If I'm honest I get a bit irritated by Monty! I think it's just the tone of his voice lol. I much prefer Carol and Adam, especially as Adam has plenty of medals under his belt and I find the way he talks about plants easier to follow. Plus his enthusiasm for them really comes across for me. I really like seeing other gardens and gives me ideas of where to visit and planting ideas for my own garden. Less of Monty and more of Adam for me!
Monty's voice makes me fall asleep, then I miss the bit I wanted to watch! I like it being varied and visiting other gardens.
I also agree with Obelixx when she says "I find these days what I mostly learn from Monty is how and what NOT to do. His taste differs from mine, his garden soil and climate are very different and he makes too many irritating mistakes I recognise so heaven help what else he does that I don't know about."
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
I can remember Adam as a young whippersnapper helping GH in his gardens for GW and the special series like Paradise Gardens, Ornamental Kitchen Garden etc. He's grown up to be a really good designer and presenter and a nice chap too who explains things well. I like what he's doing with his own garden too with defined areas and functions but none of those claustrophobic hedges that Monty so loves.
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)."
I wonder if what he shows is actually what he does, can you imagine him messing about growing runner beans in toilet roll tubes or those little coir things, or tea bags.
He puts pot bound plants sraight in the garden, no untangling of the roots, does one of his gardeners go round after him taking them out and replanting.
We all need to see how Prince Charles gardens, most of us have a garden just like it! There was an interview with him in his garden just a few weeks ago, wonder if it will be the same one.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
" I prefer to being 'taught' by Monty for the vast majority of the time"
I agree and would be happy just looking at his gardens and learning new things. If that means Monty boning up more on certain subjects, then great. I don't like visits and reports or flower show coverage. Most of the other presenters irritate me. Nick makes me want to throw things at the TV. I do like the segments on learning practical things, like starting on an allotment, or planning a small garden. I would like more in depth sections on things like how espalier pruning works or roses, design principles, or creating/running a greenhouse - not just the basics. Or get guest presenters to do masterclasses on these kind of things.
I actively dislike the community projects coverage. I have been involved with a lot of local green projects, like the canal scheme covered this week. To show people planting flowers misrepresents the real challenges. Finding plants and some people to put them in the ground is the very least of your problems. I think it makes people rush out the GC, spend a lot of money, put them in and get surprised when the die.
I've learnt a lot from GW but am finding myself increasingly fast forwarding through a lot of it.
The problem is that he doesn't "bone up". He does his own thing and then chalks failures down to gardening haphazardry. EG - He knows he has rabbits so why would he not protect peas right from the start and advise viewers to do the same? It's a simple enough problem.
He doesn't even research series like 80 gardens or Paradise gardens very well either and managed to visit many at the wrong time or with too short a time set aside.
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)."
I am a relatively inexperienced gardener and only got my first allotment last year, so veggy growing is very new indeed to me, which is why I get more out of Monty showing me how to do things in his garden, other than the special reports. I agree with those who like Adam, he clearly knows what he's talking about and has a good way of getting it across. Last year my wife & I went to Gardeners World live and heard 3 talks from Carol Klein and she was brilliant - she could be the main presenter one day....? I like Monty and the way he presents - I'm interested to know what the irritating mistakes are that Obelixx says he makes....?
Irritating mistakes - check out Obelixx's previous post about rabbits. Once you have them, you always have them. A few minutes explaining that, and showing people some methods to prevent them eating every s*dding thing you try to grow, would be very helpful. After all, it's a common problem for many gardeners. I can't bear Adam Frost [ I know I'm in the minority there ] but that's just the point - we all have different opinions on who we like/admire/respect as a presenter, but what they should all have in common is delivering factual information. An opinion is an entirely different matter.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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Less of Monty and more of Adam for me!
Monty's voice makes me fall asleep, then I miss the bit I wanted to watch! I like it being varied and visiting other gardens.
I also agree with Obelixx when she says "I find these days what I mostly learn from Monty is how and what NOT to do. His taste differs from mine, his garden soil and climate are very different and he makes too many irritating mistakes I recognise so heaven help what else he does that I don't know about."
He puts pot bound plants sraight in the garden, no untangling of the roots, does one of his gardeners go round after him taking them out and replanting.
We all need to see how Prince Charles gardens, most of us have a garden just like it!
There was an interview with him in his garden just a few weeks ago, wonder if it will be the same one.
He doesn't even research series like 80 gardens or Paradise gardens very well either and managed to visit many at the wrong time or with too short a time set aside.
A few minutes explaining that, and showing people some methods to prevent them eating every s*dding thing you try to grow, would be very helpful. After all, it's a common problem for many gardeners.
I can't bear Adam Frost [ I know I'm in the minority there ] but that's just the point - we all have different opinions on who we like/admire/respect as a presenter, but what they should all have in common is delivering factual information. An opinion is an entirely different matter.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.