Like others I tend to watch anything to do with gardening but can be critical of some. Trouble is no-one wants to film or watch the many hours it takes to prepare ground , prune or any of the time it takes do things properly. So many newcomers see these presenters come along move soil with their hand & put plants in & think that's all there is to it! Beechgrove seem to give a good sense of the work involved & always credit the full time gardeners for the preparation work. I may be doing him an injustice but I find it hard to believe that Monty does all that (plus the other programmes he makes and the writing) all on his own- nobody needs that many trowels in their potting shed he surely must have a team to help, if so he should acknowledge them.
My all time favourite was Harry Dodson & the Victorian Kitchen/ Flower garden series. You can still find these on DVD, it was the social history, & horticultural expertise from Peter Thoday mixed with the real skill & care Harry showed with every task. Its old now but if you have never seen it it's well worth seeking out.
I still remember watching Geoff Hamilton years ago and Monty Don is really good, really enjoyed watching Big Dreams small spaces as Monty was so encouraging even if he wasn't sure about certain plans. Have'nt watched anything else other than GW which I also enjoy
I found that having only really got into gardening a few years ago, I've missed some great shows through the years. Most of them are on YouTube. My favorite has been Monty Dons lost gardens. We discussed it on another thread. It was made about 18 years ago. Basically renovating old Victorian gardens that have been lost to the wild and to time. They have five days to complete and take it back to the original design using local historical records for accuracy. Instead of showing you a perfect garden immediately afterwards. They revisit after a few months of the plants settling to show you the results. I found it covered my love of history and gardening. Think so far its one of the most enjoyably shows.
Patsy, I agree with you both on Alys Fowler and Monty. I would have watched the Edible Garden even so, but I couldn't take the frequent flashes of light during the programme - every time they showed a still photo there was this blinding flash of light and it was giving me headaches.
I love Monty's Italian Gardens and The Secret History of the British Garden. In addition to the content, the camera work is stunning. I'm not that keen on the French Gardens, because it's about Monty travelling, not about the gardens, and the camera work is nowhere as good as in the other two, in my opinion.
I remember watching Geoffrey Smith's 'World of Flowers' with great enjoyment. Would love to watch it again now I've learned more, but it doesn't seem to be available,though you can get the book.
Posts
Like others I tend to watch anything to do with gardening but can be critical of some. Trouble is no-one wants to film or watch the many hours it takes to prepare ground , prune or any of the time it takes do things properly. So many newcomers see these presenters come along move soil with their hand & put plants in & think that's all there is to it! Beechgrove seem to give a good sense of the work involved & always credit the full time gardeners for the preparation work. I may be doing him an injustice but I find it hard to believe that Monty does all that (plus the other programmes he makes and the writing) all on his own- nobody needs that many trowels in their potting shed he surely must have a team to help, if so he should acknowledge them.
My all time favourite was Harry Dodson & the Victorian Kitchen/ Flower garden series. You can still find these on DVD, it was the social history, & horticultural expertise from Peter Thoday mixed with the real skill & care Harry showed with every task. Its old now but if you have never seen it it's well worth seeking out.
DO IT VERDUN
With the internet at your disposal can you find the ol' boys, such as Geoffrey Hamilton and Arthour Billett... can't be beat!
I still remember watching Geoff Hamilton years ago and Monty Don is really good, really enjoyed watching Big Dreams small spaces as Monty was so encouraging even if he wasn't sure about certain plans. Have'nt watched anything else other than GW which I also enjoy
I've been watching gardening programs on YouTube.
I found that having only really got into gardening a few years ago, I've missed some great shows through the years. Most of them are on YouTube. My favorite has been Monty Dons lost gardens. We discussed it on another thread. It was made about 18 years ago. Basically renovating old Victorian gardens that have been lost to the wild and to time. They have five days to complete and take it back to the original design using local historical records for accuracy. Instead of showing you a perfect garden immediately afterwards. They revisit after a few months of the plants settling to show you the results. I found it covered my love of history and gardening. Think so far its one of the most enjoyably shows.
https://youtu.be/gWyhXeBEHSg
If you want to check it out
Last edited: 28 February 2017 15:37:39
Patsy, I agree with you both on Alys Fowler and Monty. I would have watched the Edible Garden even so, but I couldn't take the frequent flashes of light during the programme - every time they showed a still photo there was this blinding flash of light and it was giving me headaches.
I love Monty's Italian Gardens and The Secret History of the British Garden. In addition to the content, the camera work is stunning. I'm not that keen on the French Gardens, because it's about Monty travelling, not about the gardens, and the camera work is nowhere as good as in the other two, in my opinion.
Can't wait for the return of GW and Beechgrove.
I remember watching Geoffrey Smith's 'World of Flowers' with great enjoyment. Would love to watch it again now I've learned more, but it doesn't seem to be available,though you can get the book.