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Two years old today...

birthday-balloons.jpg ...and still learning to walk.

Darren Rowse calculated that the Top 100 blogs were on average only 33.8 months proving that you don't have to be doing this for a long time to be successful. Yet, I feel that after 24 months of running this blog I'm only now starting to get 'it'.

I've made some great friends and continue to enjoy interacting with my readers, albeit that most of what happens is usually via email rather than recorded on this blog.

How has this year differed from my first?

It's probably been less dependable, if anything. Updating Blotanical took a significant amount of time and the cost for me was not being able to get around and comment on as many blogs as I like to. Plus, it means that while I was posting twice a day I've been lucky to post once every two or three days.

That is set to change in 2008!

I've also noticed some bloggers come and go. Many new ones have started this year while a handful have stopped for various reasons. Needless to say, new friendships have also blossomed while others have ended and some continue to grow.

The stats have increased as well racking up 376,381 pageviews this year compared to 2006's 66,774. The number of comments doubled over the previous year and Sept 14 was my biggest day seeing more than 2,500 people visit GTNI and viewing more than 4,000 pages.

2007's Honour Roll

As I did last year, I want to honour a few people who have helped make GTNI so successful. The best way to measure this, apart from the wonderful people who have contributed posts, links and recommendations are to honour those who have taken the time to stop and comment on my blog. Here's the top 10;

  1. Val - Val has her say (57)
  2. Annie in Austin - The Transplantable Rose (47)
  3. Colleen - In the Garden Online (47)
  4. Kim - A Study in Contrasts (41)
  5. Carol - May Dreams Garden (36)
  6. jodi - bloomingwriter (31)
  7. Kerri - Colors of the Garden (29)
  8. Susan - Sustainable Gardening (24)
  9. Malin - Indoor Gardener (22)
  10. Pam - Digging (20)

To all my wonderful readers I want to say a big thank you for making this a great year. Your willingness to share your thoughts, agree or disagree with me and to add your own helpful hints has always been a blessing.

THANK YOU.



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Posted by Stuart on December 31, 2007 8:53 AM | | Check to Subscribe to this Comment:


Comments

Wow, congrats on a great year.

Posted by: Linette | December 31, 2007 7:31 AM

Stuart, congratulations on reaching this milestone with your blog. You have certainly added quite a lot to the 'garden blogosphere' with your directory and your excellent posts!

Happy New Year!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Posted by: Carol | December 31, 2007 8:54 AM

Thanks Linette. It certainly has been a great year.

Cheers Carol. I'd like to think that I'm making a contribution as we all do. I just trust it's a good one. Thanks for the encouragement.

Posted by: Stuart | December 31, 2007 10:57 AM

How quickly a year flies by, eh? Congrats on Blotanical and your blog, Stuart. Keep up the good work!

Posted by: Pam/Digging | December 31, 2007 2:45 PM

Stu,

Well done - two years is a good achievement.

Here is to the next two :)

I know, from my own site evolution, that there is always something to do to keep a daily blog going.

Best wishes for the new year to you and your readers.

Phil

Posted by: Philip Voice | December 31, 2007 3:56 PM

Congrats on 2 years, Stuart. You've done an amazing amount of work in such a small period of time! I hope you have a great 2008.

Posted by: Colleen | December 31, 2007 7:52 PM

Wow, what progress you've made over the past year - congrats and I'll try to keep the comments coming, maybe even more of them. I'm resolving to read and comment more in the next year. See, you're one of only a tiny handful I visit. Best wishes to you and your family in the New Year, my blogging buddy. Susan

Posted by: susan harris | December 31, 2007 8:34 PM

Happy number 2. Best wishes for you and your blog in the coming year.

Posted by: Curtis | December 31, 2007 9:44 PM

happy number 2. Best wishes for next year.

Posted by: Curtis | December 31, 2007 9:46 PM

Hey, that's just terrific, Stuart! Two years is quite an accomplishment, especially when there are so many other things to take of our time. and you've gone above and beyond by developing and tending Blotanical, too. I was starting to wonder where you were til you left a note on bloomingwriter last night; figured the holidays had caught you and your family up and I hope that things have been fun. All the very best for a bloomin' good 2008 (you've been into this new year for a good 18 hours now, I think, while we're half an hour in! And thanks for the kind words...I figure that commenting on others blogs and cheering them on is a way of encouraging more great garden writing. Now we just need to get more people reading them all, and appreciating them. I'll be writing about that in an article soon!

Posted by: jodi | January 1, 2008 11:36 AM

Thanks all for your lovely comments. I trust you're all having a wonderful new year and can't wait to see what the next year will bring.

Posted by: Stuart | January 2, 2008 6:33 AM

Hello Stuart - I've been away for a couple of weeks so missed your anniversary - congratulations on two years of blogging! You sure have made a big splash in that amount of time, and have helped other garden bloggers to find each other.

Off to read some of your other recent posts~

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Posted by: Annie in Austin | January 4, 2008 5:16 AM

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