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Gardeners World
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Message 1.Ìý
Posted by keithtoy (U14944979) on Friday, 29th July 2011
I own a typical suburban garden, like the overwhelming majority of people in the U.K. I can see virtually no relevance between this programme and my garden. I do not have acres of land where I can plan various borders, compost heaps etc.
Is there any chance of a garden programme that has some relevance to most of us? -
Message 2
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
Is there any chance of a garden programme that has some relevance to most of us?Â
Yes....it's called Beechgrove! -
Message 3
Posted by garyhobson (U11055016) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
So which of the plants or techniques shown in last night's program would you not be able to grow in your garden?
Do you have no flowers that would benefit from dead-heading? Do you not make any compost at all, even in a dustbin? The garden at Newby Hall had an enormous variety of flowers. Was there absolutely nothing there that you'd like to grow?
Perhaps you don't like flowers. Is your garden too small for a single row of leeks? Or a couple of outdoor tomatoes?
And if viewers have no garden of their own, then why not follow the tips given by Carol, and visit some free gardens?
A garden that is used as a the base for these programs needs to be large. Monty isn't growing just a few salvias, or a single row of leeks, or a couple of tomatoes. He needs to grow ALL of them, and lots of other plants besides - from sweet peas to box balls, from hot dry areas to cool shady ones. The same considerations apply to Carol.
The program needs to be anchored around presenters who have extensive and varied gardens, and all the experience that goes with looking after them. -
Message 4
Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
So which of the plants or techniques shown in last night's program would you not be able to grow in your garden?
Do you have no flowers that would benefit from dead-heading? Do you not make any compost at all, even in a dustbin? The garden at Newby Hall had an enormous variety of flowers. Was there absolutely nothing there that you'd like to grow?
Perhaps you don't like flowers. Is your garden too small for a single row of leeks? Or a couple of outdoor tomatoes?
And if viewers have no garden of their own, then why not follow the tips given by Carol, and visit some free gardens?
A garden that is used as a the base for these programs needs to be large. Monty isn't growing just a few salvias, or a single row of leeks, or a couple of tomatoes. He needs to grow ALL of them, and lots of other plants besides - from sweet peas to box balls, from hot dry areas to cool shady ones. The same considerations apply to Carol.
The program needs to be anchored around presenters who have extensive and varied gardens, and all the experience that goes with looking after them.Ìý
Totally agree-surely you just take the bits you like and adapt them to fit your own space-simple as that-unless you dont like anything ??
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Message 5
Posted by Ken Smart (U1158196) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
Generally, another good programme. Enjoyed the segments from MD's garden. Enjoyed CK's segment from her own garden. Less impressed by her London trip. I find it incredible that anyone can visit so many gardens, and be unreserved in praise for each and every one of them. I still don't 'get' Joe - we really can do better than this dullard. I note that the programme is ditched yet again next week - for the annual Croydon Tiddlywinks championships (or something similar). Clearly it's unthinkable for the programme to be moved to another time or day.
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Message 6
Posted by everhopeful (U11289037) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
Is there any chance of a garden programme that has some relevance to most of us?Â
Yes....it's called Beechgrove! There is no need for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã to do anything other than repeat on a friday night the wonderful Scottish programme Beechgrove.
I record it every monday and watch at my convenience.
This is a programme for us all to learn about gardening. Shown by excellent presenters covering everything that is happening in our own gardens, at the time that we need the help.
In spite of having being gardening for over 50yrs I still learn a few things, and imagine that for a new gardener it would be a godsend.
EH -
Message 7
Posted by Lowena (U14575314) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
So which of the plants or techniques shown in last night's program would you not be able to grow in your garden?
Do you have no flowers that would benefit from dead-heading? Do you not make any compost at all, even in a dustbin? The garden at Newby Hall had an enormous variety of flowers. Was there absolutely nothing there that you'd like to grow?
Perhaps you don't like flowers. Is your garden too small for a single row of leeks? Or a couple of outdoor tomatoes?
And if viewers have no garden of their own, then why not follow the tips given by Carol, and visit some free gardens?
A garden that is used as a the base for these programs needs to be large. Monty isn't growing just a few salvias, or a single row of leeks, or a couple of tomatoes. He needs to grow ALL of them, and lots of other plants besides - from sweet peas to box balls, from hot dry areas to cool shady ones. The same considerations apply to Carol.
The program needs to be anchored around presenters who have extensive and varied gardens, and all the experience that goes with looking after them.Ìý
Totally agree-surely you just take the bits you like and adapt them to fit your own space-simple as that-unless you dont like anything ??.Ìý
Totally agree with both these posts. Geoff H's, Alan T's,Carol K's and Monty D'd gardens are all large........they have to be. They need camera and crew access and a myriad of different areas. Geoff Hamilton actually bought a field so he could extend his land and build the small demonstration gardens.Toby B said he couldn't film from his garden as it wasn't large enough.
What is shown / demonstrated in the gardens can be easily adapted for any sized garden. We can't have a ranch of programmes catering for different shapes and sizes of plot. A little brain power and imagination is all that's needed! -
Message 8
Posted by novicedippychick (U9694696) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
I have a smaller than average suburban garden, in fact I have a postage stamp of a garden and I can pick things out from gardening programmes and adapt it to my garden.
In fact I have started to turn my garden into a minute version of a Laurent-Perrier garden from a few years ago with box balls and white flowers. All I've done is down-sized the box balls and found plants accordingly.
Just takes a bit of imagination!!!!!!
NDC -
Message 9
Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
Considering 98% of us have mall gardens then I think the original poster makes a fair point,Greenacres and Beechgrove undertand this but the elitist English based Ö÷²¥´óÐã is run by a London bunch of upper overpaid class luvies who live in a different world.
As for Mont's garden it is so big that the Ö÷²¥´óÐã can't fit in a darlek type compost bin to demonstrate how to make good compost from it because in five years of owning one I never have been able to.......
PPP. -
Message 10
Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
Don't be so naive or class biased. The Beeb is like any other large and successful organisation in London in that it draws its employees from across Britain and abroad. The south east has been a brain drain on the rest of the country for decades and its economic success is currently supporting much of the rest of Britain in its current wobbly financial state.
That said, it is all too easy for those in the south not to lift their gaze much beyond the home counties but, then again, the south east is where most of the Beeb audience is. The Beeb is currently moving whole departments to Salford to try and redress the regional imbalance and attract the northern audience.
They could indeed extend their gardening focus to the northern regions and Wales to reflect differents gardening needs and tastes but I wouldn't bank on it just yet. -
Message 11
Posted by Colin (U2252951) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
That's why the GW presenters habitually say 'here's a garden room you can take away ideas from'.
Anyway, if you remove the tedious lawn you can plant loads. I'm currently rooting 30 lavender cuttings so I can do a formal garden in the front., -
Message 12
Posted by Oldends (U13875463) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
The key to the success of Barnsdale under Geoff Hamilton was that, although the overall garden was very large, Geoff created numerous small gardens more akin to those of most viewers solely to demonstrate what could be done in confined small plots, something he did admirably. If you shop around, you can find a boxed set of videos for three of them. Absolute joy to watch, particularly the Ornamental Kitchen Garden.
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Message 13
Posted by Lowena (U14575314) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
My garden is an acre in size - why should I be discriminated against
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Message 14
Posted by cleverelliejo (U13778549) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
I thought it was an excellent programme.
Some of my friends are very keen veggie growers and they will have been watching with interest.
I do not grow veg in my very small garden, only flowers, but I enjoyed it all.
It is the same when we have a speaker in our Gardening Club who gives a talk on items that I don't grow, I don't go and sulk in a corner, if they are good speakers, I enjoy it all. And Monty IS a good speaker, also relaxed and easy with the cameras, you feel that he is talking to you.
Just because he might have acres of space and box hedging round his beds, doesn't make what he is talking about irrelevant to the average gardener(.it seems to send some people into little hissy fits).
Well done Monty.
Enjoyed the London gardens with Carol, they must be little green lungs in all those buildings and traffic............
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Message 15
Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Saturday, 30th July 2011
My garden is about one and a half acres but is a wobbly triangle shape. No version of GW has ever adressed the size, shape, soil or climate of my garden but, apart from the two years of TB fiasco, I've found plenty of info on plants and techniques I can use or adapt in my garden.
I like the eloquent way Monty explains things, even if I've seen it before or it isn't directly relevant to me and my garden. Even better when it's an idea, plant or technique I can adpat to suit me. I love Carol's pieces too. Like Ken, I could do without Joe but I think Rachel's OK and I'm very happy when they invite experts such as the man from Wisley with his wisteria advice. Brilliant. -
Message 16
Posted by Boofer (U3709461) on Sunday, 31st July 2011
My garden is also large, triangular and has what can only be described as 'interesting' changes of levels throughout. There are times when I miss my flat square housing estate garden.
ITV and Channel 5 are surely catering to the majority with their focus on the smaller garden!!! -
Message 17
All this user's posts have been removed.
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Message 18
Posted by Paul N (U6451125) on Thursday, 11th August 2011
I quite agree with the comment about doing away with lawns. Over the winter I created a rose garden in the front of the house, getting rid of a weedy and poor 'lawn' and cluttered borders. With raised timber beds and a small gravel path, I moved many of my 53 roses from the back of the garden into the front were it's situated in front of workshop and I can keep an eye on their growth and deadhead each day. I've just extended it further still and have ordered another six barerooted roses. There are so many to choose from but I'm looking forward to them arriving in November.
I still have lots of grass in the main garden. We have a small grandson and another on the way, and so have enough for them.
When I did gardening for a living, I would estimate almost all my customers had gardens with 95% lawns 5% borders. But then I don't believe they enjoyed gardening, just something nice to look at. -
Message 19
Posted by Lowena (U14575314) on Thursday, 11th August 2011
My grass ( can't call it a lawn) is gradually disappearing to be replaced by herbaceous borders.Please can GW deal more in depth with flower beds and borders......or does Monty ( if it's green and boring it'll do) not have any??
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Message 20
Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Thursday, 11th August 2011
He has loads Lowena but they, and some of his veg and herb beds, are surrounded by box hedges instead of lawn so maybe you missed them.
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Message 21
Posted by ArtemisH (U14261033) on Thursday, 11th August 2011
" greed may be a sin but envy is even worse in my view. "
Yes. -
Message 22
Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Friday, 12th August 2011
the reasons garden program have large spreed is so they have room to large numbers of tasks. pruning 2 box woods is no different then 100 except in amount time for labor needed to do job.
apple trees a pruned using similar rules no matter how many trees you may have.
I think to many people loose prospective and just envy those with more space and more money then they have. greed may be a sin but envy is even worse in my view. Â Seeing as 98% of homes have small gardens I assume that 98% of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã licence fee is paid by resident of them so if I was you I would swop the words envy and greed with fairness and represantation, I think then you would be nearer the truth of the matter.....
PPP. -
Message 23
Posted by the cycling gardener (U2350416) on Friday, 12th August 2011
Now this is getting daft. I can’t begin to fathom how looking at Monty pruning an apple tree in his garden where he’s got quite a few can be deemed unfair just because I only have one. Is it unfair that he needs to walk up and down with his mower a few more times than me just because his lawn is bigger than mine? Should I complain that its unfair that he’s got room for more climbers than I have, a bigger shed, a larger compost heap? Complaining that GW isn't fair still sounds like envy to me and expecting the programme to come from the average urban handkerchief would make for a very boring and short series. When I watch Jamie Oliver preparing food in his gorgeous kitchen I don't complain that's its not fair because he's got a bigger surface/oven/sink than most people (certainly me) but I can still follow his recipes and produce the same food.
As for being representative – as long as the plants in GW represent the type that people grow and the techniques shown for growing them represent good gardening practice it doesn’t matter a fig that they are in a large garden -which is subdivided into smaller ones by the way. -
Message 24
Posted by nooj (U13729031) on Friday, 12th August 2011
I agree with all my heart!
Some people just like nitpicking. -
Message 25
Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Friday, 12th August 2011
Yes. It's not so much a problem with greed or envy as a lack of imagination.
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Message 26
Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Friday, 12th August 2011
Yes. It's not so much a problem with greed or envy as a lack of imagination. Â Well after tonights estate GW special I am trying to imagine rows and rows of 30ft hedging in my small newbuild size garden and I am failing badly,still I suppose Prince Charles found it of some intrest.
PPP. -
Message 27
Posted by Helen May (U1633128) on Tuesday, 16th August 2011
Why on earth was more than half of GW taken up with hedge cutting? Totally boring and it's not the first time that it's been covered.
I totally agree with the OP's post it has very little relevance to most gardeners requirements.
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