TV and Radio permalink
GW Friday 17th April
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Message 1.Â
Posted by phyll_ostachys (U12011174) on Friday, 17th April 2009
Hi there, you can watch a taster from tonight's show here:
If you'd like to comment on the programme, please post your feedback on this thread, so we don't have lots of duplicates on the same subject.
Enjoy the weekend. Phyll -
Message 2
Posted by 16Greencroft (U13911574) on Friday, 17th April 2009
No mention of raised beds this week. Hurrah!
I am, however, coming around to accepting that this programme is regarded by the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú producers as pure entertainment.
Alys and Toby were their usual breathless selves. Could they possibly dig their own garden?
Two gripes, sorry, constructive comments, this week.
1. No gardener has time in April for garden planning.
2. Polly or Poly? Growing nine different vegetable types in one bed/block? Mix and match? I was taught crop rotation, to grow the plant families i.e. those with similar requirements together and rotate them around the garden in part to prevent the spread of pests and diseases. Is there no traditional advice that trendy programme producers cannot ignore? -
Message 3
Posted by bluebell76 (U13901033) on Friday, 17th April 2009
absolutely brilliant, very inspiring
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Message 4
Posted by veratrum (U6857853) on Friday, 17th April 2009
here here smiley
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Message 5
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Friday, 17th April 2009
Just in case you feel that you are wasting your time putting up a thread
It was a very poor program. It has been dumbed down to such a level that it is useless.
Whoever 'produced' this rubbish wants the sack and a golden gnome as a handshake(but not in their hand).
I would be embarrassed if I was the producer and I bet they don't read this board. Probably spend too much time with their head stuck in gnome weekly.
There was so much wrong with the program I cannot believe they managed to cram all of it in just one hour.
Friday night is toast
It even made Monty Dull look half palatable, that's how bad it was -
Message 6
Posted by Palaisglide (U3102587) on Friday, 17th April 2009
I am bamboozled, first week good, second week best forgotten, third week I did enjoy 75% of it the other 25% was was still better than last week.
I liked the insight into what the garden will become. I liked the way the planting of climbers was explained and the demonstration of vine eye's for those who did not know.
The little girl reminded me of my grand daughter who knows everything now and she is only four.
At least Toby did stay sitting although like me he must be bored with the hot wall.
There is hope yet it will become settled in the presentation, most of the Berryfields wobbly camera work is mainly gone and at last we know Berryfields was stripped before abandonment.
Toby you are best on your own, the enthusiasm shows when you are explaining or planting, leave the badinage out it is not good TV.
On the whole I did enjoy it.
Frank. -
Message 7
Posted by paperwhite (U6380063) on Friday, 17th April 2009
I thought tonights programe was EXCELLENT from start to finish, explaining what the plan for this year so we know where and how the garden will progress.
I was desperate last week for Toby to plant up against those walls (whilst planting the Maris Piper potatoes) and thankfully he obliged this week with clear explanation for colour choice and planting instructions and after care. I liked his 30 minute (plus) project for displaying specimen plants. Alys' section was also informative to newbies (I remember Geoff making the reflective box).
Carol and Joe are both involved in very interesting projects which I for one will be following.
It was nice to see Matthew at Harlow Carr and more people involved in the DIG IN in Plymouth, although I did think that as a nation we bought more vegetable seeds last year than flower seeds so Monty's message and enthusiasm did get through.
I even enjoyed the gnome section although a little off the wall.
WELL DONE TO ALL.
Paperwhite -
Message 8
Posted by Happy Violas (U13861656) on Friday, 17th April 2009
Last week was a fiasco but I enjoyed most of this week. OK so the gnomes bit wasn't about gardening but it did make me smile. Otherwise a big improvement on last week. Thank you.
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Message 9
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Friday, 17th April 2009
I missed the first 20 mins.
I liked Alys's reflective box for windowsills - very good solution for a common problem.
I'm not happy about the 'Apprentice' style elimination for Carol's masterclass. Why not go ahead with six? Or pick three in advance, introduce them and get on with it? Why is disappointment considered good telly? I hate it.
I liked the design of the railings garden. I'll be interested to see how they get on with butternut squash and outdoor tomatoes in Brum.
We were up the sharp end with Trilliums, but since they are like hens teeth to get hold of, they risk setting up an expectation that viewers can't achieve.
Auricula theatres and gnomes. Somewhat left field.... Children? Well, OK, but they get their own programmes - hours of them. And probably more total gardening TV time than we get! -
Message 10
Posted by pinktequila (U2803141) on Friday, 17th April 2009
these discussions seem pointless, half the people post how wonderful it was the other half post how dreadful it was. Maybe there should be two different programmes. One with gnomes, kids and raised beds one more like Beechgrove with proper gardeners, proper growing and less lifestyle fad gardening. What is wrong with a gardening show that tells you what needs doing in the garden this week, rather than telling us what is hot or not?
As I said on the other thread I thought the first ten minutes ere a lot better, then the fan shaped raised beds arrived, a posh kid, and then a gnome sanctuary. When they said they had a very special guest I thought they might have invied a gardener on. -
Message 11
Posted by Stormy_Pink (U13912310) on Friday, 17th April 2009
Gnome cam???
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Message 12
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Friday, 17th April 2009
Pinktequila
Your last comment really made me smile. But would any self respecting gardener want to be seen with that bunch of muppets -
Message 13
Posted by Toadspawn (U2334298) on Friday, 17th April 2009
What a load of * on tonights programme.
The programme is going from bad to worse. At least I recorded it to watch later and was able to fast forward the nauseous parts such as Alys, the girl from childrens TV the gnomes and the hot/cold section. Why on earth do we need to have a selection on TV to see who is to join Carole in her 'masterclass' and planning takes much more than the few minutes taken up by Joe.
The real gardening advice could have been put into a five minute slot. Such a waste of potential for what should be an informative and inspiring garden programme. -
Message 14
Posted by Palaisglide (U3102587) on Friday, 17th April 2009
pinktequila,
Just goes to prove how diverse people are as individual viewers.
Have a look at the food board, one persons feast is the other persons move away fast whilst I gag.
I keep two gnomes for the grand children, in concrete so they cannot wander, it is fun for them therefore I smile.
We write what we feel, well most of us do, and I do know the boards are read as over the years I have seen changes because of the boards.
Some people with small gardens will welcome the fan shaped beds if they are producing food.
Trillium, you are Carols favourite plant, mind you do not end up knee deep in a pot in her garden?
Frank. -
Message 15
Posted by Paul N (U6451125) on Friday, 17th April 2009
So we have BRILLIANT from one poster, and complete rubbish from the remainder. I thought this week's effort was a slight improvement but the gnomes and the 'What's hot?' nonsense......
Do you remember the days when sowing seeds required a nicely firmed FLAT SURFACE made by making a small wooden plate and pressing down on the surface of the compost? We now seem to have the PLOUGHED FIELD approach.
And when Toby was introducing the planting of that shrub (can't recall the name) why did he have to tread all over the narrow border that some oik had previously dug over for him?
This is really bad. I've been watch GW since the days of Percy Thrower and I can't ever recall a time that it has descended to these depths. In fact I've repeated myself so often that I'm boring myself. I'm off to bed. -
Message 16
Posted by ABBAsolutely (U13640084) on Friday, 17th April 2009
I dont understand at all why we had to see Carol eliminate three .Surely all that could have been sorted and then we could all get on with it and start learning .
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Message 17
Posted by Colin (U2252951) on Friday, 17th April 2009
>I dont understand at all why we had to see Carol eliminate three<
Well, there no doubt which three will be chosen -
The 'extreme sports' lad, because he's young.
The Indian lady because she'll be diverse
The balding white man so he can be made to look a fool
All as per Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú quota guidelines. -
Message 18
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Friday, 17th April 2009
It's too much to expect from one programme. To cater to novices, the casually interested, the one-topic enthusiasts, the experienced amateurs, those with acres and plenty of cash, those with a windowsill in a flat, the organics and the nots, the veg growers, the aesthetes, the wildlife fans and the dog/children accommodaters.
Take food programmes - we get a myriad of offerings from near comedy entertainment of 'can't cook, won't cook' to Rick Stein's food heros and everything in between, with Masterchef and Ramsey offering the watch-from-behind-the-sofa emotional drama.
I firmly believe there are more gardeners - people who try to grow things - than there are cooks - i.e. people who cook meals from actual ingredients, as opposed to heating a ready meal. So why do we gardeners get so little?
For me that lies at the heart of it. More gardening programmes with different target audiences would solve everything. -
Message 19
Posted by Ken Smart (U1158196) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
More gardening programmes with different target audiences would solve everything.Â
I think you've got the rights of it here, Trillium. A 30 minute programme for serious gardeners would incur minimum cost, and would allow those who enjoy the slapstick farce that is the new GW, to keep 'their' programme. I must emphasise that I'm not advocating anything approaching 'highbrow' gardening - simply a programme that is relevant and gimmick-free.
I only watched last night because my wife thought she would give it another go. I chuckled all the way through it (which annoyed my wife no end). Toby started the farce by rushing out of his little hut, clearly too busy to talk to us, and with a camera jerkily filming him from knee level - this was cutting-edge stuff indeed. I notice that we no longer start with the signature tune - it now follows Toby's blurb - and is accompanied by a swift trip along some sort of multi-coloured cartoon vine which I simply can't make out. I had just mentioned to my wife that Blue Peter will be feeling threatened, when Toby cut straight to CBeebies. It's little wonder I couldn't keep a straight face. Carol added to the farce with her 'made for TV' drama over who to choose for her gardening course. We were given a close up of the contestants eyes and nose (and spots) which of course is the only way to judge such matters, and whilst Carol must dwell on who to choose (if anyone actually gives a toss), I think most viewers already know who one of the lucky three will be. Hapless Joe helped a couple with their planning for a garden revamp - though why the couple were doing Stevie Wonder impressions was never explained. Alys reminds me of some stars of silent movies - they were fine until the 'talkies' exposed them - and poor Alys's shrill voice can get a bit irritating. Perhaps she's just a bit upset by the 'edgy' camerawork which invariably accompanies her. She managed to sneak in a 'like' in the middle of a sentence again, but heck, if this was her only problem! The chap with his gnomes was a blessing, as at least he was sensible in a silly sort of way. The interchange between Toby and Alys is still not even approaching natural, and the 'laddish' quips between Toby and Joe is cringe-worthy.
A board friend warned us some time ago that the new producer was intending to make the programme more 'accessible' (if this is indeed the word used), and I don't know if this strategy is actually working. What I do know, is that there are people like myself who still switch on for the time being, but just loathe what they are seeing. Trillium does have the answer, and I would implore the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú to take note. -
Message 20
Posted by the cycling gardener (U2350416) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Agree.
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Message 21
Posted by Colin (U2252951) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
>friend warned us some time ago that the new producer was intending to make the programme more 'accessible'<
Sadly, the deplorable outcome is all too clear.
I think we should stop making unfavourable comparisons with Beechgrove or the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's shock-troop 'modernisers' will be on the way to Aberdeen to impose a Stalinst regime of 'access', 'relevance' and 'multi-culti' upon the programme. -
Message 22
Posted by greenbean (U11262954) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Is it me or is GW about4 weeks behind the rest of us gardeners??
Even allowing for regional variances in temperature, my tomato seeds/ flower seedlings etc have long been planted and pricked out!
even my hubbie who always moans about me watching GW and any other gardening progs, now says its a waste of time watching TB as the prog is so boring.
I daresay they are all very experienced gardeners but way off base with what most people want to see.
Please please do something from start to finish without swapping to yet another filler/ item/ soundbite.
and please please stop setting the clock for 30 minutes - the whole idea of gardening is to switch off from the clock - or have I got it wrong?
I shall be watching on Iplayer from now on as so much of the programme content is drivel -
Message 23
Posted by mcspanna (U7544489) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Agree too and I think a range of programmes for a range of people is the only realistic answer, however I have to be honest that I enjoyed a lot of the show last night and will be tuning in again.
I did notice a couple of minor camera work glitches during Alys's two pieces (camera looking in the wrong direction, flowerpots in the way of the shot etc) but overall for me I felt it was a good show and feels like it is coming together well.
I did wonder what the auricula (sp?) theatre thing was all about; I'm sure that it is a direct copy of a GW idea from last year...I'm all for recycling but we don't all like auriculas and there must be a variety of projects for each week of the year rather than the same thing every year? -
Message 24
Posted by mikeelton (U13922561) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
J.J. Carter, thanks for labelling me with the 'balding white male'! if you wathed the programme we all have names which were displayed.
I'm Mike the one who will be made a fool of!! -
Message 25
Posted by Petalina (U13862206) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
I loved the programme - except for the gnomes.
OH kept being distracted by Alys'"silly scarf" but it didn't bother me
Couldn't stand the "posh, precocious"kid but hopefully she won't return
A big improvement over Monty Dullandpatronising
Keep it up Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú - I enjoyed it
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Message 26
Posted by pamelan (U13922213) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Agree too. Novice programme for new starters. 'De-Novo Amateur Gardening' is required and a proper GW programme with new ideas,techniques, solutions to the EU ban on most pesticides etc, plant histories, real gardens , commercial production of the plants we want to buy etc... I want to grow apples for the first time : the potential choice is amazing; how to I choose? Has GW ever covered this?
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Message 27
Posted by Seacarrot (U3012141) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Think i'm going to Shampoo the cat on Fridays at 8pm instead of watching.
If I want Blue Peter or the One Show then i'll watch Blue peter or the One show.
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Message 28
Posted by judigreen (U13923178) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
the first item on last nights show was about Toby planting some shrubs in a border.Alongside was a pot containing a daphne.What was this,as I have just lost one of exactly the same variety and wish to replace it.Can any body help, please
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Message 29
Posted by rainonroses (U10426712) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
I'm posting a message purely to add one more name to the list of those who loathe what has happened to GW in case sheer weight of numbers makes someone at the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú (who, I wonder?) finally sit up and take notice. Everything has already been said with great eloquence and in detail by the likes of Trillium, Bluedoyenne and Ken Smart. I too have noticed one dissenting voice posting the same message on every single thread, obviously playing the numbers game in the opposite direction!
My prevailing emotion is one of extreme sadness. I'm sad that many years of watching GW has now come to an end; sad that the weekend will no longer start with the eagerly awaited theme tune and the relaxing glass of wine while being given sensible suggestions and a nudge as to what I need to do during the weekend, interspersed with films lasting longer than 2 minutes of other gardens/plants etc. I'm sad my non-gardening husband will now have no exposure to the subject whatsoever ( his comment after 40 minutes of the second programme was "what has any of this got to do with gardening?" - out of the mouths of babes, etc). I am truly saddened that a person of Carol Klein's knowledge and experience is reduced to a faux reality TV slot.
The only hope I can see is if the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú decide to take the very good advice offered by a couple of contributors and split this programme into two. Hive off the ice cream van, children, gardening by egg timer, community projects, growing "veggies" on "lotties", hot/not whatever, deliberately mucking things up because incompetence is apparently now cool, fun, amusing etc, gnomes, free seed giveaways to make growing your own "easy" when they are already easily obtainable at any garden centre, tin cans, thrifty gardening alternating with throw money at it gardening, unnamed plants bunged into containers which then turn out to be the wrong one so they get uprooted and shoved in the other one instead, raised beds, silly banter etc etc etc. into another show called "21st Century Community Family PC Trendy GW" and give the rest of us a proper gardening show again. Goodness, I'm ranting when I swore to myself that I wouldn't.
I now intend to take the fatuous advice so politely offered by the new show's supporters and "switch off if I don't like it." Will do. -
Message 30
Posted by quitedutchbrit (U10671966) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Totally, but TOTALLY agree. Am also very very sad about the demise of this programme. -
Message 31
Posted by Lottie (U2331125) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Just to add my name to the list of those that don't like the way GW has gone, fed up that my licence fee is spent on bad programming, and not only GW being a bad programme but stuff like this utter tosh being shown too.
What next!!!!
Someone somewhere needs to kick someones backside and get the Beeb back making good programmes! -
Message 32
Posted by hypercharleyfarley (U7444019) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Hello - I've yet to find the time to watch again on i-player just to check a couple of things (OK I can hear you saying WHY BOTHER?) but I wondered why they didn't set the items about auriculas and garden gnomes in some sort of "What Used to be Hot and Now Is Not" context. If they had, maybe people wouldn't have been so cross. Just in case you're wondering (and can be bothered to Google a bit) you'll see that garden gnomes were first introduced into this country by Sir Charles Isham in 1849, at Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire. They were considered lucky in Germany, and people used to put a gnome or two in their gardens. The monks at Tournai had auricula "theatres" in the 18th century and the earliest one found in the UK is at Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. I know that the programme has "researchers" but am left wondering whether all they research is the price of a glass of Chardonnay in the local pub ..........
For me the latest "offering" was rather like The Curate's Egg (you can Google that too if you like!) tho' I'm left wondering just how much of an egg has to be "good in parts" before you refrain from throwing it in the garbage can.
Ever the optimist, I'm still going to watch the next programme. Cheers! Ma. -
Message 33
Posted by dwarfbean (U13754109) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Thanks Ma,
Now I've learned something. I didn't know that the Auricula Theatre at Calke Abbey was the earliest in the country. Last time I was at Calke it was displaying many different primroses. Still looked quite impressive.
dwarfbean -
Message 34
Posted by jo4eyes (U13654107) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
I still haven't watched all the latest program as I fell asleep! I always tape them (in the hope of some new technique/knowledge) & have managed again to fall asleep at almost the same place. This is a long-standing problem for me with GW, (sometimes needing 3 attempts to watch a program) but post MD I usually stayed awake. So I now can't decide whether the new format relaxed or bored me!
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Message 35
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Frank - of course I loved Carol's Trilliums and I'd love to add one to my miniscule collection.
I shall have to be first in the queue on the first day at Malvern to stand any chance of securing one.
If I sounded less than grateful, it was because I was still fuming at the beauty contest for the master classes and the odd juxtaposition with the Blue Peter-esque content immediately before.
Of course Carol can cope with more than three - she trained as a teacher and can probably take thirty three! And three is too low a number for good group dynamics. It's either 3 or 2+1. Six is much better - 4+2 or 3+3 or 2+2+2.
Sorry Andy.... -
Message 36
Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
I enjoyed most of this weeks program. Useful tips were:
How to tighten up the wire plant support
The light box
Putting a teabag in the bottom of a pot
I wasn't so keen on Toby building a plant theatre or Carol having to chose people for her course.
I liked the gnome man because he reminded me that it is OK to be eccentric and it made me smile. I also appear to be in the minority as I actually like the banter between the presenters. Much as I loved Monty, he was a bit on the serious side.
You can't please all of the people all of the time. The best answer is probably to have more than one gardening program. -
Message 37
Posted by Palaisglide (U3102587) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
Trillium,
I did agree with what you said and always read your posts as one of the more level headed of the posters.
I have never seen a Trillium live in all my years of gardening so was intrigued to see Carols and it struck the chord with your name.
I do not think I was enamoured by it but what gardener will not try something new if given a chance, I did hear her say they are like gold dust but one never knows.
It appears everything on TV must now resemble some kind of contest, Reality shows grip the nation (well some of the nation they leave me cold) so let us do it in GW.
I have a love hate relationship with the show, (it is now just a show) some of it curls me up and some brings a smile.
I will keep watching in the hope it cannot get worse than Easter weeks effort, there was improvement this week so hope is to the fore me being a glass half full sort of chap.
We have both had our fifteen minutes of fame on Tv so we know how it works it is not as simple as it looks.
Keep posting and I will keep searching the council tip for any discarded Trilliums?
Frank. -
Message 38
Posted by U8969255 (U8969255) on Saturday, 18th April 2009
This Board is going to be mightily quiet next week given the number of folk that "will not be viewing again over their dead body".
Obviously, we all hope they will be people of great integrity and principle.
And not come boomeranging back at the first opportunity like a 18th (and Final Time) Status Quo reunion tour.
Otherwise they might be open to ridicule?
I am personally delighted with GW's first 3 offerings of 26.
When Kermit died I'd never thought I'd see another Muppet Show again!
Harry -
Message 39
Posted by David K (U2221642) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
Harry - I'm sure there's a place at the London Palladium for you and perhaps for a couple from GW too!
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Message 40
Posted by nooj (U13729031) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
I have a conspiracy type theory (number 2378)
Monty's illness was not caused by overwork as such, but the stress of fighting off all these new proposals for elimination gardening competitions, cute kids, sofas etc.
I believe he may have been fighting on our behalf for years and it took its toll on him, as it would do anyone as passionate about gardening as he is.
I also would like to send sympathy to Phyll, who has stopped even trying to contain the number of threads each week.
Perhaps he/she is also suffering from extreme fatigue? -
Message 41
Posted by Colin (U2252951) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
Funny how Tobes never once used the phrase 'white garden' when describing the 'twilight' garden, despite planting up with white flowering/silver leaf plants.
Surely no-one would have thought he was copying ideas from Another Garden? -
Message 42
Posted by Sparklinggeum (U13923938) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
I must admit, I've been gardening and watching GW for 10 years now and I'm in my late 30's. So far I'm finding the revamp quite uninspiring in a lot of ways. On the one hand it is good that the beeb is trying to make it more accessible to the plethora of people that are new to gardening and the uprising interest in growing your own.
Having the children's section reminded me of when i was a youngster and my mum would be watching GW and I would be bored bored bored by it, I sat there thinking how many children might be in front of the tv and a spark of interest is ignited from the CBeebies section? But really, it was not what I personally want to see on GW. Daytime children's tv, fine.
BUT, as a fairly knowledgeable and seasoned gardener, the majority of what I've seen so far is just not holding my interest. As someone else suggested a gardening programme for those of us that actually do know what we're doing to a certain extent (though gardening is a never ending learning cycle let's face it) - more high brow, would be great.
Aly's thrifty tips are good, she seems to be settling well infront of the camera (and seems to have stopped saying "really really" now) and it is such a huge contrast having her tips and then Toby potting up expensive pots with expensive plants?!?.
I miss Monty, I miss Alan and I do think Carol would have been an excellent choice for the main presenter - her enthusiasm is boundless and I love her energy. Though I know she is not everyone's cup of tea. I like Joe too and i enjoyed his allotment segments last year, I hope his revamp section is just as enjoyable.
I'm reserving (too much) judgement for the moment, I'm really hoping that it gets more interesting as time progresses....
If not there are the reruns on UKTV Gardens of Geoff, Alan, Monty, Sarah, Rachel et al....that provide comfort and knowledge instead! -
Message 43
Posted by bookhimdano (U10771514) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
a mix of the good the bad and the ugly.
lets get the ugly out the way first- the compo. this goes totally against the generous spirit fostered by most gardeners regarding knowledge. [and sharing their opinions
]. ugly ugly ugly.
the bad -gnomes and kids.
the good - alys reflective idea [i used mirrors-more bang for you buck], joe on design and toby holds it all together.
perhaps the one sense that is missing is the overall structure of the gardening year. i used to have a wall that allowed me to work out what needed doing when. although its spring i'm looking what happens in autumm- all the spring stuff was done last year.[its too late to be thinking of that now]
if the ldea is to make it accessible then for the majority of people the only gardening they do is mowing and hedge cutting. so why nothing on lawns. is it health and safety that has killed the idea of mowing machines? getting a good lawn is a real skill not many have but most people like seeing a really good lawn with diamond cut etc. -
Message 44
Posted by bookhimdano (U10771514) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
for a treat people can try watching the victorian kitchen garden [from the 1980s] -some of which is ytube.
e.g for something topical try searching for
Victorian Kitchen Garden: APRIL
but if you've not seen it it's best to watch the whole thing from the beginning to get the sense of it. -
Message 45
Posted by DigJane (U13924220) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
I'm afraid I agree with most of the comments above - GW is a poor imitation of what it was, even a year ago.
My complaints are:
Toby is ok but has a habit of talking like a children's TV presenter;
The gnomes - I thought this was a joke, but it was beyond irony;
Dig In seeds - isn't it a bit late to be sowing tomatoes? Or is this because the series was supposed to start, as it always did, in March but was shoved on to April?
The competition element. Carol has obviously been forced to do this. She is one of the best things on TV and in the world of gardening, and I can't believe this was her idea;
We used to get the weekend weather at the end of each programme - why no more? Is it because they are pre-recorded a couple of weeks earlier? I noticed the Greenacre magnolia looked a bit more March than April - ie no leaves, just flowers;
The general content of the programme appears to be aimed at people who don't know what a compost bin is.
Good points:
Alys and Joe (and of course Carol) are good presenters if they are allowed to do their own thing;
I agree, the vine screws was a good spot.
Finally, on Carol - I wonder if she also hates the new format, tone and content? She hasn't been back to Greenacre since episode 1 - no doubt avoiding being associated with this noddy, dumbed down production as much as she can! -
Message 46
Posted by David K (U2221642) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
The competition element. Carol has obviously been forced to do this. She is one of the best things on TV and in the world of gardening, and I can't believe this was her ideaÂ
I do so agree! Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú, pleeeese look to your assets. -
Message 47
Posted by mommydoos (U2592301) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
Knew you'd be there nooj - how dare people call Monty dull!! Agree with those that say that the whole 'camararderie' thing between the presenters doesnt't work - can see gritted teeth between the blokes certainly!
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Message 48
Posted by Goldilocks (U2169760) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
With less than 3 million viewers per programme for the last three years - nearer to 2 million early last year when Monty was still running the show, and declining (so you can't blame that on Toby, or the frustrating filler programmes from Carol and Joe!), it is hard to justify a prime slot - 8pm to 9pm on a Friday night. It's not as if GW was up against any serious competition. Let's face it, we are very much a minority group, and we should be grateful they have not put it on at some ungodly hour on a Tuesday evening.
So, if they are trying to attract a diffeent audience it is no surprise that the programmers are going to turn out stuff that many of us old hands are going to find hard to swallow. If the audience figures go up by drawing in a new audience, despite losing some of the Percy Thrower / Geoff Hamilton / Monty fan club, who can complain?
Let's wait and see what happens to viewing figures over the next season or so. -
Message 49
Posted by David K (U2221642) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
I think the writing was on the wall when the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú produced 'Christine's Garden'..Absolutely garbage with nothing to do with gardening, just the ravings of a nutty woman (like the gnome man).
Guess what? And these boards were awash with new posters who defended it. -
Message 50
Posted by Viri-Descens (U13923556) on Sunday, 19th April 2009
I'm glad I recorded the programme this week instead of watching it live, as for the first time ever on GW, I had to fast forward. I suppose the gnomes were IN a garden, but it felt more like a collectors' item and didn't seem to fit in. I bet you did it deliberately to shake us all up, you naughty Auntie Beeb.
I was curious about Alys' passing comment re. polyculture. I'd heard of permaculture, so is polyculture just the old 'growing carrots and onions near each other to confuse pests' sort-of-thing, or something new? Many of us trying to grow fruit and veg (organically), want to break away from the traditional rotation system, which is 'pest-friendly', so maybe you could expand on that and chuck in a few examples for inspiration. For instance, what can I grow around the soft fruit bushes on my allotment?(Got mine just before Joe, and I also have hot and cold running Horsetail and Couch Grass.)
Re. Alys and the wrong-coloured Foxgloves. Brilliant! Haven't we all done something similar? I spent ages planting out what I thought were self-seeded foxgloves, only to discover, as they developed, that they were cunningly-disguised comfrey plants of the non-Bocking variety. I am still digging them up (together with the bamboo, described as "non-invasive"!) That's why gardening is forever!!!
Generally:- Should we have a 'whip-round' to get the camera crews some gardeners' knee pads? Perhaps they don't want to get their knees dirty, but if they got down into the soil, we could see what the presenters are doing and with what, rather than how they look whilst they're doing it. (Hint! Close-ups, dears, please?) I know time is tight and you want to fit a lot in, but slow down as I'm getting breathless and dizzy trying to keep up. No wonder they've got sofas in the potting shed!
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