I think Monty is an excellent presenter for this sort of programme where the idea is to encourage people who don't garden much to give it a go. I can see that those who are far more experienced gardeners get frustrated with his slightly haphazard approach. There are several real experts who appear regularly on the programme and who impart very good info - possibly much of that passes by the newbies who don't need to take air cuttings or grow tender tropicals and just want to know how to turn a patch of mud into something they can enjoy sitting out in. And then there are those who don't have a garden or any intention of getting one who just like relaxing Friday night TV with pictures of sunlit gardens and snoozing dogs and maybe an idea for a Sunday trip out to a local show garden. It's a magazine show in the traditional sense, and like reading a magazine, it is expected that you'll skip the bits that don't apply to you.
Personally I'm not keen on Longmeadow precisely because it's broken up into 'rooms' and I feel quite a strong inclination to punch the TV screen every time someone says they designed their garden "to bring the outside in". I realise this puts me in a minority and that it's unlikely anyone will ever make a TV programme about gardening that I am absorbed in from beginning to end.
I'd still rather have GW on than snooker. AGAIN
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Me too RG. Don't like "rooms" and think shelter belts can be more imaginative than rows of tall hedges, not to mention all that clipping. Better than snooker tho even when it's frustrating.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
"better than snooker" that's it for me. I think stubbing my big toe is better than snooker, football, golf, tennis, rugby , cricket and all the other stuff for which GW is cancelled.
Or you could build a staggered shelter belt of trees and shrubs and have some more open spaces like many Scottish and coastal gardens have done. I feel hemmed in watching Monty's garden and itch to rip out all those inner hedges. It's good to trun a corner and have a hidden surprise but not to have to turn corners every few metres or so.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Give me snooker any day. Tactical, mathmatical, skilfull. FAB! And FYI the world championships only happen once a year and will be over by next Monday. Can't stand MD. Can't stand GW. Can't stand CFS. Can't stand Beechgrove...there. I've said it. I'll be on the naughty step and it's worth every one of my 27 minutes!
Posts
Personally I'm not keen on Longmeadow precisely because it's broken up into 'rooms' and I feel quite a strong inclination to punch the TV screen every time someone says they designed their garden "to bring the outside in". I realise this puts me in a minority and that it's unlikely anyone will ever make a TV programme about gardening that I am absorbed in from beginning to end.
I'd still rather have GW on than snooker. AGAIN
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I think stubbing my big toe is better than snooker, football, golf, tennis, rugby , cricket and all the other stuff for which GW is cancelled.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
http://www.e-ruston-oldvicaragegardens.co.uk/pages/view/564/home.htm
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Can't stand MD. Can't stand GW. Can't stand CFS. Can't stand Beechgrove...there. I've said it.
I'll be on the naughty step and it's worth every one of my 27 minutes!
I just found two episodes of Life in a Cottage Garden with Carol Klein on BBC iPlayer, which are pretty good so far.