Look at the photos of Longmeadow from when he bought the house, and you will see how he transformed a field [ without help ] into a garden over a ten year period.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
I agree with DK. Monty should acknowledge on GW that he now has help in that garden so people don't think he does it all himself and is some sort of super gardener that they can't possibly emulate.
I like the way Monty writes and hs way with words. I just take issue sometimes with what he and the prducers think are practical or feasible projects for 95% of the watching public who have to do it all in their spare time after a full working week and with other demands on tehir spare time and budgets.
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)."
Can't help thinking with the above comments why so many of us love Geoff Hamilton. Didn't matter to me I lived in a flat in London, still was doing things he suggested and an empty yogurt pot always had a use!
I thought going back it would be all out of date but the books and the DVDs are just as relevant now. I would seriously urge any new gardeners to at least give Geoff's DVD collection a go, cheap on amazon and packed with practical ideas on stuff we can all do. From creating whole gardens, laying paving it just goes on and on and is very real world gardening in sensible sized plots. He did cover things like putting in more mature trees if the budget allows too, but he always kept a good eye on reality and was tuned in with the viewers.
Anyone with nostalgic traits towards old TV progs, I would suggest getting a copy of The Victorian Kitchen Garden. Presented by Peter Thoday and ably assisted by the wonderful & talented head gardener, Harry Dodson.....the latter being on a par with the sainted Geoff Hamilton, IMHO.
Absolutely agree Gemma - so much good stuff from Geoff Hamilton, and all still available in books and on DVD and YouTube - I have some of them - so another presenter needs to do something else - imagine the fuss if someone came along and showed us how to make a hypertufa trough ... again! And I've just watched a video of GH tieing up the leaves of cardoons - how I'd love to have the space to grow cardoons, but I don't and that's that. I don't hold it against GH that he's showing me something that I can't do any more than I'm more than a tiny bit envious of the large wildlife pond that Monty has when I only have a small one.
You never know, if I'd turned that 9 acre smallholding I had into a wonderful garden instead of growing hay and milking goats I might just be the presenter of GW now - but I'm not and I really don't see any point in being miffed about it.
MD will not be the presenter of GW for ever - I'm sure he has other things he wants to do - and I don't suppose the person who steps into his gardening boots will be able to please all the people all of the time either
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
Look at the photos of Longmeadow from when he bought the house, and you will see how he transformed a field [ without help ] into a garden over a ten year period.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I've seen his tour show and he shows pics how Longmeadow was transformed on there too. A very enjoyable evening.
As Nut says its all personal taste, I prefer Monty Don and not that keen on Carol Klien sorry.
Said I should have said nowt!
I agree with DK. Monty should acknowledge on GW that he now has help in that garden so people don't think he does it all himself and is some sort of super gardener that they can't possibly emulate.
I like the way Monty writes and hs way with words. I just take issue sometimes with what he and the prducers think are practical or feasible projects for 95% of the watching public who have to do it all in their spare time after a full working week and with other demands on tehir spare time and budgets.
Sorry David should have put that MD did talk about the progression of his 'garden' and the people that helped, showed pics too....then and now etc.
Can't help thinking with the above comments why so many of us love Geoff Hamilton. Didn't matter to me I lived in a flat in London, still was doing things he suggested and an empty yogurt pot always had a use!
I thought going back it would be all out of date but the books and the DVDs are just as relevant now. I would seriously urge any new gardeners to at least give Geoff's DVD collection a go, cheap on amazon and packed with practical ideas on stuff we can all do. From creating whole gardens, laying paving it just goes on and on and is very real world gardening in sensible sized plots. He did cover things like putting in more mature trees if the budget allows too, but he always kept a good eye on reality and was tuned in with the viewers.
Anyone with nostalgic traits towards old TV progs, I would suggest getting a copy of The Victorian Kitchen Garden. Presented by Peter Thoday and ably assisted by the wonderful & talented head gardener, Harry Dodson.....the latter being on a par with the sainted Geoff Hamilton, IMHO.
Absolutely agree Gemma - so much good stuff from Geoff Hamilton, and all still available in books and on DVD and YouTube - I have some of them - so another presenter needs to do something else - imagine the fuss if someone came along and showed us how to make a hypertufa trough ... again! And I've just watched a video of GH tieing up the leaves of cardoons - how I'd love to have the space to grow cardoons, but I don't and that's that. I don't hold it against GH that he's showing me something that I can't do any more than I'm more than a tiny bit envious of the large wildlife pond that Monty has when I only have a small one.
You never know, if I'd turned that 9 acre smallholding I had into a wonderful garden instead of growing hay and milking goats I might just be the presenter of GW now - but I'm not and I really don't see any point in being miffed about it.
MD will not be the presenter of GW for ever - I'm sure he has other things he wants to do - and I don't suppose the person who steps into his gardening boots will be able to please all the people all of the time either
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
they should have given me the job when I applied for it ( when Toby got it )