The single biggest influence on which Grove you might join is likely to be geography. There are places where multiple Groves exist in viable striking distance of each other, but Druidry is still at a level where this isn't the norm.
If you are new to Druidry, a Grove might offer affirmation and support. It would be a space in which you could learn about the path and benefit from the experience of other Druids. In joining a Grove, you might become involved with an Order and through that, a wider community. So the decision to join a Grove might define the kind of Druidry you practice. This is tricky for a new Druid because the odds are you don't know enough about either your own preferences or how different Orders work to know how or if this is going to work for you.
How representative a Grove is of an Order can vary considerably. There's diversity within every Order, and much depends on the individuals within the group.
My recommendation is that first and foremost, you work with people you connect with and find it easy to get along with. If that's in place, you'll have the room to explore your own interests and find your own way of being a Druid, with the help and support of other people. If you're dealing with Druids who are really dogmatic about how things must be done, and who don't have room for you to find your own way, this is unlikely to work well. Firstly it's not (in my opinion) terribly good Druidry to be authoritarian. Secondly it's important in all situations to be able to ask questions about why things are the way they are and whether alternatives exist. Thirdly, a group that can make space for diversity and for the needs of new people is a better place to be.
It isn't essential to join a Grove. There's plenty of scope for distance learning and a range of Orders offer different kinds of teaching, focusing on different aspects of Druidry and with various styles and flavours. You don't have to commit to one Order forever, and you can range widely to meet your needs.
It is both feasible and valid to work as a solitary Druid. There are lots of ways to connect with other Druids that don't require a Grove - camps, open rituals, online groups and other social gatherings can answer the need for a community without requiring as much commitment.
If you really want to be in a Grove and there isn't a suitable one, sometimes the answer is to start your own. You don't need to be massively experienced in Druidry or in running things to do this. You just have to be willing to learn. Many of the established Groves exist because at some point, someone took a leap in the dark and set it up. Most of the people who start Groves do so because it's needed, not because they've accumulated so much wisdom and experience that they feel ready for the task. If you feel called to set up a Grove, that's more than enough reason to give it a try.
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