This will get me into trouble but.....

If your in trouble then so am I because I,ve already given it the sack. I think the beeb are trying to save money and downgrading therefore we,re getting what they pay for ,Toby is obviously cheaper also its not the only programme they are doing it with......

I agree mostly in that Monty was always an interesting watch. I find Carol quite a foxy old chick but whats with her seemingly refusing to leave her own place? Is it she didnt get the top job so shes saying stuff you Beeb if you want me come to my place. Alys looks like shes a bit shy, couldnt make friends so stuck her head into gardening books but Joe is always good for a laugh.
Toby seems to have taken over the show but doesnt seem to have a cudos of Monty, more of a supply teacher type!!
I personally like a less serious approach but the slot with the police chief and his knomes well franky who cares, oh its a bit of a giggle...no its just stupid so shut up and get of my set.
I think I should be on there getting into fights with Joe ignoring Toby or taking the ...out of him and making passes at Carol and Alys. I think Carol would be up for it..no?

Carol should have got the job Stevie but I think the beeb were ageist. Chris Beardshaw would have been my next choice. Jo I quite like because there is no pretence, hes a designer first and a gardener second. Linclass, yes I know what you mean, I find it very easy to turn off the telly now and go and do something more interesting instead. Sometimes I watch the Beechgrove garden, at least I can 1)understand them cause Im originally from Scotland and 2)they give really good practical advice.
I will just have to content myself with that, GoY and reading Monty Dons The Jewel Garden( one mans struggle with nature, financial and mental breakdown, but wins through in the end-see, just like a romantic novel).Poor old Geoff Hamilton must be spinning, all his hard work converting people to more organic way of gardening and there is Toby saying sometimes a little bit of peat is OK,NO, NO, NO, Toby, its not sustainable!

I don't mind if I miss G World now. I don't bother to tape it like I used to either. I don't think it's Toby's fault - I think like Linkslass that they're not willing to spend much on it. In fact I find the tv a total waste of money. I don't watch the trash that's on it these days.

I keep on hoping the show will get better.....
....maybe it will improve....

....but as I watch it, I find myself with memories of Monty Don planting and explaining at Berryfields.... and Carol Klein speaking with enthusiasm and great knowledge about plants and cuttings....

Does Alys still have her little Terrier which used to follow her around so cheerfully ?

I don't think the problems are Toby's fault. The format is wrong....

By the way, anyone wanting to know about forthcoming shows of interest to gardeners, please put a comment on my blog no.14, and then you'll automatically see if any new programme details have been added.

I agree, I dislike the new gardeners world - Doesn't everyone start with a blank garden the size of a football pitch, Can't everyone afford to fence it with the most expensive fencing on the market and then employ a JCB and driver for several days to dig it and have costly pathways put in.

Come on BBC get real! This is not gardening it is large scale landscaping which most of the viewers can not afford.After looking forward to the new series for ages I have dumped the programme from my menu.

Monty? - Mr Darcy? purlease!!!!! Oh, well each to his own but he certainly doesn't float my boat. Neither did Titch - but Geoff Hamilton, now that's another matter.

I too no longer record GW - just watch the old ones and reminisce with myself.

Carol interviewing for a course - who's interested? and as for ten minutes on gnomes - they really have lost the plot!

I've not been watch GW for that long so don't have much to compare it to. I like the team of presenters but there does seem to be quite a bit of fluff.

The beginner's stuff is really useful for me - I watched Alys' making her reflector thinking 'Aaaaah, I'm not the only one turning my seedlings every few days and getting snaking shoots' followed by 'Aahhh, mine ARE leggy, I'm not imagining it and that explains why!!'

Even though most of what Carol says passes me by I think she's fabulous too, and I can't help but get caught up in her enthusiasm. Unfortunately, if I'm not growing something all the information falls into the advanced (or irrelevant to me) category and I forget it instantly - but even as a beginner I really, really enjoy watching her.

Peter, you're so right about Carol being fab.....
I really hope when the BBC film the programmes from the garden shows such as Chelsea, we'll be treated to hours of Carol going around like a kid in a sweet shop, bouncing with enthusiasm from one plant to the next, giving us extra useful information...

And, I feel sure that the BBC reads GoY, so BBC, pleeeease, give us lots of Carol talking about plants. Thank you.

I agree about Alys demonstrating items like the reflector. Very useful and informative, though I think GoY was ahead of her, in that a GoY member wrote a very good blog on making these quite recently. Is the BBC starting to pinch ideas from GoY blogs ? Lol.

Ok its not all Tobys fault, I appreciate hes doing his best. I have to say though as someone who just likes having a bit of fun with plants I think the less anal it is the better but shouldnt be too frivolous either.
To be honest when Carol is on I just have thoughts about having an affair with an older woman and her giving some advice, then we just start kissing and end up in the bushes or the long grass hehe.
But yes the Beeb seem to have mental with money (ours) wasting. look at things that have recently been on, for example, Monty halls crofting thingy where he does actually pretty much nothing himself. I dont think scottish crofters of old would be having capuchinos and toasted sarnies at the cafe and evenings in the pub. It was just a sucession of buying (spending) things in..shocking tourist postcard dressed up as a programme. Also the Hottest place on earth with that certified IDIOT Kate Humble, intrepid explorers, cut to people riding in SUVs reading a book jeeezz.
anyway they should come to my place, have a look at my pots and veg patch and then let Carol stay over for research:), I need a cuddle

btw how is Monty doing, is he ok?? whats he doing now??
I remember him cooking new potatoes straight from the ground and that got me doing the same. Also his walk around China, thats the difference someone who has something to 'really' say about the aesthetic

Hi Stevie ~

Monty Don wrote a series of articles called Grow Your Own for the Daily Mail Weekend TV magazine, of which the fourth part is published today, so it seems he is busy and productive. :o)

That's good news. It's nice to know he's overcoming his illness.

You know i know gardeners world not the same anymore, but like Peter said its good for him,and all new gardeners, i watch UKTV gardens alot, and Monty seems to be on there quite alot, infact i think they have some very interesting garden programes on, except at 9pm every night and its ground force, i know they are all old programes, but they show ground force over & over again.

Clarice, Im one of those sad people that dont have cable, sky, digital boxes etc so GW was my only tv fix. Maybe I will have to give in to my kids and get something like that esp if darling Monty is on.
Stevie-really?
Peter-I think its a generation thing, you know "when I was a youngster...." lol
Wagger, I will dig out the old VHS (yes I still have one of them) and console myself watching St geoff making over the old overgrown garden and planting the artisans garden.
Thanks for all your comments folks

Shall we start a campaing to get Monty back?

Glad I'm not the only one with VHS - all my GW is on tape. Bought a gizmo to transfer them through the computer to CD but haven't mastered it yet, too busy in the garden.

Need to find someone between the age of 14-16 to do it for you Wagger.
I dont think Monty would want to come back Stevie

Just to add my two-pennorth ... I've also gone off the new format of GW, BUT .... my partner - who stated several years ago, quite bluntly "I don't do gardens!" now states in advance "GW is on tonight" and he makes sure we watch it! (What WAS that gnome/policeman thing about???!!!) Since we moved to Spain and have started to grow our own veggies he's avidly soaking up any knowledge from "the experts" and irritatingly quotes them at me when we're working in the garden: "Toby says ....." Grrrrrr! Anyway, he has his own CK in me as he says we're rather alike in our enthusiasm, age and arthritic knobbly fingers! LOL.

I quite like Toby, he has grown on me but I was dismayed to see the size and expenditure on the new gardening plot. Monty is my recent favourite with Geoff Hamilton being my all-time favourite! I'm going to whisper this - but I am not too keen on Carol - she is too over-enthusiastic for me and I do hate it when anyone says 'you can even do this in a small garden' when they are surrounded by acres where its easy to hide three large compost 'bins' in a corner, have a huge heated greenhouse and don't have to worry about the bills. There - I've got that off my chest and feel a lot better :)

Awwww, Stevethet, here's a hug...{ } Nasty BBC!!! Honestly, I really think they should employ expert and amateur garderners and actually ask what they'd like to see on the show.

I know there will be 3 strips of garden that will be used as if they belong to (most!) hobby gardeners but when, is what I want to know?

I hated the little girl being on the show (no offense to her) and also hated the waste of time on the candidates and Gnome policeman. Thought the time could have been better spent teaching us more important things.

As for that stupid clock, that also irritates me! As if we really care to the minute how long we spend in our gardens. I thought those shelves were a bit naff. Imagine how they'll look this time next year. In need of more blue paint I should imagine.

But still, I did enjoy learning about the reflector, and last week's potatoes. The week before that the Begonia's. So I have learnt something over an hour. A bit painful but still.

The only thing I worry about the reflector is that it might fry the seedlings? I think Geoff did something similiar years ago but painted his white. And yes we could have certainly done without the jolly policeman

Oh Mageth, I didn't think of that. Yes, Geoff painted his white, and only put foil on the base of the box, I read that yesterday. Good point!

Well Mageth.......I've just found this blog of yours....and how I agree!!! I don't watch it anymore because of the presenters mainly...I do enjoy Carol Klein but the rest No...No....No!!!
Like you I miss Monty Don...with all the wistful romantic dreamlike qualities his garden at Berryfields and his way of presenting had. Sorry Joe Swift...but his urban stuff and allotments leave me stone cold. The program seems very colourless and without any personality whatsoever....very disappointing.......:o(

I've only just found this blog too and totally agree with everyone before me.
I no longer watch GW, i used to reccord it and sit and watch it avidly but after the 2nd episode i didn't bother, on the first 2 i was fast-forwarding more than i was watching !

There is absolutely no 'draw' there for me at all now and i've been a fan for years :(

Isn't it sad Louise? I have watched it for over 20 years and found it very interesting and really have enjoyed all the gardens they have visited over the years.....but no.more
much prefer A Place in the Sun now.................... I much prefered Carol Kleins Grow Your Own Veg, but they took that off after a few episodes....:o(

Hi Louise and Janey. Isnt it sad, there is nothing to look forward to on a Friday night. GW used to be the start of my weekend now Im too old for clubbing! lol

I know I'm a bit late coming on here, but I've only just found your homepage ! Just wanted to say....Thank god I have my Geoff Hamilton books and DVD's, all of which I watch and dip into constantly. They combine to make my Gardening Bible, Reference library, call it what you will - but I wouldn't be without them. So thanks Geoff, I owe you bigtime mate !