by C.L. Fornari
The beauty of a hashtag is that it’s much like poetry. It indicates what it says, yet contains multiple levels of meaning that go beyond what comes after the #. Like a poem, a hashtag can be a perfect little puzzle that provides commentary or emotional resonance that extends and deepens the topic at hand.
The GardenComm Communications Committee thought #gardenstrong would be a fitting hashtag for our organization. Many are familiar with the use of strong in a slogan. It originates with the Livestrong cancer support campaign in 2004, and later as the U.S. Army’s Army Strong slogan in 2006. In the northeast people remember #BostonStrong as it was used after the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. At the first Boston Red Sox game after the bombing, the announcer told the crowd, “We are one. We are strong. We are Boston. We are Boston strong.”
For me, #gardenstrong exemplifies the significance that cultivating plants has for all people. Gardens boost our emotional and physical wellbeing. The plants we raise nourish our bodies and keep our planet healthy. Flowers make us happy. Plants enhance our landscapes and the interior of our homes. And we are constantly learning new and amazing information about how plants sustain all life on this planet.
As GardenComm members we are dedicated to spreading information and joy about plants and gardens. We want the green industry, those who grow plants or produce garden products, to be ever more robust. Our work is all about sowing seeds of knowledge and enthusiasm with the goal of creating a verdant world.
We are one. We are strong. We love gardens and believe in the importance of horticulture and awareness about plants. We are #gardenstrong.
#gardenstrong: What does it mean to you?
Meet the Author
C.L. Fornari is treasurer of GardenComm. She’s a writer, speaker, radio host, and garden geek; she and Ellen Zachos received the 2019 Gold Award from GardenComm for their Plantrama podcast.
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