Very true @Buttercupdays. There's loads of questions both basic and practical that are FAQs on here but never touched on in GW.
One of the biggest, gaping holes in GW is lawn care. Monty doesn't have one but many people do and want to know how to improve theirs or make one or fix problems caused by shade, drainage, wrong grass etc.
I'm not a lawn obsessionist - we definitely just have grass with wildflowers. Another neglected subject is annuals - great for beginners but no info on how, when, what to sow and grow on and a great way to gain the confidence to grow and care for perennials.
I've just been watching Carol Klein on Great British Gardens on ITV and her visit to Bressingham gardens over 4 seasons was inspiring with its coverage of right plant, right place, plant associations and varieties and creation of vistas which can all be adapted for smaller gardens.
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 did wonder why Adam didn't line his oak planter before he potted it up. If I was spending x amount of money on oak I would want it to last a good few years having taken the trouble to make it.
The first thing I thought when I saw Adam's (very nice!) home made planter was "hmm that old DVD rack up in the loft might prove useful in the end". Or a CD one.
In spite of re- setting the recorder, we didn't get the programme this week. In terms of them being factually incorrect, I find that sometimes with replies in the magazine too. Often it's because they just quote standard gardening lore. One that always annoys me, they always say you only get wireworm in newly dug soil where grass has been growing. Not true our Allotments have been in cultivation for nearly 100 years, there's loads of them everywhere.!
I think GW are missing a trick by not making more use of this website.
There are a lot of frequently asked questions that are not reflected in the programmes.
I posted on here, and wrote to GW magazine, about the use of plastic mesh in turf. I basically received a pro-forma response and nothing since. That was a couple of years ago.
The August issue of GW magazine gave it's readers the chance to influence content by suggesting what that content should be. On the website it's referred to as the "Reader takeover special issue" I didn't partake - it's not that important to me but I think it was a good initiative even so. Did any forum member submit any ideas?
@KT53 - I wrote to the RHS advice section a few months ago about plastic mesh in lawn turf and received a "standard" response. I wrote back and said I thought that was a cop out and that the least they could do was amend info on their website about laying lawns from turf and maybe also publish something in the monthly magazine to make people aware. They replied that, on reflection, that was reasonable and would be done.
I see that plastic netting in turf is now a part of their web page on laying lawns form turf - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=410 problems - but there has been a change of editor for the magazine and that item has yet to appear tho, being in France, I get my magazine a month late now so it may be in the July issue.
GW magazine and this website could easily follow suit.
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 happen to really like Monty Don’s garden and his presenting style and will miss him when he is replaced. I know many don’t and express their dissatisfaction vehemently and regularly - so please lets not go there yet again. BUT Monty has been presenting GW since 2003. A new presenter is well overdue!
There are only so many times you can reinvent a garden or an area of the garden and maintain the viewer’s interest. There is bound to be endless repetition because every gardener develops a particular style and tastes, their basic garden and conditions don’t change that much and simply because that is the nature of the annual gardening cycle.
Adam’s garden and gardening style is currently interesting to me because it’s different. Doubtless if he became the main presenter, after 18 years everyone would be bored witless by him and his garden too. There should be a maximum number of years per presenter/garden or even regular rotation between several gardener/presenters who garden in different conditions and whom have different styles.
The biggest lack on the programme imho, regardless of presenter, is water - saving it, using it efficiently and actually how to water plants. We get to see a plant planted and watered in, then of course it thrives with no further input from us 🙄 Many new member queries are along the lines of why is my plant/hedge/tree sick/diseased/dying? 9/10 times it is lack of water.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
There should be a maximum number of years per presenter/garden or even regular rotation between several gardener/presenters who garden in different conditions and whom have different styles.
There is temptation to assume a large number of suitable candidates are clambering for the job.
Posts
One of the biggest, gaping holes in GW is lawn care. Monty doesn't have one but many people do and want to know how to improve theirs or make one or fix problems caused by shade, drainage, wrong grass etc.
I'm not a lawn obsessionist - we definitely just have grass with wildflowers. Another neglected subject is annuals - great for beginners but no info on how, when, what to sow and grow on and a great way to gain the confidence to grow and care for perennials.
I've just been watching Carol Klein on Great British Gardens on ITV and her visit to Bressingham gardens over 4 seasons was inspiring with its coverage of right plant, right place, plant associations and varieties and creation of vistas which can all be adapted for smaller gardens.
Luxembourg
In terms of them being factually incorrect, I find that sometimes with replies in the magazine too. Often it's because they just quote standard gardening lore. One that always annoys me, they always say you only get wireworm in newly dug soil where grass has been growing. Not true our Allotments have been in cultivation for nearly 100 years, there's loads of them everywhere.!
I posted on here, and wrote to GW magazine, about the use of plastic mesh in turf. I basically received a pro-forma response and nothing since. That was a couple of years ago.
I didn't partake - it's not that important to me but I think it was a good initiative even so. Did any forum member submit any ideas?
I see that plastic netting in turf is now a part of their web page on laying lawns form turf - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=410 problems - but there has been a change of editor for the magazine and that item has yet to appear tho, being in France, I get my magazine a month late now so it may be in the July issue.
GW magazine and this website could easily follow suit.
Adam’s garden and gardening style is currently interesting to me because it’s different. Doubtless if he became the main presenter, after 18 years everyone would be bored witless by him and his garden too. There should be a maximum number of years per presenter/garden or even regular rotation between several gardener/presenters who garden in different conditions and whom have different styles.
The biggest lack on the programme imho, regardless of presenter, is water - saving it, using it efficiently and actually how to water plants. We get to see a plant planted and watered in, then of course it thrives with no further input from us 🙄 Many new member queries are along the lines of why is my plant/hedge/tree sick/diseased/dying? 9/10 times it is lack of water.