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Geoff Hamilton
Verdun
Posts: 23,348
GW are featuring memories of Geoff Hamilton on Friday. Should be nostalgic. 
Things always seemed better in the past but Geoff prob was the best presenter ever on GW so will be nice to "see" him again
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Thanks Verdun. He was my very favourite GW presenter and after he passed away I went on a 'pilgrimage' to Barnsdale with a friend who had some relatives in Rutland. Loved going around the gardens and his spade had been left in the garden so opportunity for a photo was duly snapped up. I felt like I had lost a friend (does that make me 'sad'
) and we visited his grave in the churchyard to pay our respects. He had his favourite tree - Cercidiphyllum japonicum planted by his grave and I planted one in my garden for my Dad when he passed away. Its flipping massive now so probably was totally the wrong choice but I love the candyfloss smell of its fallen leaves in the Autumn. Better stop now before I bore people stiff!
Not at all. He felt like a friend and was so practical and thorough with all his advice and projects making them accessible for all whatever the size of your garden or budget. Loved his special series too.
Would love to visit Barnsdale one day and I too will be planting a Cercidiphyllum in my new garden.
We didn't have a TV until the 60's and Percy Thrower was my hero! He was so like my Dad who watched him with my grandfather and chewed over the programme the whole time it was on! I think he might be the reason I feel the need to double dig a new garden. I was devastated when they sacked him and ended up with what my Dad called 'out front' gardeners. Then came Geoff Hamilton
who had a spade and used it! It seems we are missing something special about the patience, perseverance and joy when we reduce gardening to 'look what I grew' and not 'see how I grew this' with much trial and tribulation. I want to know about failed, how hard and long someone worked to make a garden and you can't do that in a single half hour. Gardener's World has made mistakes over the years but Geoff Hamilton was definitely not one of them.
Don't know where all that came from
must have been watching too many gardening programmes whilst suffering in hot weather.............................
Thanks for the notification, Verdun. Geoff was my gardening hero; the best ever GW presenter, (though I like Monty too). He was so positive enthusiastic and always had the best practical advice. I was upset when he died. His son is carrying on Barnsdale so he does live on.