What is a digital garden? A place where ideas can grow and change over time. Think of it like a real garden — something you tend to, revisit, and slowly shape as your thoughts evolve. Instead of being a traditional blog with finished and curated posts, a digital garden is more like an open notebook: a mix of notes, ideas, experiments, projects, or whatever else you want that is always in progress.
Some key traits of a digital garden:
- Non-linear structure: Unlike blogs, which are usually organized by date, digital gardens are often arranged by topics or themes. Notes are linked together in a network, so you can jump between connected ideas instead of following a straight line.
- Ongoing and interactive: These gardens show your thought process as it unfolds. You might revisit an old note to add new insights or link it to something you’ve learned recently.
- Personal but public: Digital gardens are meant to be shared, but they’re not built for likes, comments, or social engagement. They’re more about sharing your journey than broadcasting polished content.
- Always evolving: Nothing is set in stone. You can update, rewrite, or expand your notes over time. It’s a living archive of what you’re learning and thinking about.
- Built with flexible tools: People often use programs that allow for easy linking between notes and ideas. I made this one with Quartz, and use Obsidian for editing. More info on how I made Writings on my /site page.
In short, a digital garden is a more organic, personal way to publish online. Growth is the end goal rather than perfection.
Learn more about Digital Gardens: A Brief History & Ethos of the Digital Garden