Allotments 4 All
General => News => Topic started by: gwynnethmary on April 07, 2010, 21:26:25
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Just finished watching- found it reasonably enjoyable, but not at all informative, and I the film reel effect they kept popping in a bit irritating! I suppose it was meant to be arty-clarty!
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i totally agree with you! and it was pretty much as i expected it to be,nice enough but.......
still on a positive note it would be nice to think its gonna encourage those that have never tried growing their own to do so :)
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The Radio Times wrote...It's a teeth-strippingly twee programme, with its fey little animations , faux rickety-home-movie inserts and breathy indie-ballads on the soundtrack, while Alys herself comes across as a horticultural Bridget Jones.
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A little bit pretentious and ever so focussed on Alys. I watched it on i player just after "the beechgrove garden". chalk and cheese really!
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I thought she has rather nice hair.
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Rather disappointing, especially after watching Beechgrove.
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A nice idea, but again for newbie growers. Apart from the blackfly on the broad beans, little mention of plant pests and other growing problems. :(
Ninny
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Sorry, I didn't realise it was a gardening programme. I thought it was a programme about Alys and her dog. Everthing else was incidental.
Shall not be bothering with the rest of the series.
valmarg
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Thanks for mentioning Beechgrove- that was much better!
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i played it on i player
for 8 minutes ::)
another programme that throws money at it and trys to be some cool concept,doesnt work with me,i like grubby hands and methods when it comes to growing vegetables??im 29 just and have been into gardening from childhood,passed down from my father and grandfather,rather than through a book like the latest crop of presenters
funny though as i live 2 mins away from kingsheath park,can i help myself over there now? or do i need a bbc pass and a "friend" ? ;D
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s08bx
I just finished watching it on the PC (because it clashes with the kids bedtime) I enjoyed it, I'm pleased they actually showed the produce being made into food and eaten.
However her garden looked far too wild for me, must have been a nightmare to weed.
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She mentioned a good variety of purple french climbing bean but I could bot hear what it was. I think if could have flashed up on screen. It was interesting that none of the friends was asked to comment on the pea cocktail. I thought my garden was a bit of a jungle but it is well organised in comparison with Alyss's wilderness.
But actually not as bad as gardeners world.
What and where do I find Beechgrove?
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The "Don't pee there, Izzy," to the dog all the time got on my nerves!
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Found Beechgrove on iplayer. Much better. Many thanks.
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Forced myself through the d**n thing! That's 30 mins of my life wasted! Apparently it was about peas and beans? eh! I just want a prog that teaches me something..anything - Ill give the rest if the series a miss..
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I watched it on iplayer last night. Thought some of the camera work was annoying and there didn't seem to be much information on actually growing veg!
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...yep..it about getting into "mood" of gardening... 8)..not about doing the gardening... ::)
..and what really irritates me is that they all using these hand writing scenes in programs..like in Jamie at home etc...has BBC run out of ideas...?
Why don't they do just straight forward filming..if they want to do something arty...show in between shots "when things go wrong" scenes... ::)..they never do that..
Soon newbie gardeners think that everyhing should go perfectly all the time... ::)
::) ::)..oh..I'm starting my day well.. ;D ;D..that's better.. ;)
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I like the Beechgrove Garden its like stepping back in time :) ;D I watch it on BBC Scotland on SKY
Duke
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I thought it was good for a newish veg gardner like myself. well its better than Gardners world. will be looking on the iplayer for Beechgrove to see if it changes my opinion. :-\
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I Googled "teeth-strippingly twee" and it came straight up :D
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00721bz
Link for Beechgrove Garden program/s
I liked that too, will definitely watch it again.
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I Googled "teeth-strippingly twee" and it came straight up :D
and second on the list is this thread ;D - google is quick these days..
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I like the Beechgrove Garden its like stepping back in time :) ;D I watch it on BBC Scotland on SKY
Duke
What channel is that on sky, please?
Weed-Digga
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i liked it!
Alys is a real gardener and i think she deserves this show!
It's entertainment after all and I think it is targetted at new veggie growers and the first show is pleasant and not too hardcore so that people will try stuff - even in their own back gardens
lets face it - us lot are the allotmenteers - we plants the seed and nature does the rest
most people in the UK don't know one end of a spade from the other
this programme will help change that - just like Jamie Oliver made it cool for young men to bish bash bosh in the kitchen.
i hope so anyway
do you like my new picture?
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I finally watched it today ......
I didn't like it. I found it a bit boring. Might have something to do with the presenter. I have never liked her and was hoping I would like her more in a show of her own.
However I think its an okay show for those that have little or no vegetable growing knowledge.
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Weed Digga its on channel 990 on Sky.
I havnt watched The Edible Garden or Beechgrove Garden yet. Ive sky+ both and will hopefully watch them over the weekend.
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Thanks :)
Weed-Digga
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Just watched gardners world on T.V then watched beachgrove on the iplayer. what a difference!!! beachgrove is way better than G.W and the Edible garden. The BBC Scotts have defo got it right when it comes to a gardening programme. thanks posties for letting me know about beachgrove ;D
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I liked the frames they made for the plants, wouldn't mind a go at them
marg
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Does anyone know which was which with Alys's chickens please.
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just watched Beechgrove on i player (thanks mortality) it was far better then the stuff they give us in the south, down to earth (no pun intended) and factual
marg
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"She mentioned a good variety of purple french climbing bean but I could not hear what it was"
I watched with subtitles: "Nectar Queen".
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I thought the radio times got it right for the edible garden. I won't be watching that again.
Thanks so much for the link to Beechgrove - a brilliant prog imho which I will be iplaying again.
Alison
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I think Alys mistook the name of the bean variety. I've grown Neckar Queen and Google certainly seems to favour it over Nectar Queen.
Thank you for the link to Beechgrove - what a marvellously old-fashioned and soothing programme that is! So straightforward. :)
I think many of us gardeners are exposed to so much information and stimulation in the course of a normal day that we look to our gardening for gentle relaxation and want gardening programmes to echo that calming effect (but without actually hypnotising us!).
I found The Edible Garden made me wish for that lovely, quiet gardener on the Jamie Oliver seasonal food series. Jamie hung on his every word and so did I, even though a lot of the info he was offering was familiar.
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I think Alys mistook the name of the bean variety. I've grown Neckar Queen and Google certainly seems to favour it over Nectar Queen.
Neckar Queen iseems to be a green bean not purple. Were yours like her beans they seemed to me to be large flat and purple.
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I found The Edible Garden made me wish for that lovely, quiet gardener on the Jamie Oliver seasonal food series. Jamie hung on his every word and so did I, even though a lot of the info he was offering was familiar.
I liked him too. :)
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'Teeth-strippingly twee' Yes! I find Alys too irritating with her faux-hippy ways. Bet she goes to Glastonbury with Cath Kidston wellies.
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'Teeth-strippingly twee' Yes! I find Alys too irritating with her faux-hippy ways. Bet she goes to Glastonbury with Cath Kidston wellies.
have to say I agree. :(
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The Edible Garden wasn't my cup of tea - but many many thanks for mentioning Beechgrove.
Have just seen episode one on iplayer, and thoroughly enjoyed the fast pace - they managed to pack so much into the programme, and although a lot of it wasn't new to me, the information was delivered in such a matter of fact way, and so succinctly, that I found it thoroughly enjoyable. Learned such a lot about the different gardening conditions - we certainly do have it easy down south!
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Oops - it's a long time since I've grown Neckar Queen, so I've checked and, sure enough, it is a green cultivar, not a purple one. Thanks, Digeroo. :) The variety Alys was recommending remains a mystery to me, even after Googling it a second time.
Yes, jennym, I agree - Beechgrove is fast-paced and a lot of practical, up-to-the-minute info was included. Yet it was very relaxing to watch - paradoxical, isn't it?
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i think Alys has some good practices of reusing things, organic, compost etc. the program was good showing people how easy it is to grow in their own garden (especially as there is a shortage of allotments) and that it can look good. my daughter (teenager) watched the programe with me on i player and she enjoyed it. I will be watching it with her as it seems to have captured her interest. also how fantastic a woman gardener with her own gardening series (may not be what i want to watch! but good for her)
the BBC does not cater for people who already have any depth of horticultural knowledge, i think these programs are to inspire new growers, it' the whole lifestyle thing. but at least its a positive image and my daughter laughingly tells me that i am fashionable now!
there will be some BBC researcher who browses these forums, so please make programes for people not new to horticulture.
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I had put it on a record on my sky plus box but after watching 1st programme I shall be deleting it. No information at all just an airy fairy girl poncing around her back garden. My husband says that there should be a gardening programme focused on just allotment growing seeing as how it is becoming more popular. How informative and watchable would that be???
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well it may interest new growers..but do they really learn much...if you haven't done any gardening at all or little you don't pick much practical advice out of this program other than wondering around your plants with totally unpractical close on for gardening...now if you wan't learn how to show you knickers to your neighbour..... ;D ::)
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Well I had to go and have a look at these programmes on iplayer just to see what everyone was on about.
And I think Fi and a few others have summed it up for me. Not a programme designed for me, but maybe it will get a few more people thinking about trying a few veggies in their gardens. That's how I started, a few herbs, some strawberries, stuff in pots etc and I gradually ran out of room and got myself an allotment.
Besides there is so much info on the web and in books as to the actual details of sowing, planting etc that if anyone is interested they can find it themselves
1066
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s1lc8
Just watched the second Edible Garden program, to do with salad veg, I liked it, definitely better than the first one, shame about her tomatoes :-\.
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Watched it for the first time yesterday, will not be watching any more. As for her reclaimed window "greenhouse" holding 1 tomato plant -"it only cost me £150" but she would only buy her tomato plants at the car boot sale to save money - pretentious tosh! and then - well shame about the tomatoes and blight but "I'm never growing them again" is hardly going to encourage anyone else to give it a try.
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...and why is she bothering George all the time?..taking chaps food..
I thought she was going to grow it all..it is one way of being self-sufficient ::)..
And why is she bying all the stuff?..for the price of the plants she could get the seeds and those packets will last for her couple or years at least!
How difficult it is to pick blight resistant variety of tomato, sow few seed and grow them to a plants..now that is what she should show for newbies!!! >:(
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Give George his own tv show it would be far more interesing! He probably is wondering who is this strange woman, why is she taking my tomatoes ;D ;D
I loved Alys's statement "I have never made nettle beer before" !! I think it would be better to have said "I have never tasted nettle beer before"
I am getting so fed up of these *selling a lifestyle* type of tv shows!
Duke
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at least she gets her hands dirty though ;D
seriously, no info about slugs and snails on salads, what does she do to stop them? ???
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Enjoyed Edible Garden more this episode- I think I'll make some nettle feed for my tomatoes. Beechgrove still gets my vote though!
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at least she gets her hands dirty though ;D
seriously, no info about slugs and snails on salads, what does she do to stop them? ???
Oh yes..that too..pricking out lettuce seedlings with fingers!!Most of us would have used dibber, pencil or some sort of stick...but fingers.. ::)..now I wonder how many roots were there left in those little lettuces...
If she has horticultural training..I'm sure that she has never been tought to do that...!
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(Finally) watched the first program on our pvr last night - I can't say it had no appeal, but I really don't know how she could say it was about peas and beans as it seemed to convey almost no information, for either beginners or more experienced gardeners. She could have said so much on the subject, not just on cultivating the veg but also why they might appeal to people who are growing for the first time, including kitchen and food value sort of things, or even dropped a hint here and there.
Definitely a taster, rather than the way to go.
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Hi Y'All
Fi, You mentioned the one keyword which describes what this programme (and Gardeners World to some extent) is all about. 'Lifestyle'. Alys is merely feeding a need to keep up with the latest fad. Everyone's 'gone green', et an allotment, dig a bit, stick up some pretty (expensive) supports throw in some bean plants, a sweet pea or two, and of course some trendy tomatoes. Go away, and return some weeks later to find birds, weather and weeds have done their thing. Become disillusioned and go home to grow potatoes on the patio or salads in boxes instead cos it's not such hard work.
The secret of 'sustainability' and the upkeep of a 'viable' allotment is not to keep up with what is 'trending' right now. It is a mixture of common sense, good husbandry (is that now considered sexist?) and hard work. Oh and you really do have to go to your allotment more than once every fortnight! Alys is merely providing a 'lifestyle choice' - and will last till the next best thing comes along.
Regards, Caro
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Just watched GW and Beechgrove (Iplayer), ok I guess not much about veg gardening though. ::)
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Its an OK lifestyle program and has given me some ideas. You shouldn't really knock another gardening program as there isn't enough as it is, I do agree with the guy who wants an Allotment program.
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Put me down as a Beechgrove fan much better than GW.
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Thank you Thank you Thank you to everyone here who has helped me get back to The Beechgrove Garden. I used to watch it when I lived at home, and mum often asks if I've seen it, but I have to remind her that it's not on English BBC. ( But that's a whole other confusion - it's BBC so I must se the same progs.....) I luv Jim McColl.
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Just watched the third, 'The Edible Garden' and I agree with Duke, give George and Mr Singh their own allotment show. ;D
I still find it nice to watch even if it all looks like a jungle !!
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Someone described the presenter to me as 'a cross between Charlie Dimmock and Sophie Dahl' Although that said, last night I did start to wonder if I should maybe get some rhubarb and grow it in the somewhat wild border I have. Hadn't even considered it before. Is showing things that don't work (her tomato) so bad? Better maybe than some other 'perfect' gardening programmes where everything always works and they never have so much as a dandelion to compete with? The message would have been better if it had come across as 'sometimes things go wrong but don't be disheartened, work our what caused the problem and try again next year' instead of the toys-out-of-pram 'I'm never growing tomatoes again'!
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Poor George again.... ::)That girl will eat his allotment empty...
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I'm not watching it, but I'd say showing things going wrong could be good if they explain what happened and how to avoid getting the same problem yourself.
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It's growing on me, but I do agree that George and Mr Singh would make an interesting programme. I love the look of Alys' garden, but it would drive me crazy having to hunt for stuff all the time- I do like the idea of hiding susceptible veg among the flowers to fool the birds!
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What about last night...?..she was dividing strawberry plants....?
No mention about runners...? Only strawberry I would divide is alpine type as they do not "run"....and again it was more foraging and "scrumping" than about her edibles... ::)
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Found myself yawning at the arty shots of the apples.
She has never been a fave of mine but I did feel at one with her when she dug up the spuds and she kept saying she had done it to early and hard to resist.
I have been in that place too ;D
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its getting more annoying for me,but i was pleased to discover something i didnt know before last night..cutting down just one half of the raspberry canes only will prolong harvest,useful tip there! my OH and I were p*****g ourselves when she said you can forage for stuff,you just have to know where to look then strode on to what was clearly someone elses lottie!
I say its getting more annoying but I wont be missing any episodes!
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I watched the latest programme on fruit with particular interest because, as a food writer, I specialise in fruit cookery (along with veg and other British and seasonal foods). I found the sketchy approach more frustrating than in previous programmes because I know that if you liquidise stewed bullaces or other small plums for preserving without removing the stones, you will get bits of stone in your preserve. In fruit leather, this means nasty, sharp little bits in your mouth. :P
I also found it irritating when Alys made 'damson cheese' that was not a fruit cheese in the traditional sense. If the Beeb had been making a programme on, say, Italian cookery, they'd have made sure they didn't call a focaccia a pizza or, in a programme on Indian cookery, call a chapati a nan. A fruit cheese is high-pectin preserve that is moulded in small, straight-sided containers and turned out - just like a cheese is turned out, when made from milk. It's not something you can spread on a slice of bread; it's something you cut into slices, just like the Spanish quince cheese known as membrillo.
It's a couple of years since I did some work for the BBC - perhaps it's time I got in touch to offer a more thorough, detailed and experienced approach to cooking the fruit and vegetables that thrive in our gardens. ;D ;D ;D
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"perhaps it's time I got in touch to offer a more thorough, detailed and experienced approach to cooking the fruit and vegetables that thrive in our gardens. "
..and while you are at it..can you just nip in to gardening department and ask new gardening program ..sort of old style GW... ;D ;) ..please....
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maybe using Beechgrove as a model? ;D
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Poor George again.... ::)That girl will eat his allotment empty...
Very funny - he always looks a little besumed by the poncy hippy with token dog
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I bet George would give his last pair of socks for her is asked... ::)
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I found the raspberry pruning interesting and I like the idea of the fruit leather although yes I think removing the stones would be a good idea.
Mmmm in the intro when she says she has a small surburban garden 20' by 60' eeer that just happens to be the size of my lotty
marg
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"her lovely edible garden"....everybody's elses is her's too.. ::)..
Marg...I bet you grow tons of more stuff in same space ;)
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Fruit leather is delicious. I have a dehydrator and sometimes use it to make mixed summer fruit leather or perhaps quince leather, to give people for Christmas. It's always much appreciated. :)
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It is growing on me. We have loads of spare discovey apples so will be trying dying the apple rings. Never heard of fruit leather before so iwill be giving that a go too. Do you have to add sugar? Does it work with rhubarb.
Not so sure about the inner city scrumping or scrimmaging. Though a lot of fruit simply goes to waste.
If it makes younger people start to try growing things it will be a good thing.
But I also would like a decent gardening programme.
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A better program this time, fruit stuff was interesting, but the fruit leathers taking 8 hours to 'cook' made me think ouch electric bill... :-\
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Yes, I tend to put the dehydrator on when the weather's chilly, as a central heating substitute - it's like having a fan heater on a low setting, blowing warm air into the room. The bonus is that the air smells of whatever you're drying - the only kind of air freshener I'd want! ;D
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rubbish. total garbage. and no, i do not want a programme about allotment growing as I am SICK SICK SICK of 'grow your own'
GW - 4 idiots 4 idiots.
All lifestyle pap and the imbeciles who infest my site lap it up. idle, useless would be trendoids who who faint if they actually had to bestir themselves to really 'grow your own' instead of mucking about on sunny weekends with their horrid offspring.
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;D ;D....ok campanula?... ;D ;D
My step-father-in-law asked today if I like the program ::)....he thinks she is so clever and nice ::)...you should have seen his face when I let all my thoughts about her out ;D ;D
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the imbeciles who infest my site lap it up. idle, useless would be trendoids who who faint if they actually had to bestir themselves to really 'grow your own' instead of mucking about on sunny weekends with their horrid offspring.
Are you OK? You sound very angry!
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Watched the programme for the first time tonight...I thought it was ok, but then I love mixtures of veg, fruit, herbs and flowers in a garden, and that was the focus of this evenings programme. Didn't relly learn anything new, but it was a pleasant enough viewing!
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i know alys can be annoying at times,but come on girls...her outburst tonight re last summers rain..and i quote...*ive broken my heart my back and my nails over this garden* love it,and i empathise!
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Reminded me of camping in the Lake District........I was a bit like that ;D
Emotions running high ;D Chill...it is meant to be enjoyable this grow your own lark
I refuse to get in a state over a few veg. ;D
I enjoyed the prog but it is def a lifestyle thingy.........all that munching on flowers would not suit my OH when he comes in and hopes to see something to eat on the table.May try an experiment and wait for the reaction.
Happy Gardening everybody ;D
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*ive broken my heart my back and my nails over this garden* love it,and i empathise!
Pah..hmm..no emphathy from me....if she would have "broken" her back over that garden there would not have any nails left to be broken in first place ::) ::)
...no..she is not a worker..that girl ain't..she just like to potter about...
Her hear might be challenged with all that rain..I'll give her that..Mine would/have been last few summers but that's it... ::)..nature takes..nature gives...win one.. loose one.. ;D
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May try an experiment and wait for the reaction.
I can imagine, if it is anything like it would be here!! ;)
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not a lot
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Hello!
I agree about the film thing being annoying. but I have got a few interesting ideas from it. Like the printed fabric thing. As far as the bullaces go, I have one of those attachments for the Kenwood K-Beater. It's a mouli so pushes the pulp through and leaves the seeds separate. Saves spending hours pushing fruit pulp through a sieve (which is how I used to do it before I got that mouli attachment.
I also found it odd that at one point Alys appeared to be barefoot in her chicken coop :-X