You Grow Girl™

Press & Media

Over the years many different types of media and individuals have reviewed our site and products or just had something to say about us. A few have been listed below.

A comprehensive archive of recent press can be found here. To learn more about us check out our About page or download our Press Release.

Please get in touch if you write anything about us.

Canadian Gardening

September 2003.
"Sassy, unconventional and totally passionate about plants, You Grow Girl is refreshingly, um, fresh. The work of Toronto-based Gayla Sanders and a host of volunteer contributors from around the world, You Grow Girl re-defines gardening for a new generation of gardeners. Under a cheeky veneer of scorn for conventional gardening wisdom lies a solid base of horticultural information delivered in Sex in the City style. From Jane Eaton Hamilton's Adequate Gardener column (I admit it, I'm addicted) to the catnip test-off (which brand does your cat prefer?), the website is full of chuckles, surprises and, er, fun. Send a You Grow Girl e-card to a friend, read a plant journal, post a question to a forum or submit a gardening tip, whatever. Get real, get gardening with You Grow Girl."

Star Tribune

March 21, 2002.
"Two hip Canadian women run this site that can make even a fringe gardener want to dig in. The content is fun, cleverly written and chock-full of useful facts about the plant kingdom for novice and expert gardeners. It features how-to tips, a chat forum, humorous journal entries, seed catalog resource and book reviews that are delivered with cool graphics that pop. It doesn't take gardening SO seriously. Notable: Look for "Name the Plant" contest, games and crafts." -- review by Lynn Underwood

MidWest Online

"Not science like Einstein science, but science like in getting plants to grow. This site was pure pleasure! This editor does not have a green thumb to pass on to my daughter, so maybe this site can get her excited about starting her own flower garden. She enjoyed the articles and suggestions, I liked that she was reading about science and not moaning."

Metroleum

"A well-designed gardening site from a mid 20's (or genX or hipster or other inane buzzword) perspective. A refreshing change from Martha Stewart, this site features gardening tips and plant journals from around the country."

GirlStart.com

October 8, 2001.
An interview with Gayla featured on this excellent website that promotes girls in technology. Read it here.

Maclean's Magazine

October 2001.
"Diehard gardening pros and avid newbies alike may benefit from a visit to www.yougrowgirl.com, a stylish, colourful splash of occasionally humorous insights into the plant kingdom."

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

October 2001.
"I stumbled upon it while cruising the internet looking for information on appropriate plants for dorm rooms: Yougrowgirl.com, a website about gardening produced by two very hip young Canadians. The “About” page declares, “If gardening really is the new rock’n’roll, then Yougrowgirl.com is ‘indie rock.’” And it’s true. The site features excellent graphic design in all the trendy colors, fun animation, and best of all, articles that would appeal to young people who may not even realize, yet, they are interested in gardening." -- review by Jane Milliman

Create Online--Sites Recommended by Professional Designers

Craig Robinson of FlipFlopFlyin'
"It's a gardening site with a difference - instead of overpaid experts, it's been lovingly set up by some green-fingered enthusiasts. The look and feel hasn't suffered though.
"It's just been beautifully designed, with a nice use of type," says Craig. "It's so not Alan Titchmarsh! You can tell the person's really into gardening, but it's rare to see that much knowledge combined with good design." He's also impressed by the feminine feel of the site, which is run by two women. "A lot of web design is so obviously male, so this is a breath of fresh air. I used to hate gardening as a kid, but this has made me want to get a window box. It must be doing its job!""

Coolstop: Best of Cool Award

"Well now - it seems that one of two people behind today's winning site is also one of the two people behind another Best of the Cool winner - and I'm not at all surprised. Superb design, wonderful use of color, and great content about the Plant Kingdom that's anything but typical. This site is a gem - their claim that it's "one-of-a-kind" is accurate. Features include articles, forums, and interviews - even a plant movie and a coloring contest."

Silicon Salley: Interview

"Beyond the original content, the site is a beautifully hand-crafted reminder of the best intentions of the Internet, connecting people to people via quality information. I could ramble on at this point but I fear I would just sound old and crusty (it would involve ranting a lot about industry buzzwords, pretty boring really). So, that said let's get straight to the Q&A!" more...

NOW Toronto: Site of the Week

"Questions about whether gardening is cool with the youth are answered by this nifty plant-centric quarterly that promises "secrets of the plant kingdom revealed." There are gardening diaries, photos, a glossary, a seed trade and a plant forum where you can get advice and tips on why those woolly lamb's ears you planted ended up black and feeling like sandpaper. Guys with a plant fetish are apparently also welcome. "

ZEAL.com

"This web site is truly one of a kind. Bookmark it before you forget! There is no doubt that this is a gardening site because there is good quality garden information and help to be found here. HOWEVER, one must be on guard to be sure that they are not taken in with a belief that they will ultimately gain the particular knowledge that they were seeking when they began reading the article. The "GIRLS" look at a wide variety of garden topics, but sometimes.... well, sometimes they just look at them a little differently. This 'quarterly' E-zine is updated every week or so (like I said... different). I've bookmarked the Girls and will be back to visit every time I start to take my gardening too seriously. I recommend that you take a break from the plants for a little R&R. (Reading and relaxing)."

Fierce Site of the Day

"Photosynthesis. Agronomy. Horticulture.
These are three words whose letters can be arranged to make the sentence "Morph into youth clusters, G." As far as their meanings, I'm not entirely sure, even though I did grow up on a farm. We raised livestock, and ultimately bottomed out because we could never grow decent pot-bellied pigs, no matter how deep my dad planted them." Read more...

Third Age

Garden Fever Growing?
"Whiffs of spring have you eager to start digging? Check out You Grow Girl for plant knowledge for gardeners from beginning to expert." more...

Scott's Botanical Links

February 24, 2000.
"To say that YouGrowGirl is not like the regular sites that I review is an understatement!! Sites include how's it growing, mini garden art, the lab, vermicomposting (yes, requires worms!), "news", and an interview with two 78- and 93-year old gardeners who grow all of their own vegetables. Featured in the lab is the resurrection of a shamrock using the healing power of '80s music from the New Edition. Someone's creative tongue is planted firmly in cheek at this site, so follow their botanical advice, not their music choice to heal your plants! (***1/2)"

Brief Me

GOT A GREEN THUMB?
"Okay. It's summer. It's nice outside. PERFECT weather for planting some flowers! Sounds great, doesn't it? Well, if you don't have the slightest idea on how to get started, this site may be of some help. Here, you will find some really neat gardening tips and even some games that you can play to satisfy your "green" urge if you can't dig up the backyard. I recommend this site to everyone, even if you aren't too crazy about plants--you could GET interested."

Kaliber 10000

"We have no clue - but we like what we see at yougrowgirl - perhaps it's because we're european??"

Hissyfit

"Gayla is a really superlative web designer and a nurturing soul. Naturally, it has come to pass that she's created a beautiful, funny, and informative site about gardening that is, by no means, exclusively of interest to girls."

Rocket Pitas

"A breathtaking web site for female gardening fanatics (and those who just like pretty flowers). I'm no green thumb, but I love this site. Not just because it's nice on the eyes, but because it contains some vital information for girls who grow."