Favourite TV gardeners.

Just found this blog, John. (So much stuff to look at on GoY, and too little time!)
I am old enough to remember Percy Thrower, and still use his "Encylopaedia of Gardening", although somewhat out of date now!
Geoff, Bob, Carol, Alan - yes, I agree. Geoff's still the best. Not sure I can bring myself to dislike Monty and Diarmud - they're just different! I have seen some others on various garden makeover programmes - they impressed me so much that I can't even recall their names!
But what do you make of the new guy on Gardener's World, Toby Buckland? And Alyss?
I can recommend Steve Buckley as a Radio gardener - on BBC Radio Kent's Sunday morning gardening programme, but he's not on every week, which is annoying. He has a sense of humour, sometimes lacking in these phone-in type shows. Not much use to you in Yorkshire, I know, unless you listen online!

I think its very unfair to set one presenter against another, or even attempt to compare them. They are all different as individuals, with their unique personalities, and each one has their strengths, preferences, and unique areas of expertise and experience.

In my view this diversity is a great strength, and this helps to make gardening and the programmes they present so different. Gardening is a very creative activity. We need to have a rich diversity of gardens and gardening programme presenters, otherwise the programmes and their gardens would be bland and uninteresting.

Surely we should be celebrating the fact that we have these talented people in the gardening world.They ALL have something special to contribute, and for those who have passed on, they too have made valuable contributions in the past.They have influenced the way a lot of designers are working today.

We only have to look at the wide range of interests of the garden owners and their gardens on this site to prove these points.

I think we often forget that our gardens reflect our individual personalities.

I feel there is something we can learn from each and every one of them if we are prepared to be open to new ideas.

John, I'm with you all the way with your likes and dislikes!! Although I would say I think my feelings are a little stronger than yours when it comes to Monty Don - the guy literally makes my teeth grind! I think the main reason I don't like Monty or Durmuid is that they convey their own personal opinions as tho they were fact and I don't like being told that 'this way is right and that way is wrong' when it comes to things like colour, design and whatnot. If I want to plant a lime green somethingorother next to a shocking pink thingamy, then I jolly well will! I also take issue with these gardening progs making gardening seem more complicated than it is. And everything has to be MULCHED! Arrrrrrrrrr!! Grind, grind, grind........

Grenville - thank you for sharing your magnanimous view - I agree that diversity is important - even if some of 'em really do get up my nose x-D

Now the floor is open for someone to shoot me down!!

Hhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmm all i can remember of Our Percy Thrower is his Whistle ! But i remember Dear Geoff Hamilton like he was on TV yesterday :) I guess thats when i started 2 watch Gardening Programmes,i dont really Have/Make time for Gardeners World Since Little Alan Titchmarsh Left :/ I loved watching Ground Force Myself a good Second Runner 2 Gardeners World id say :) As for the all New Klein/Flowerdew/Gavin&Don i really cant comment ?? Sorry : /

Hi Sid. Actually i expected to get shpt down but didn't realise that what we should be discussing is the philosophy of interpersonal relationships (not that I know these people personally, they are probably very nice people). I asked what I thouight was a simple question 'Who do you like and who do you not like so much AS A GARDENING GURU?'

Apparently we should love everyone for their variance of opinions. Good job the same does not hold true of politicians LOL.

John

Hi to John, Grenville and Sid,

We all have our likes and dislikes, but I just love the gardening programmes, not just for the individual gardeners but for the beautiful photography and sometimes some really appropriate musical backing.

I look forward to Friday nights and it's gardening programmes!

I wish they would be a little more understanding that we don't all have massive gardens or budgets.

Can you tell me where I can get limgreen somethingor- others that go next to shocking pink thingamies?

Happy gardening. Marge.

Sarra - Try as a might, I cannot love everybody! And as for interpersonal relationships between gardening gurus, I still struggle with my own!

Jac - Percy Thrower was before my time, but Geoff was lovely wasnt he. He died when I was in my teens and I think it was the first time I ever experienced a feeling of real loss and bereavment...

I liked Alan too - I wish he did more gardening progs now - I listen to him on the radio sometimes - it's quite funny :-)

Marge - try T&M! ;-D

Yes id Say Hamilton&Titchmarsh are my favs for sure :)Is this a better answer ? lol ;D

I actually feel Gardeners World has lost one of the best presenters it ever had,( and I do remember Percy Thrower) Geoff Hamilton apart, in Monty Don, self opinionated, certainly, but one of the most passionate and riveting presenters it's ever had, his joy of gardening was infectious and clear for all to see. Geoff was a man of his time, who lived frugality and invention and his death was a deep loss to everyone who remembers him, but Monty had joi de vivre and reflected the increased desire to spend a lot on our gardens, (do you remember seeing £200 Acers in garden centers in Geoffs time?) I feel for poor Toby Buckland because he has such hard acts to follow in Geoff, Alan and Monty, and as nice a chap as he is he does not hold you attention like Monty, I felt if anyone should take over from Monty, it should have been Carol Klein

Wouldn't it be good if Sky/Freeview brought out a gardening channel with all old programmes shown, back to back? Or maybe there is one that I dont know about??

My likes and dislikes for what they're worth:
Likes: Geoff Hamilton - a sensible down-to-earth gardener that everyone could relate to
Carol Klein and Roy Lancaster - plants people to their fingertips
Dislikes: Diarmud Gavin - just winds me up with some of his totally impractical designs and over-planting
Sarah Raven - if she says she loves a plant one more time....

I agree with Johndman about Toby having to follow in Monty's footsteps but we said the same thing about Alan T after Geoff H so perhaps he'll win us over in time

Unmisssable TV ~
Carol Klein doing anything really, but especially showing us how to make more plants by propagation and other techniques.

At a garden show such as Chelsea, go into the display tent and use a TV camera to get footage of Carol as she waltzes from one stall to another.

Carol has a thorough knowledge and enthusiasm for every plant. She also knows all the stall holders !

Carol is like a child in a sweet shop and takes us on a magical journey, darting from plant to plant as if we were actually on the tour with her. :o)

Wow. I didn't expect the Spanish inquisition. I also didn't expect the 2 death threats that I have received so far. This far beats the last blog where it took 3 days to start getting threatening PMs.

So far we have a consensus that we all love Geoff, Carol and Alan and most of us don't like Diarmud and Monty much.

Despite the interpretation put on it by one member the idea was not to set presenters up against each other It simply asked, 'Who do you like best?' There are a few outsiders who people are saying they like. That is great. If they are not
in your region then watch for them. Keep the people coming. Especially the likes. (But complain about the others too. We all pay our licence fee).

John

Now while i can't stand Alan Ts design i do admire his knowledge. Diarmund on the other hand lacks the plant knowledge but his design is truly inspiring.

Geoff Hamilton and Bob Flowerdew helpped me understand and encouaged me when I started.

My favorites are the three Cs. Carol Klien, Chris Collins and Chris Beardshaw they always leave me inspired and enthused.

I think you have entirely missed my point Sarraceniac. All Im trying to say is I find that they all have something positive to offer, but in different ways and I try not to compare them.

It's not as simple as 'liking' or 'disliking' them.

I have never met any of them or worked with them, and therefore feel its very unfair to comment about their skills experience or personalities.

I'm very unhappy with these types of 'surveys'.

There are proper channels for reporting to the programme producers if you have points to raise about the programmes or the personalities who present them.

We also have to bear in mind that these personalities do not easily have a right of reply to the comments made on this Blog whether they are positive or negative.

To lighten things a bit guys, I guess all the presenters are being paid so much cash they are past carrying what the likes of us really think, lol.

I'd love to be able to watch any of the gardening programmes. I have not found them available on the Internet, it comes up with "unavailable if outside UK".
I have fond memories of Percy Thrower and Geoff Hamilton too. Monty Don is too recent, he appeared after I left UK.....sob,sob.
I can listen to Gardener's questiontime, the bright spot of the week!!!!
Maybe that's why us ex-pats enjoy GOY so much.

Did any of you see the delightful series "Christine's Garden?" What an absolute delight! I have longed to have a "Reg" ever since. We watched it avidly each week and it always left us with a feeling of well-being. If ever there was a "gardening guru" who extolled all that is best in gardening it is Christine Walkden and her mate, Reg. Carol Klein's good on enthusiasm too.

Dawn, UK Gardening on Sky runs repeats of gardening programs ad nauseum with entire weekends devoted to just one series. I love it (except when they run repeats of Diarmud Gavin complaining that he only has 5,000 euros to spend in 'I want a Garden' - eat your heart out £200 for an Acer - LoL.).

Nariz, I loved 'Christine's Garden'. Everybody in it seemed real in genuine situations which were solved without large injections of cash. A pity they made so few.

Chrispook. It really is a shame. I couldn't get through winter comfortably without the gardening programs.Even the ones that I don't find very interesting. (Or should I find them all interesting?)

John.

I must say i haven't watched any gardening program's for a while, but Alan T was my favourite and Christine's garden was ok too, Sven's design's were pretty good , and i loved the cockney bloke whose name I can't remember!! ill have to google bcos it will do my head in :))))

Johndman - yes I agree that Carol should have taken over - I like her. Monty, enthusiasm aside, just didn't hold any kind of credibility with me... Willing to give the new guy the benefit of the doubt for the time being ;-)

Nariz - agreed!!! Christine is just great :-D (I'd like my own Reg too!!) She sometimes appears on The One Show but always rather too briefly...

Have to admit i liked Christine's garden i thought she was great, but have to admit i enjoy all garden programes know matter who does it, although not to sure about Toby, but he is starting to grow on me, like they say every garden presenter have there own way of gardening, & i think that its what keeps us watching them, i think that Carol Klein would make a brill presenter.

YoungDD - Joe Swift? Chris Collins?

No Andrew, Matt something.. young, good looking,and a great gardener..im gonna have a look for him now :)))

This is an entertaining subject, it's got everybody "going".

I think Chistine is great, I enjoyed the programmes she made with Reg, and love her bits on the One Show. She is a genuine Northern Girl - knows how to call a spade a shovel.

She beats all this American Ellection Coverage! Or is that another can of worms?

Love Marge

Matt James, City Gardener...University Lecturer, Genuine Tree Hugger, and Gorgeous.. :)) Thanks Andrew..

Bring back Bob Flowerdew!

I was at the Malvern Spring Gardening Show last year (or was it the year before?) and was dutifully trudging through the lashing rain to view the show gardens and, to be honest, had been staring down at my feet most of the time to ensure I didn't end up in a puddle and end up with shoes filled with water, when I looked up and who was standing there in front of me? Joe Swift. I, slightly panicked by the situation, looked round and spotted a film camera. Well! Call me spineless if you will, but I turned on my heel and got the heck out of there before anyone could talk to me! Really, after a day of trudging through mud, wrapped in waterproofs, eating takeaways out of my hand - I really was NOT feeling fit for TV!!!

My husband's favourite presenter on Gardener's World was Rachel De Thame - I dont think for her gardening talents though, lol!

See what you mean Dawn. Boss Lady makes me switch channels whenever Rachel comes on. LOL.

John.

P.S.Funny that nobody has mentioned her gardening talents which actually are many. A bit like Nigella Lawson's cooking. Give me the two fat ladies anytime. LOL.

havent watched gardening prog's for a while now, kinda got fed up with them lol.
used to watch Geoff Hamilton all the time tho.
Diarmud Gavin got the contract for designing the garden at the new Dublin airport terminal, dread to think what it will look like and how much it will cost

Would you be surprised that this American Gardener has a shelf full of BBC Gardeners World. By far the best garden magazine available. Hardly known at all in the USA.

Geoff, Bob, Carol, Alan - yes, I too agree with your favorites, just from the articles I have read. I don't know about your Monty, but we have and equivalent in Seattle.

He constantly has this loud cackling laugh and acts the buffoon to the strait lady assistant. She usually does all the digging! I called him on an incredibly stupid blunder on his show... and thought nothing more. (It was very polite, but to the point.) Imagine my surprise when he wrote me back, admitting the error and was very different sounding than the shallow performer on T.V. I suspect his person is much nicer than his persona. He asked if he could visit my re-started nursery.

Not yet, I huriedly replied.

Bob Flowerdew is one person I would definately love to have lunch with. There also was a woman on that crew, who seemed to do most of the heavy work. Scrumptious lass I thought. Was that Carol, I can't remember. My following of them was in the 90's.

Great Britain certainly has its share of garden illuminaries!
We have a good one north of the border. Alan Mintner.I met him once at the UBC Botanic Gardens. It was a ghastly Dec. or January day! I was soaked and over the hill literally comes this guy bouncing along the trail. We got to talking, I had no idea of who he was at that time. We had a great time talking about the demise of their Australian, N.Z. plant display. 1984 was about the coldest artic outburst of air we ever had. 0 degrees F. and the cold snap lasted over a week. No snow cover!

They lost many of their plants, I lost all of them and had to begin anew. That was why I went to the gardens, just to get away from my own place. My temperature in the upper hills was -7 degrees F. Even "hardy" plants don't do well when they are in pots that become expanding ice cubes. It was ten days before I got one day above 32. (freezing)