TV and Radio permalink
Gardener's World: a child free zone?
This discussion has been closed.
-
Message 1.Â
Posted by TheHejhog (U7657776) on Friday, 8th May 2009
After some comments elsewhere on this board I am prompted to ask the question: do children have a place on Gardener's World? Some contributors seem to think that GW should be an adult only area.
Last season Joe had his children helping out on his allotment; this year there has been a guest presenter from the Green Balloon Club (CBeebies).
Discuss.
I think children have a place on GW. And I dislike the notion that having children on GW is in some way dumbing down the programme. For a lot of us gardening with children is real life, and GW is right to show that!
Hejhog -
Message 2
Posted by pinktequila (U2803141) on Friday, 8th May 2009
I agree completely. It not the children that mean it is dumbing down, it is the content of the programme and the adults that cause the problems.
-
Message 3
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Friday, 8th May 2009
Of course children should be encouraged to garden and GW should not be a child free zone.
The late start and the coverage of the move to a new site, (and let's not mention the gnomes etc.) has built a sense that there has been relatively little real gardening and technique content so far this year. Watching a very young child sow seeds didn't help sate the adults' appetite for real stuff so the poor child rather took the brunt of the collective frustration. -
Message 4
Posted by toonia (U4760062) on Friday, 8th May 2009
To turn the question back at you - does seeing children on GW make you more likely to encourage your children to garden?
Would the idea of getting your children involved not have occurred to you if you hadn't seen it on the telly?
I don't get it myself, GW is (or wasn't) a children's programme so is targeting adults, some of whom are parents.
If the beeb is targeting children and wanting to get them interested, then let them show gardening on kids' programmes. -
Message 5
Posted by Colin (U2252951) on Friday, 8th May 2009
Has anyone been to an RHS Garden lately?
Take ear plugs!
Indulgent parents smile as little Tamsin, Jocasta and Tarquin endlessly screech, screech, screech, running amok and treating the garden as a glorified play-ground. -
Message 6
Posted by NCFCcrazy (U8661784) on Friday, 8th May 2009
I would say yea it should be child free. I have 3 boys myself and they love getting on the allotment and they also like 'helping' me in the garden but when GW starts, they are tucked up in bed!
Parent time. -
Message 7
Posted by Toadspawn (U2334298) on Friday, 8th May 2009
If you had gone to the RHS show at Cardiff this year there were planted/decorated wheelbarrows from children at 64 local nursery and primary schools in the area. They are obviously interested in gardening and the environment as the themes selected by the children indicated.
No shrieking children running around on the day I went, just children proud of their efforts.
However, adults and childen expect different things from a programme so one programme should not be aimed at two completely different audiences. GW has always been an adult focused programme and it is the producers who are wrong trying to cover two different interest/knowledge groups. -
Message 8
Posted by pootles magnet (U11709665) on Saturday, 9th May 2009
I think it depends a lot on the context. For instance in the Dig In feature a few weeks back there was a section on how a school in Lewisham was teaching gardening and about how it was helping the kids in all their schoolwork. I found that interesting and I definitely wouldn't want Gardeners World to stop doing features like that.
However I didn't see the point in having Lily Rose from Green Balloon Club on, because she's already got her own show which is connected with the Dig In campaign and covering a whole lot of other nature/green topics for the children. I suppose it might have been useful to just give parents a heads-up that this is something they can do with their kids, but that could have been achieved more efficiently by just saying "You can get your kids involved too, because Green Balloon Club are also taking part." -
Message 9
Posted by Stormy_Pink (U13912310) on Saturday, 9th May 2009
I thought the slot on gardening in schools was very interesting a few weeks ago, but also did not see the point of having the CBeebies girl on the following week. Young children should be in bed by 8pm on a Friday so her apperance was lost to many.
Surely the main point is that most gardeners are intelligent enough not to need a Television show to tell them how to get their children and grand children involved in the garden, isn't it just a little bit patronising for Gardener's World to start doing that? How spoon fed do you want to be?
-
Message 10
Posted by Boofer (U3709461) on Saturday, 9th May 2009
Exactly. The age group which GW could usefully be targeting is the early teens or is Blue Peter already doing this?. If they got interested in gardening as teenagers they might then choose horticulture as a career when they reach school-leaving age. As long as they don't all want to present gardening programmes, that is.
-
Message 11
Posted by grapevinegirl (U3734803) on Saturday, 9th May 2009
I can see it now - combined degrees in 'meeja' studies with gardening - fashion seminars optional
-
Message 12
Posted by Sparky (U6716422) on Saturday, 9th May 2009
Surely the best place for gardening for kids is on the kids own channel. It would be on at the right time and they might take more interest. They won't (or probably shouldn't) be watching after 8 on a Friday. In the same vein, the young, trendy types that the Beeb seem to want to target for GW are likely to be down the pub!
-
Message 13
Posted by TheHejhog (U7657776) on Monday, 11th May 2009
the young, trendy types that the Beeb seem to want to target for GW are likely to be down the pub!Â
Do you really believe that? It's a rhetorical question. I know you do.
Hejhog -
Message 14
Posted by Bluedoyenne (U2341157) on Monday, 11th May 2009
Do children have a place on Gardeners' World?
No. Children have a place in programmes made for children which are normally aired before 8 p.m. -
Message 15
Posted by Tigerredwood (U13742280) on Monday, 11th May 2009
Hello TheHejhog
You started this thread to drum up support for children on gardeners world which you are entitled to do and now you have gotten replies that don't coincide with your viewpoint you try and belittle them.
Could you please desist with the fake indignation now that you have not got what you want. Children should be in bed when gardeners world is aired so there is no logical reason to have them on a show that is past their bedtime. -
Message 16
Posted by TheHejhog (U7657776) on Monday, 11th May 2009
GW is aiming itself at new audience: young families. It is not aimed at children. The children may well be in bed, but the parents are watching.
If you look how successful Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall have been at attracting a younger crowd to growing your own, then it would be a waste of our licence fee if GW did not address this trend.
One gets a real sense that the British, as a nation, don't really like children. They value their gardens more than their offspring: the NSPCC is very much younger (founded in 1884) and more poorly resourced than the RHS (founded in 1804). Note that the gardeners have royal approval...
Hejhog -
Message 17
Posted by TheHejhog (U7657776) on Monday, 11th May 2009
Fake indignation? No. I just didn't realise that serious gardening and children are incompatible. I was wrong. I'll let the garden revert to its jungle and return to it when my daughter has left for university...
Hejhog -
Message 18
Posted by Tigerredwood (U13742280) on Monday, 11th May 2009
Hello TheHejhog
Now that GW is aiming at a new audience what about the older audience who have remained faithful for years? As far as I can see there has been very little gardening done in the first 3 shows this year that is of any benefit to gardeners as a whole. I personally think that the show is spreading itself far to thin to be of any help to gardeners, learners or able,and if it keeps up this viewpoint then viewers will turn off in vast numbers.
Myself being Dutch cannot believe that the British do not like children, I think its the pushy parents that fob their own ideas on how everyone should make allowances for their adorable offspring regardless of how irritating they can be. -
Message 19
Posted by TheHejhog (U7657776) on Monday, 11th May 2009
I don't think people would describe me as a pushy parent. I certainly don't impose my child on other people. I do want to see, though, what I can do in the garden with my daughter. And I found Jamie At Home, and the River Cottage series much more inspiring than the old format GW. The new format GW is much more in tune with the "Zeitgeist".
It was my father, a Dutchman, who pointed out the status of children's charities in the UK relative to those for gardening and pets.
In the week ending April 25, GW had 2,002,000 viewers. This means viewers haven't switched off in droves.
Hejhog -
Message 20
Posted by Tigerredwood (U13742280) on Monday, 11th May 2009
Hello TheHejhog
To avoid any confusion on this matter I will reiterate that having children being involved with gardening is only a good thing as they are the future. They have programs for children on how to garden on CBeebies and Blue Peter and if they are old enough then I have absolutely no problem on them watching GW to learn even more. My problem is that GW has dumbed down so much lately that when the children have learned all they can watching CBeebies and Blue Peter there will be nothing that will increase their knowledge when they watch GW in the future if the present format is adhered to IMHO. -
Message 21
Posted by Jenks812 (U5452843) on Monday, 11th May 2009
I don't think the fact that children are on GW means they're targeting children.
I, in fact, like seeing bits on what schools are doing with kids and gardening. And what the kids are being taught.
That's being aimed at parents and schools.
In fact they could do a feature on "how to get your kids in the garden and away from the Wii!" I'd enjoy that.
My son recently brought home his own broad bean plant that he had started at school.
It's now growing along side the one's his old man grew at home. Little bit of competition going on! He's 6 and winning at the moment.
And although GW is shown at 8pm when he's in bed, we watch bits on i-player so I can show him other kids his age enjoying themselves in the garden. -
Message 22
Posted by paperwhite (U6380063) on Tuesday, 12th May 2009
I totally agree with you Bluedoyenne.
-
Message 23
Posted by the cycling gardener (U2350416) on Wednesday, 13th May 2009
Fake indignation? No. I just didn't realise that serious gardening and children are incompatible. I was wrong. I'll let the garden revert to its jungle and return to it when my daughter has left for university...
±á±ðÂá³ó´Ç²µÌý
Now you're just being simplistic. Of course serious gardening and children are compatible. They don't have to be doing it as well you know. Its not obligatory. They can have other interests.
I don't want to see Disney child personified on Gardeners World. Childrens gardening is best left to programmes aimed at children. I tune in to watch and expect an adult programme aimed at adults.
I have two children, now 20 and 18. They've taken an interest in gardening despite never having seen a child garden on GW. My daughter in particular can't wait for a garden of her own one day.
Are they the new target audience for GW? If so, its completely missed its target judging by this household. -
Message 24
Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Wednesday, 13th May 2009
Mary Rose was hardly a typical kid am embryo Blue Peter presenter in the making if ever I saw one....what am I saying !! my daughter who is 35 now appeared on telly aged 9 it probably was Blue Peter come to think of it.
She's not a presenter but she is an actress (mostly comedy)and earns her living mostly as a stand up comedian
I don't object to seeing kids on gardening programmes as such done well....whatever that means. -
Message 25
Posted by The_Colonel (U13936630) on Thursday, 14th May 2009
I think children have a place in gardens, and getting them involved yound will mean the legacy of gardening generations continues. However, we have to assume most children would not be able to understand the content of the GW format.
-
Message 26
Posted by Her outdoors (U1450108) on Thursday, 14th May 2009
The next generation of keen gardeners is today's children so yes they should be encouraged to help in the garden and on the allotment and grow up enjoying being outdoors, seeing things grow, and eating home-grown veg.
However, I doubt whether seeing children taking part on GW will make parents think, "aha, I hadn't thought of asking my kids to help". -
Message 27
Posted by janerowena (U10782401) on Thursday, 14th May 2009
For the past two weeks my 14 year old son - who does like gardening but was never over-keen on GW before - has been perfectly happy to sit and watch the programe with me.
So now you know for whom the programme was intended!
About this Board
Welcome to the new Gardening Board. If this is your first time, then make sure you check out the
or  to take part in a discussion.
The message board is currently closed for posting.
Weekdays 09:00-00:00
Weekends 10:00-00:00
This messageboard is .
Find out more about this board's
Search this Board
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú iD
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú navigation
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú links
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú © 2014 The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.