Yes, winter gardening TV, if any, should cover a topic or a style and be about "how to" so we can dream and plan for the future or just distract ourselves for a wee while from what's going on outside when all we can do is protect, tie down and cross fingers.
TB did have a TV prog years ago which I think was on ITV and that's how he was invited to host GW but the format was dreadful. perhaps not his choice but he went along with it which, apart from his voice, is one of the things I really dislike about him. GW should be about what to do and when and how, what you can think about doing and what other people do in their gardens, big or small and what works. It should be factual and inspirational and about what we can all do or aspire to.
Apart from obvious errors - and no, I won't enumerate them but that mound garden is a major one - what irks me about MD's garden is all those hedges and the claustrophobia and the lack of proper lawn and the huge, old-fashioned climbing roses which leads to so much of it being irrelevant to the average suburban garden which isn't big enough to divide up with enormous hedges and which, for the most part, have grassed areas.
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)."
@AnniD@Fairygirl@Marlorena I agree with you - I always enjoy TBs happy chirpy manner and feel he was unfairly treated at GW. I used to enjoy watching his garden show with his wife Lisa - can't remember how many years ago that was
Back tracking a bit here @AnniD no you are not confused Beechgrove usually starts later & finishes earlier than GW as already said they have a shorter season up there so it is unusual this year. I always thought TB was badly treated too, though like others I didn't like the pathetic attempts at trendiness. I thought the whole point of Berryfields & Greenacres was that they were not dependent on someones private garden, so if they discontinued for any reason the producers didn't have to scratch about finding somewhere new. I heard that it was Monty that insisted on them coming to his garden when he restarted. I think there might have been a bit of ego there i.e. "I'm as good as all my predecessors, they (the programme) went to thier own gardens they can come to mine" Not sure if that is true.
Let's face it, it will never be all things to all people, but l think they could have gone on for another couple of weeks. I think I'm right in saying that they record a week ahead.
I am just quoting the reason stated by the BBC at the time for using the other gardens. When AT took over after Geoff Hamiltons untimely demise his garden was very steep & narrow which made filming difficult, AT himself said in an interview that his inital take over was very conflicted because of what happend to Geoff. Again it's rumour but when AT moved house for the second time during his tenure, it was supposedly his family that did not want the disruption of filming every week for 8 months of the year, which is why he stopped. The BBC then had the idea that they would use Berryfields (as it was called) because it was more suited to filming, and not beloning to any presenter in particular it should be better for contiuity.
Beechgrove had quite a few weeks off this year due to sports coverage, anyhow as to what is the right and wrong way to do things in gardening I tend to believe that what works for you is the best way, Monty may have been doing things wrong for years but if it works for him what's the problem.
I do like Monty, but Geoff Hamilton was my favourite GW presenter and I'd really like to see reruns of his GW programmes (not the other series, cottage gardens etc, because I have those on video/dvd).
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
For you Toby Buckland fans he has a three hour programme on Radio Devon on Sunday mornings, 9 AM till 12 Noon! Accessible on the internet or on channel 720.
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TB did have a TV prog years ago which I think was on ITV and that's how he was invited to host GW but the format was dreadful. perhaps not his choice but he went along with it which, apart from his voice, is one of the things I really dislike about him. GW should be about what to do and when and how, what you can think about doing and what other people do in their gardens, big or small and what works. It should be factual and inspirational and about what we can all do or aspire to.
Apart from obvious errors - and no, I won't enumerate them but that mound garden is a major one - what irks me about MD's garden is all those hedges and the claustrophobia and the lack of proper lawn and the huge, old-fashioned climbing roses which leads to so much of it being irrelevant to the average suburban garden which isn't big enough to divide up with enormous hedges and which, for the most part, have grassed areas.
I always thought TB was badly treated too, though like others I didn't like the pathetic attempts at trendiness. I thought the whole point of Berryfields & Greenacres was that they were not dependent on someones private garden, so if they discontinued for any reason the producers didn't have to scratch about finding somewhere new. I heard that it was Monty that insisted on them coming to his garden when he restarted. I think there might have been a bit of ego there i.e. "I'm as good as all my predecessors, they (the programme) went to thier own gardens they can come to mine" Not sure if that is true.
I also like Alan Power and Nick Bailey... perhaps someone will start a new thread on one of these two for us to indulge …?..lol..