Readers who used the Rogers Magazine Service to subscribe to the now defunct Harrowsmith Country Life have been sent a replacement title to the long-standing country lifestyle magazine.

A letter (and Winter 2011/2012 edition of Garden Making) from the Rogers Magazine Service went to Harrowsmith subscribers recently, noting Garden Making was being sent to them in lieu of Harrowsmith.



There were roughly 2,000 subscribers to Harrowsmith through the Rogers Magazine Service, but the full subscription base of Harrowsmith at its close is not known. Its estimated subscription revenue for 2010 was almost $1.5 million.

Garden Making is a relatively new but already award-winning quarterly magazine directed at Canadian gardeners. The magazine is published by Inspiring Media in Niagara-on-the-Lake, with Michael Fox, a senior vice president at Rogers Publishing, listed as publisher. However, Garden Making is independent and not affiliated with Rogers.

The letter states subscribers will receive Garden Making for the duration of the Harrowsmith subscription they have already paid for. Following that, subscribers have the option to continue receiving Garden Making for $19.95 a year.

Harrowsmith Country Life was last published by Malcolm Publishing. Several of its staff were suddenly informed last July they were out of a job, according to a former employee. The magazine was launched in the mid-1970's.