Does anyone else think Longmeadow looks a mess?

Inglezinho · September 2019

I like Monty Don and he is obviously a top gardener, but his "wild garden style" is OK if you have a meadow. For most of us it just doesn't work.

Suesyn · September 2019

I think possibly the television distorts the reality of Longmeadow. Some people like flat expanses of lawn and others like to cram in as many plants as they can. It's his garden and he can do what he likes.
We can all learn from others and Montys enthusiasm for all kinds of plants is encouraging, I don't always like the ideas but we are all different and so are our gardens.

Fairygirl · September 2019

I rarely watch it now, although I saw it on Friday. I think the chap who is away for long periods of time had a beautiful garden, and was probably more in keeping with the size of garden many people have.
It's a shame they don't do a series of items based on more realistic plots..
I like Monty, although I don't care for Longmeadow, but I doubt if many of his projects resonate with the majority of folk gardening in the UK nowadays. Ditto Mr Frost's garden.
Their veg plots are probably larger than most suburban gardens.

Posy · September 2019

I think the way a person chooses to garden is a matter of personal taste; the skills explained may be of value but it is inappropriate to be critical of the aesthetics on a public forum. Praise is no doubt welcome, but criticism is better aired off-line. Why? Because kindness is better than a sharp eye and critical tongue.

Loxley · September 2019

I like it a lot, I don't see why you couldn't import the style of say the Jewel Garden into a typical plot, if you liked that sort of thing:

Image result for longmeadow jewel garden

Image result for longmeadow jewel garden

In fact on reflection I might just rip up my lawn entirely and do just that...

Posy · September 2019

I wish my garden looked like that!!!

amancalledgeorge · September 2019

I wouldn't call it a mess...but it does feel quite asphyxiating on camera. But I suppose his endgame is different to us urban gardeners, he had an open plot and wanted to create structure with tree and hedges...and in that he has definitely succeeded.

If you live in a city open space is at such premium cluttering gardens with so many plants goes against what I'd like a garden to be...most of the time a beautiful way to frame the luxury of outdoor space.

But have been inspired by plants he has put in and seeds that he tried...after all It's not about copying his aesthetic more about learning from his approach and that of other featured plots.

Nollie · September 2019

I wouldn’t call it a mess, I would call it lush and exuberant within a defined structure.

There are some deliberately wild areas, but much of it is a series of discrete enclosed gardens (each instructive in their own way) and I think of it in those terms rather than trying to make sense of the whole.

Many of the gardens or garden styles could be transplanted to a typical back garden plot - the jewel, writing, damp, cottage or paradise gardens, for example. The fact that there is the space to showcase many different styles of garden is a bonus in my book.

wild edges · September 2019

I've always found it a bit formal for my taste. Carol's garden would be more to my liking. A good mix of cottage garden and wilder areas.

JennyJ · September 2019

I like it. I like seeing the kind of garden that I couldn't have in my own small space.

JoeX · September 2019

It’s nice he has space to try different things in separate spaces.

If it was the old fashioned, extremely well groomed gardens I would be completely turned off. Maybe I wouldn’t have got into gardening at all.

Does anyone else think Longmeadow looks a mess?

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