by Fern on December 12, 2009
After reading several comments left in the State of the Balcony survey regarding product and book reviews, I want to make my policy on such posts clear.
To state it simply, I never publish anything about a book or product that I don’t personally love and use. Period. I do occasionally receive products and books to review for free, but I am always very upfront about that. And I have come across products and books that I didn’t like, and declined to review on Life on the Balcony.
I do receive a small (and it is small) percentage of the sales made after clicking on a link to Amazon from this blog. Someone made what I think was a cheap shot about affiliate programs in the survey. I work hard to provide what I hope is good quality information here. On most weeks I write 5 posts a week. And they’re all free to read. Actually, it costs me money to have a blog. I have web hosting fees to pay, and things to buy so I can research them or use them as a prize in a contest. Not to mention the value of all the time I spend blogging. It’s kind of crummy to enjoy reading posts here but begrudge me the ability to at least cover the cost of writing all those posts. Especially considering that no one criticizes magazines for selling advertising, or receiving freebies to feature on their pages.
Anyway, I just wanted to make it clear that I value my integrity more than a free pair of gloves or a book. If someone wants to buy me, they’re going to have to do better than that. A lot better. 
by Fern on November 27, 2009
I thought I would collect all of the product and book reviews posted on Life on the Balcony in one spot in case you’re planning on any Black Friday or Cyber Monday internet shopping…
- Soil Scoop: My first video post (go easy on me!) of a useful product for container gardeners and traditional gardeners alike. The post contains a discount code that is good until April of next year.
- Review of P. Allen Smith’s Container Gardening Deck: A short video explaining P. Allen Smith’s latest contribution to container gardening. If you (or the intended recipient) loves lush, overflowing containers, then this is a thoughtful gift that won’t break the bank.
- Black Plants: 75 Striking Choices For the Garden: An almost stocking-stuffer sized book of plants for the gothic gardener. Every plant has a full color photo and description.
- Welcoming Wildlife to the Garden: A great book about providing wildlife with what they need. Plenty of ideas specifically for balcony and patio gardeners.
- 5 Great Herb Pots: Herb pots (smaller pots that are meant to be kept together as a group) make a great gift this time of year because they often fit perfectly on a windowsill for indoor herb growing.
- Hello! Cupcake: You wouldn’t expect to find a baking book on a container gardening blog, but the book contains many garden inspired designs for those of you who enjoy both gardening and cooking (and eating!).
- Children’s Garden Tools: A collection of different well-made tools for the younger gardener on your list.
- Holy Land Olive Trees: A lot of people really seem interested in growing their own olives these days. These particular trees come from cuttings taken in Israel from ancient trees.
- Self-Watering Containers: Another great gift idea for a gardener who wants to be able to do some indoor gardening during the winter. Self-watering pots don’t have drainage holes, so they don’t make a mess inside.
