual who had inspired them to join.

The Aims of the Society

The MGS has a long and wide ranging list of aims and the survey sought to find out which ones are most important to members so that these can be given priority.

Two stood out as very high in importance:

-       the study and cultivation of mediterranean plants

-       the study of waterwise gardening techniques

The first was consistently strong across the entire membership, waterwise gardening scored very highly in Australia, Spain and France.

Next came:

-       the promotion of public education on dry gardening

-       the design and construction of mediterranean gardens

The former is particularly important to Greek members and the latter in California and Australia.

Attention to gardens of botanical and historical interest and activities associated with the environment and ecology came lower down the list, with the least important aim being the promotion of public education on the plant world.

Again, the comments added weight to the numerical data, with large numbers of members seeking practical help to create or develop their gardens using climate appropriate plants.

Benefits of membership

This part of the questionnaire looked both at the benefits available to all members and at those provided by some branches.

Once more two stood out as being valued most highly:

-       the MGS journal

-       branch visits to gardens and nurseries

The journal attracted favourable comment both for its style and content and is particularly appreciated by members without a branch. Visits to professionally designed gardens, demonstration gardens at specialist nurseries and modest gardens owned by MGS members were all mentioned, with members in France rating this as a particularly important activity.

Next came:
 - interaction with other members

Members commented on their appreciation of informal conversation at meetings and outings, many had joined specifically to meet likeminded people and had made friends through the MGS. Exchange of experiences with mediterranean gardeners all over the world was cited, as was the new Forum as an electronic means of communication.

Then three very different activities:
 -  lectures and workshop
 -  botanical walk
 -  the MGS website

The first two are mainly organised by branches, but take place also at the AGM and on international trips.

The website has been visited by 76% of members and is reviewed in more detail below. It is particularly appreciated by Scandinavians and members outside the branch network.

After that:

 -  plant exchanges

 - educational and scientific activities

 -  international garden and botanical tours

 -  the seed exchange service

 -  the “Ask the Expert” service

Plant exchanges are a useful way for people to extend their plant collections at very low cost and were mentioned particularly by members in Australia and Greece. The international trips were valued by members from all parts of the world, and especially by those without a mediterranean garden of their own, for whom this was a reason for joining. The “Ask the Expert” service was seen as an excellent idea, but underutilised, a number of respondents saying that they hadn’t known of its existence.

Finally:

 - interaction with local societies

 - the MGS garden at Sparoza

 - a library of garden and plant books

 -  the opportunity to attend the AGM

 -  the opportunity to work as a garden volunteer

The MGS garden at Sparoza was viewed as very important by members living in Greece, almost as important as the Journal, and some respondents wrote passionately of its role as a place of inspiration. For members outside Greece there was a rather different picture, including a number of suggestions as to how Sparoza could provide more value to more people.

The Website

The website pages most visited by respondents were, in order of mentions:

 -  own branch page

 - members’ gardens around the world

 - about the Society/Information

 - Sparoza

 - news and views

 - the Journal

 - other branch pages

 - in bloom now

 -  membership and subscriptions

 - the seed exchange

There was little difference in the number of mentions between any of the countries, apart from Sparoza, which was top of the list for members in Greece.

Activities

By far the most popular activity was participation in branch events, 74% of respondents had done so, and the figure was high for all branches. After this came attendance at the AGM, visiting Sparoza, using the seed exchange service, going on an MGS international trip and using the “Ask the Expert” service.

Reasons for joining

Members were asked what motivated them to join the MGS and two reasons stood out:

 -  to meet other gardeners facing the same challenges and to share experiences

 -  the purchase of a home in a mediterranean climate area

Many members wrote of the difficulties of creating a garden in a tough, dry climate and of their lack of knowledge of mediterranean plants and their needs. Some people were looking for local contacts and information about sourcing suitable plants and materials. Others, with little or expensive access to water, wanted advice on waterwise gardening techniques.

A significant, but smaller, number had broader motivation:

 - a general interest in mediterranean flora and landscape

 - a broad interest in all types of plants and gardening

People wrote of their love of plants, both cultivated and wild and of the mediterranean landscape.

A few had specific interests:

 -  to have the opportunity to visit gardens around the world

 - to support the MGS garden at Sparoza

 - academic or professional interest

 - an interest in ecology and the environment

 -  an interest in growing mediterranean plants in northern Europe

 -  for access to the seed exchange facility

Contributing time and skills

Many members offered to become more involved at branch level, including help with organisational tasks, offers to give lectures and workshops, to work as a volunteer in MGS ‘adopted’ gardens and to promote the MGS ideals to the public. All these offers have been passed on to Branch Heads.

A much smaller number said they would like to contribute at international level, probably because it is less obvious what skills are needed. However a few brave souls put their names forward to help with administration, recruitment and public education and to write articles, contribute to the Forum, participate in Discussion Groups and work at Sparoza.

Other comments

Most of the comments received have already been covered in the previous sections, however three other topics emerged:

 -  the importance of interacting with local communities, gardening professionals, horticultural colleges and other plant and garden societies

 - the need for easy communication channels, not only between the AC, Branch Heads and the membership, but also member to member

 -  the need to focus on recruitment, particularly of younger people and in countries without a branch

My thanks to all who contributed

Christine Savage