I'm coming round to Monty although I still think it was a big mistake dropping Toby and Alys. Joe and Carole are fine.
Rachel is just too lightweight for me however, seeing her wafting around millionaire's gardens soon becomes boring. I got into Beechgrove on I-Player after first seeing it on holiday in Scotland. It is much more homely and down to earth (pardon the pun) than GW. My only gripe is that they are not organic and liberally chuck around chemicals and peat. Geoff Hamilton will be spinning in his grave.
Speaking of Geoff there is a myth that Barnsdale (Geoff's garden for the youngsters) was on a smaller scale. Anyone who has visited it, which I strongly reccomend, will know that it is huge. What Geoff did so well was to create urban back garden sized projects within it. He wasn't always budget conscious, there are examples of low and not so low budget gardens at Barnsdale, but he exuded an everyman attitude. In contrast Monty is definitely a toff albeit one with muck under his nails. However, it isn't a crime to have a big garden, it's what many of us dream of, along with the time to tend it. It is important though that GW doesn't forget that most viewers will have limited space, time and money. So a balance of inspiration and practicality needs to be struck
....but anyone who thinks that Monty is doing all the work at Longmeadow himself (or even a 10th of it) is living in cloud cuckoo land.,,,,,,as with Alan Titchmarsh's 'me Barleywood' garden.
I do beleive that Geoff Hamilton did most of the graft at Barnsdale.
But does anyone think that? No one is that unreasonable surely? As I understand it there was a time when he couldn't afford to employ anyone and he got on with it himself - however presumably he can afford to employ people to do the hard graft now, and so he should, he's had a very nasty health scare - there's no merit in being boneheaded and doing it yourself and working yourself into an early grave.
If Geoff Hamilton really did most of the work on the 8 acres at Barnsdale then I'm not surprised he died aged 60 of his second heart attack
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That would be a good idea putting the young mob on early, I could watch something else not seeing them make blatant mistakes or mishandling tools. The small area garden was done so well by Geoff and could probably be repeated for the new gardeners. What I like about Monty is his showing exactly what he is doing and why, fair enough he like myself an old style gardener ready to learn as we all did last night with Carol's leaf curling, I had never seen that before and what a good idea for large plants instead of chopping the stems to a couple of leaves. My sand bed will go on warm up next week end and the Tomato seed sown, the sweet pea seeds unchitted unsoaked will go in deep pots as Monty did last night and the whole pot full put into the ground when the time comes, I do not get show sweet peas but they show for months with a few more seeds sown as the young plants go in the ground. Beans Peas Salad crops and carrots will all be started after Easter weekend and the Strawberries cleaned and sorted, in the North East spring comes late but then so does Autumn.
I believe Geoff had a couple of helpers when Barnsdale was the GW garden. If you visit it you will see that it would be quite impossible to maintain single handed, as I'm sure would Alan Titch's or Monty's garden.
That wasn't really my point though. A great deal was made of the move to Monty's garden as it represented the presenter's own rather than an artificially created garden, which the previous two had been. However, Barnsdale was just as artificial as Toby's creation. It was a field adjacent to Geoff's house. His own garden, which surrounds the house, wasn't seen much on GW. The point is that he perfectly struck the balance between inspiration and practicality and always made me feel that what he was showing was possible for me to achieve. I often feel with Monty that I am being allowed a peep behind the wall of a rich man's garden. that's not to say it isn't informative and beautiful to look at but I don't feel like I could have my own "jewel garden" or woodland garden. I always felt that I could create a version of Geoff's Ornamental Kitchen Garden or Cottage Garden. Which is what I have tried to do.
I believe Geoff had a couple of helpers when Barnsdale was the GW garden. If you visit it you will see that it would be quite impossible to maintain single handed, as I'm sure would Alan Titch's or Monty's garden.
That wasn't really my point though. A great deal was made of the move to Monty's garden as it represented the presenter's own rather than an artificially created garden, which the previous two had been. However, Barnsdale was just as artificial as Toby's creation. It was a field adjacent to Geoff's house. His own garden, which surrounds the house, wasn't seen much on GW. The point is that he perfectly struck the balance between inspiration and practicality and always made me feel that what he was showing was possible for me to achieve. I often feel with Monty that I am being allowed a peep behind the wall of a rich man's garden. that's not to say it isn't informative and beautiful to look at but I don't feel like I could have my own "jewel garden" or woodland garden. I always felt that I could create a version of Geoff's Ornamental Kitchen Garden or Cottage Garden. Which is what I have tried to do.
I'm genuinely confused by that - we live in a typical 1960s house, the front faces west and I'm currently creating a bed in the front garden based on the inspirational colours of Monty's Jewel Garden, because I believe that they will glow in the shadows cast across there for most of the day by the neighbouring house and yet be strong enough to be effective when the sun gets around to the west in the evenings. Part of our back garden 12m x 12m is shaded by two mature ash trees and we're planting this area with woodland plants. We also have a veg patch, raised beds and a terrace with a grapevine and espaliered fruit trees - our garden may not be the 2 acres of Longmeadow, but I can still borrow ideas and make them my own.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Geoff Hamilton's garden was unique and quite different from any other TV garden.
He constructed several gardens within his own garden i.e. The Cottage Garden, Paradise Garden and Ornamental Kitchen Garden. These were intended to replicate what was achievable in the average viewer's plot.These were in addition to his unforgettable DIY budget projects.
Geoff was unique and his like will never be seen again, I fear..
Dovefromabove, Gardeners are innovators, they cut the cloth to the size they have you do the same it would seem, make use of it all. I once saw a Yard with no soil which had been turned into a garden, all in pots boxes and almost anything that would hold a plant, it went up the yard and house walls with brackets and shelves not only producing Veg but also Fruit, the couple doing it were elderly but determined and that is what counts. Some of the postage stamp new builds down the lane from me are suddenly producing food and they use every square inch of available ground fence and places to put a pot or a box. That is gardening, no point in having a moan about not having an estate or helpers, use what you have to its full capacity, it is surprising what you can produce and the satisfaction it gives having beaten the odds.
Dovefromabove. Glad you are able to take inspiration from Monty and translate it to your garden. I happen to find Geoff Hamilton more to my taste but each to their own. As David K says, we are unlikely to see his like again. I believe that Toby Buckland embodies some of Geoff's values and really liked him on GW but the producers clearly prefer the more patrician Monty.
Posts
I'm coming round to Monty although I still think it was a big mistake dropping Toby and Alys. Joe and Carole are fine.
Rachel is just too lightweight for me however, seeing her wafting around millionaire's gardens soon becomes boring. I got into Beechgrove on I-Player after first seeing it on holiday in Scotland. It is much more homely and down to earth (pardon the pun) than GW. My only gripe is that they are not organic and liberally chuck around chemicals and peat. Geoff Hamilton will be spinning in his grave.
Speaking of Geoff there is a myth that Barnsdale (Geoff's garden for the youngsters) was on a smaller scale. Anyone who has visited it, which I strongly reccomend, will know that it is huge. What Geoff did so well was to create urban back garden sized projects within it. He wasn't always budget conscious, there are examples of low and not so low budget gardens at Barnsdale, but he exuded an everyman attitude. In contrast Monty is definitely a toff albeit one with muck under his nails. However, it isn't a crime to have a big garden, it's what many of us dream of, along with the time to tend it. It is important though that GW doesn't forget that most viewers will have limited space, time and money. So a balance of inspiration and practicality needs to be struck
....but anyone who thinks that Monty is doing all the work at Longmeadow himself (or even a 10th of it) is living in cloud cuckoo land.,,,,,,as with Alan Titchmarsh's 'me Barleywood' garden.
I do beleive that Geoff Hamilton did most of the graft at Barnsdale.
But does anyone think that? No one is that unreasonable surely? As I understand it there was a time when he couldn't afford to employ anyone and he got on with it himself - however presumably he can afford to employ people to do the hard graft now, and so he should, he's had a very nasty health scare - there's no merit in being boneheaded and doing it yourself and working yourself into an early grave.
If Geoff Hamilton really did most of the work on the 8 acres at Barnsdale then I'm not surprised he died aged 60 of his second heart attack
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That would be a good idea putting the young mob on early, I could watch something else not seeing them make blatant mistakes or mishandling tools.
The small area garden was done so well by Geoff and could probably be repeated for the new gardeners.
What I like about Monty is his showing exactly what he is doing and why, fair enough he like myself an old style gardener ready to learn as we all did last night with Carol's leaf curling, I had never seen that before and what a good idea for large plants instead of chopping the stems to a couple of leaves.
My sand bed will go on warm up next week end and the Tomato seed sown, the sweet pea seeds unchitted unsoaked will go in deep pots as Monty did last night and the whole pot full put into the ground when the time comes, I do not get show sweet peas but they show for months with a few more seeds sown as the young plants go in the ground.
Beans Peas Salad crops and carrots will all be started after Easter weekend and the Strawberries cleaned and sorted, in the North East spring comes late but then so does Autumn.
Frank.
I believe Geoff had a couple of helpers when Barnsdale was the GW garden. If you visit it you will see that it would be quite impossible to maintain single handed, as I'm sure would Alan Titch's or Monty's garden.
That wasn't really my point though. A great deal was made of the move to Monty's garden as it represented the presenter's own rather than an artificially created garden, which the previous two had been. However, Barnsdale was just as artificial as Toby's creation. It was a field adjacent to Geoff's house. His own garden, which surrounds the house, wasn't seen much on GW. The point is that he perfectly struck the balance between inspiration and practicality and always made me feel that what he was showing was possible for me to achieve. I often feel with Monty that I am being allowed a peep behind the wall of a rich man's garden. that's not to say it isn't informative and beautiful to look at but I don't feel like I could have my own "jewel garden" or woodland garden. I always felt that I could create a version of Geoff's Ornamental Kitchen Garden or Cottage Garden. Which is what I have tried to do.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Geoff Hamilton's garden was unique and quite different from any other TV garden.
He constructed several gardens within his own garden i.e. The Cottage Garden, Paradise Garden and Ornamental Kitchen Garden. These were intended to replicate what was achievable in the average viewer's plot.These were in addition to his unforgettable DIY budget projects.
Geoff was unique and his like will never be seen again, I fear..
Dovefromabove, Gardeners are innovators, they cut the cloth to the size they have you do the same it would seem, make use of it all. I once saw a Yard with no soil which had been turned into a garden, all in pots boxes and almost anything that would hold a plant, it went up the yard and house walls with brackets and shelves not only producing Veg but also Fruit, the couple doing it were elderly but determined and that is what counts.
Some of the postage stamp new builds down the lane from me are suddenly producing food and they use every square inch of available ground fence and places to put a pot or a box. That is gardening, no point in having a moan about not having an estate or helpers, use what you have to its full capacity, it is surprising what you can produce and the satisfaction it gives having beaten the odds.
Frank.
Dovefromabove. Glad you are able to take inspiration from Monty and translate it to your garden. I happen to find Geoff Hamilton more to my taste but each to their own. As David K says, we are unlikely to see his like again. I believe that Toby Buckland embodies some of Geoff's values and really liked him on GW but the producers clearly prefer the more patrician Monty.