Topic

Herbs/Flowers

I love the new herbs & flowers. I spent some time in a community garden planting and trying them. It was a good community experience with everybody sharing the flowers & seeds. Now, I'm torn between my garden in Alakol and the new gardens. I wonder if the firebog houses will become more popular now? They certainly are more balanced now.

Posted 18 months ago by FrankenPaula Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

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  • The houses in the areas with herb gardens don't seem to have herb gardens IN the homes (unless the real estate pages just haven't been updated).

    I think it was brilliant, however, in that it brings more people to the less populated areas of Ur.

    That said? I am crossing my fingers that I'll be able to plant flowers & herbs at home before too long, but I don't plan to move from my swank digs in Alakol.
    Posted 18 months ago by Krikket Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I've just spent waaay too much time in an herb garden :D and loved it! There are so many things I missed elsewhere project-wise (and therefore tp scriptwise :p), but I didn't really care :)

    I hope more people will love the community herb gardens as I do and share the space and resources - it's worth it!
    Posted 18 months ago by Millie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 Millie .. I so agree .. I stumbled upon a swampy community garden .. and was a bit put off by what I saw (behaviour-wise).  Happily I gave another one a chance and found a note explaining the "how" rather than one saying "it is mine" and met you and a few like-minded others .. great! Passed on the good will and thanks to some good vibes those that were waiting got there in the end .. And yes, we all re-planted the long term stuff too, lol.
    Posted 18 months ago by Lellie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Just about to pop back there with a seed or two. They're great, being high on purple was AMAZING! And yeah, I agree with Lellie about the learning curve.
    Posted 18 months ago by Lianne Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I really hope we get herb patches in the homes, at least  in the swamp homes, it would be brilliant. 

    Hoping that when they implement decorating, that we can change patches in our own yards as well as now, the gardening patches.  Would like to have a dark patch under my Alakol home, and would convert probably most of my garden patches to herbal ones just to have flowers.

    Would love to have patches that line the front of my house, that only I can change/pick from, so that I could have a tree or flowers in front of my house too (without the items walking off).
    Posted 18 months ago by b3achy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I agree it would be wonderful to have an herb garden in your home!  The flowers are beautiful, we need vases to display them!  I want to know the stories behind their names!  Love the purple haze (moment of silence for Jimi)
    Posted 18 months ago by welshcorgi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I want to be able to arrange the flowers in tasteful vases and put them on a table in my home.
    Posted 18 months ago by jasbo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • mas mas mas mas mas flowers and herbs!  tea steeping (see old thread)!  

    The community gardens had the feel of a very mellow end of test party---the ones I hung out in did anyway, not sure about Lellie's experience :(

    BUT, they are too packed already. I am sure things will calm down eventually, but I really hope private gardens are in the offing.  I need an excuse to move back to the firebog, as I left specifically to garden.
    Posted 18 months ago by Nanookie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1.. b3achy....everything she said....i agree! :)
    Posted 18 months ago by im4noles2 Subscriber! | Permalink
  • community herb gardens are a great way to make new friends. really enjoy it. people cooperates.
    I'm waiting for herb gardens at houses, even if it only gets possible at firebog houses. I really enjoy spend my time at shimla / jethimadh / chakra
    Posted 18 months ago by acreditando Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I had a great time in the Chakra Phool community gardens today! The people who were "working" it today were a very friendly and helpful bunch and I really appreciated them :)
    Posted 18 months ago by PittyPat is sad Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'd like to be able to grow the flowers at home, too.  It's not fun to stand around waiting for a plant to grow for 54 minutes or whatever it is.  Yes, I know we're supposed to socialize, but sometimes I don't feel like chatting with the person who just took the stuff I was waiting for.  It's a bit like the community machine rooms: nice idea, but it just takes one person to put a damper on the experience. 
    Posted 18 months ago by glum pudding Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yes, I have noticed a few "ground thieves" (term from another, much older, MMO)
    Posted 18 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • There really needs to be the ability to garden herbs/flowers privately. There is far too much "mine, mine, I was waiting for that and you took it, you awful person" behavior in the common herb garden, and as we cannot stake a personal claim on any particular herb/flower, and we cannot read each others' minds, it's off-putting to be scolded for harvesting, shucking, and replanting in a public garden.  Yeah, ok, it's disappointing when you were hoping to harvest one particular thing and have to wait for the next cycle, but until we have private gardens for herbs/flowers that's sort of the way life is.  I'm not meaning to be uncooperative in the least, it's just impractical and silly to think you can reserve a specific flower for yourself and then get bent out of shape if someone else ended up with it.

    Let's get private herb/flower gardening so this won't become more of an issue, yes?
    Posted 18 months ago by Eleanor Rigby Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I was in Chakra Phool gardens with PittyPat today. I had a great time too. This was one of the friendliest, nicest, well organized group of people I have ever played with. We shared all flowers & seeds. I know I asked to harvest some flowers and was very pleasantly surprised to hear "Sure, go ahead". There even were announcments when flowers were in bloom and asking who might want the flower. Sometimes, after a "bloomed flower alert" went out, we'd rush over to the blossom, huddled together and even oooooh'd & aaaaaaah'd over those silly, little flowers. It was great!! I hope everyone had somewhat of the same experience as I did, but I don't think so.

    My friend didn't have such an experience at a different place today. (I prefer not saying where.) People guarding plots, agruing over flowers, not sharing seeds. Makes me sad knowing what a good time I had on my street while things like this were happening.
    Posted 18 months ago by Ruby Specklebottom Subscriber! | Permalink
  • oh Ruby, so sweet your comment. I really feel the same way. great times on herb gardens
    Posted 18 months ago by acreditando Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I had a good time at the garden I was at today. I harvested, shucked and planted with a very polite crowd and made a couple of new contacts. But it takes SO long to grow the flowers. I wanted a chance to see all of them but it was just too time consuming. Even if I could have one or two herb/flower spaces in a house (like a dark patch) it would be worth it!
    Posted 18 months ago by Mistress*of*Fishies Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I have to agree with Ruby that the "tone" of the gardens was very very different between regions.

    I give Millie a lot of the credit for setting a welcoming & sharing tone in Chakra Phool, and enjoyed the time I spent there so much I dedicated one of my teleport points to it so I can get there quickly whenever the urge strikes.

    Although I still very much want the ability to plant flowers at home for myself, I really do hope that it becomes an option so that the folks who are so possessive of their plants can garden safely, while those of us who really enjoy the "community" aspect of community gardens can continue to share and work together to make pretty things grow.
    Posted 18 months ago by Krikket Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I must have been in Jethimadh at the right times because it was a very cool environment where I chatted with a lot of new people and waited around for 3 hours and 36 minutes for the (grumble grumble) yellow crumb flowers to bloom. Swapped seeds and flowers, told newcomers how to do the same... There was one instance of a slight scuffle but after a while things were really mellow. I enjoyed myself. 

    Although that said, I really would like an herb garden at home. Waiting for those yellow flowers to bloom was a true trial in patience.
    Posted 18 months ago by Folderol Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I liked the community garden atmosphere as well, but agree that being able to grow at home is ideal.  I was thinking that I could build a raised bed with the planks and dirt and loam I have laying about near the animal pen. 
    Posted 18 months ago by Violet Faulds Subscriber! | Permalink
  • thank you Folderol for starting me out :)  I was able to use what you gave me to propagate the entire Jethimadh garden after you left...  I even ended up getting a hairball...
    Posted 18 months ago by IxÆoN Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Millie and everyone else involved with the Chakra Phool garden, have made it what a community garden should be.  After having visited one of the other gardens and seeing the way some  players were behaving I left quite disheartened, but decided I would check out one of the others.  What a pleasant surprise to arrive at Chakra Phool.  I stayed there for well over an hour, harvesting, shucking and replanting.  It was a wonderful place to be.

    I would love to have a personal herb garden at home, but failing that, I would love to have one or two pots that I could move and grow  them in.  I would also love to have a vase or two to put some of them in.
    Posted 18 months ago by Mer Maid Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I had a great time in the community gardens last night. Lots of people were sharing and chatting, and it was an all-around great community gardening experience. The 3 things I planted and harvested had very short growing times (36 mins and under), so I might have had a more frustrating time if I was waiting on hour+ flowers.

    I'm really just commenting to point out the coolest thing I saw in the garden, someone (I think it was Prince Will) planted rows and rows of Purple Flowers, and must have wandered away. Next to the flowers was a plate of strawberry crepes and a note saying that the person was so curious they took one of the purple flowers, but left the crepes in exchange. It's that sort of creative community interaction that makes me love this game so much!
    Posted 18 months ago by Eureka Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I didn't realize the herb gardens weren't all so welcoming..I was lucky then! The people in Chakra pool were wonderful and sharing and I had a lovely time. 
    My personal opinion on community gardens isn't totally positive in general though, for one simple reason. We're in Beta. I've played many, many MMO's and the beta players are different. They care and they help each other... but once the real game starts it all becomes 'each for his own'.
    I would really love to be proven wrong, but once hordes of people swarm in and want their badges without waiting, I think it's going to change. 
    Posted 18 months ago by Zira Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I agree that the introduction of the herbs is a lovely and welcome addition to the game.  From obtaining your 1st seed/flower to then 'experiencing' them!  (thanks Sir Grok ;), you brightened up my day, introducing me to the purple haze :-O ) However, I was a little disappointed not to be able to grow them in my own garden, hopefully all homes will have that option later down the line.

    I don't really know what I think about the success of the Community Herb Garden aspect (early days).  It was late when I visited one; all plots has been recently filled, thus, no room to plant and no flowers to pick in order to replant.  Players, understandably, guarding and waiting to harvest.  I didn't notice any 'bad feeling' but I did notice the lovely notes left by some to say 'feel free to take'  'please replant when you pick'  etc etc.  However, I didn't hang around, as it was clear, getting a chance to pick and replant was going to take a fair bit of time waiting around and I wasn't really up for that.

    I think Mer has a great idea there.  If giving all homes herb gardens is too much (not sure why but); give us herb pots to buy (kerching) so we can grow and and place around our homes and gardens.:)
    Posted 18 months ago by ♥joby♥ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The one I went to almost put me off - so it's good to know they weren't all that bad!  The atmosphere in some gardens were terrible.  It's a shame as I loved the idea.  Perhaps spread the plots out so one person can't 'guard' too many plots & hog them all?  (Not that there's anything wrong with using more than one spot - but it felt selfish to be not allowed to plant one seed when some people had multiple rows they kept replanting over and over.)

    Maybe it needs a baqala-type debuff to kick you out after a while to let others use the plots!
    Posted 18 months ago by Thessilian Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I enjoyed myself in the herb community gardens, I didn't realize there were two different locations but must have been through both of them accidentally.  I agree with 95% of what others have said before this post.  I didn't see any bad moves in either garden, some people were a little over protective with both plants and seeds but it will pass and people will relax.

    One thought maybe new plants and seeds should be introduced in the community gardens and not sold by vendors.  Then when new and different plants come along the older flowers can be grown in our home plots or along the trails we wander, like the trees.  All in all a very pleasant surprise.
    Posted 18 months ago by xoxJulie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Loved the herb garden in Shimla Mirch - lots of notes lying around to explain what was happening, and Travinara was fantastic in giving me seeds to get me started :) meant I could replant anything I harvested without feeling guilty.

    And how about that purple flower?
    Posted 18 months ago by andonida Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'd like to also thank Millie for being friendly and helpful at the gardens in Chakra Pool. I stopped by three or four times and she was there every time... running around and watering plants, or talking to the other players about the friendly herbs.

    I'd love to be able to add these to my house, and hope they aren't just limited to specific area homes. I'd like to see plant pots that you place around your house and could plant a single herb into. Even if the pots were expensive I'd probably want to have all seven of the plants in my house. Oh an it would be good if there were more too. Oh and I'd like to give kudos to the artwork... those plants look good.
    Posted 18 months ago by GavinLeigh Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think there's 3 gardens. The community gardens really show how one individual can really make a difference (both positive or negative). All it took was one person in some of the gardens (Millie, Travinara) to show generosity and encourage an atmosphere of sharing. It's very contagious. When you enter a garden and somebody immediately gives you flowers or seeds and encourages you to use them, it really makes you want to cooperate. 
    Posted 18 months ago by FrankenPaula Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I should add, i like the fact that people were really using the gardens. Perhaps more could be added, because even in the ones where folks share, all the plots were always full. Perhaps every area could have 2 or 3 gardens. I know people would like to plant in houses, but I kind of like the idea of having to use the community gardens for this one thing.
    Posted 18 months ago by FrankenPaula Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I had some good times in the garden at Charka Phool, as others mentioned, although now that the word is out that they are a friendly garden, that might change next test.  Wow, am I jaded or what?  All I could think about as we were sharing and planting flowers and seeds was how fucked it would get and how much I needed to cherish the moment of community that was happening right now since it wouldn't last.  I'm glad I wasn't at the other gardens from the sounds of it.

    I hope we get to plant in our own homes, be it in pots or garden plots, simply because the community commons thing seems to either create conflict or go stale in other areas - consider the vegetable community gardens.  People get uptight if someone comes through and harvests something without cleaning it up or replanting.  Consider the community machine rooms.  They are empty places since no one is willing to leave an expensive machine there for fear it will be stolen.

    While I did enjoy the shared nature of the herb gardens, I already felt a sense of impending unspoken rules - don't pick without asking, plant only what the garden helpers deem appropriate, don't hover in place to collect a flower.  Don't take without giving.  Now, while these rules did make for an enjoyable moment now (because everyone got to experience everything and we were all in agreement), I've seen how these rules become a hierophant in other game areas, with people getting pissy at those who don't follow the rules and others who break the rules for fun.  But given how rare it is to actually get the right seeds and to experience each flower, it's going to be inevitable that people will do whatever it takes to get their flower - as stories from the other gardens tell.  It's also inevitable that unspoken rules will be created, which can serve as a hammer to those who don't obey and then generate long-winded forum topics (of which I am guilty).

    So, here's a thought: put herb gardens on every housing quarter.  Allow only homeowners on that quarter to plant/harvest on their block.  That enables a few things:
    - Housing quarters will have a center of activity to build around
    - The competition aspect will be lessened since there will only be a few people able to plant on the quarter and they are all neighbors - more incentive to play nice, build community, share.
    - You'll have a better chance of getting the plants you want/need

    There still remains the possibility of conflict, but a little conflict isn't a bad thing.  I think the benefits of quarter gardens are high... and much nicer than us all hiding in our homes just to be able to grow something.

    Yes, non-homeowners will miss out, but I'm not sure that's a bad thing.  Non-homeowners could always buy flowers on auction or trade with homeowners.

    I'd be happy for us to just plant in our homes and will visit the existing gardens until the culture there goes south (which I think is inevitable, sadly, being jaded), but I kinda like the community quarter concept - worth a try anyway.
    Posted 18 months ago by zeeberk Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I love the idea if a garden for your quarter. I would have suggested it myself. I also like the idea of having flowers planted in front of your house, as people doing their planting in their front yards could also bring about neighborly interactions
    Posted 18 months ago by Purple Haze Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 to housing quarter gardens!
    Posted 18 months ago by Sheepy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I love the idea of community herb gardens in housing quarters! Actually, instead of gardens, I'd love it if residents of each block had the ability to spruce up their block by planting flowers on the block, and only residents of that area could pick the flowers. It would be like landscaping and I'm sure a lot of people would have a lot of fun with creative landscape design.

    I generally love the idea of interacting with neighbors in one way or another, (whether they are present or not). Sheepy is always decorating our block and cooking and blending up things to leave outside neighbors' doors. I think it's a lot of fun to do, and to receive, but the items often disappear, possibly before many neighbors even see it. It would be nice if the doormats outside houses were like drop-boxes, so only the home-owner would be able to pick up items left for them. But this is a separate topic.
    Posted 18 months ago by Eureka Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I also loved the herb garden when I stopped by the one in Jethimadh.
    I met some wonderful Glitches and everyone was so helpful!
    We named some butterflies & I learned how to freeze in the air while we waited around.
     However 3 hours was way too long to wait to get a yellow flower seed.
     So imagine my surprise when I recieved one in my mailbox from one of my new flower buddies!
    Thank you soooooo much folderol!  Your patience { and following through on your word }
     was totally appreciated by me.
     And it sounds like you were a big help to a lot of other Glitches too.
     
    Posted 18 months ago by Mee Maw Moo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 to housing quarter gardens
    +1 to planting flowers (or anything else) in front of your house/ensuing neighborliness
    +1 to planting flowers all along each residential block
    Posted 18 months ago by The Cat Face Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Love love love the housing quarters idea! It would be great to have a reason to interact with folks in our neighborhood more and help build a neighborhood community spirit.
    Posted 18 months ago by FrankenPaula Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Neighborhood gardens are an excellent idea! It would give an opportunity for block gatherings and planning sessions. It might be nice to implement a notification system like we have in our own gardens. When the flowers we've planted are ready to harvest a timer would start, if you didn't make it back on time they would become available to neighbors so the plots aren't tied up indefinitely. I can see how gardens might make interaction more likely if we could see who planted the flowers. We could then IM the person to ask if they are on their way. If they couldn't make it, you could be friendly and harvest for them and put them in the mail. Or maybe a cool-off period for each plot or type of flower. A skill to add these plots to our homes would be nice too.
    Posted 18 months ago by Riverwalker Subscriber! | Permalink
  • i think there aren't enough active players per quarter to make quarter gardens work.

    perhaps on the main street leading to the quarter, then everyone in the quarter from all the streets could focus on it.
    Posted 18 months ago by striatic Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'm fine with it for a quarter or in a block in the quarter, but not on the public street outside
    Posted 18 months ago by Purple Haze Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Love the idea of planting in quarters, but feel we also need the community gardens to introduce new plants and as a great gathering spot.  The community garden gives a central location for everyone to both visit and do something constructive.  We can't all work on the street projects but we can all drop into the community gardens for pot luck gardening.  
    Posted 18 months ago by xoxJulie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I don't think neighborhood/quarter gardens should replace community gardens, it would just be a fun addition to neighborhoods while taking the general strain off the community gardens.
    Posted 18 months ago by Eureka Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I agree with eureka, not a replacement, just an addition that gets u to interact with actual neighbors
    Posted 18 months ago by Purple Haze Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 to the idea of semi private housing quarter gardens...
    I would also like to have one in my house (every house, not just the crappy firebog houses) :-)
    Posted 18 months ago by IxÆoN Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I love the idea of container gardening for flowers, especially since they seem to want to grow only in dark areas.  People have been asking for house plants anyway.

    A simple change to the community gardens might help: put a lock on an herb for ten minutes after it has finished growing, so the person who planted it has a chance to get back to the garden and harvest the herb before someone else does.  After the ten minutes are up, the herb would become fair game.
    Posted 18 months ago by glum pudding Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 for the neighborhood gardens,that can grow everything from veg to herbs,and one day soon-ish flowers. I'd also like a planter/flower box in which we could plant flowers/herbs, and place in front of our house,but no one else can harvest from or take the whole box ~like the gnome, we can all see and (hopefully) enjoy,but -unless we own it- we canny take it. =)
    Posted 18 months ago by ~Scilly~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 planters and vases for use inside the house and just outside the front of the door.

    Inside the house, I would also like to be able to place the planters/vases on shelves and tables so I don't walk all over them!
    Posted 18 months ago by Millie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Have to add my thanks to Millie, Lellie, Mer Maid and others who made my first herb garden visits a really fun experience. There was a welcoming note from Millie about how it worked, take what you need, but please do replant, and people announced when things had blossomed and asked if there were any takers for specific flowers. 

    I do see the potential for hard feelings, though, so maybe a timer that gives you x minutes to harvest what you planted isn't a bad idea. With a limit built in so that just a few people couldn't end up planting all the plots?
    Posted 18 months ago by ElleD Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Maybe instead of a garden on every block, have a block for that quarter.  That way, the quarter garden is still for residents of that quarter but isn't on the main street interfering with traffic.

    So, the sign post would say:
    ----------------------------------------------------
    |  garden  |  2100     |  3100     |  4100     |
    |  1100     |  2200     |  3200     |  4200     |
    |  1200     |  2300     |  3300     |  4300     |
    ----------------------------------------------------
    Posted 18 months ago by zeeberk Subscriber! | Permalink
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