Allotments 4 All

Bit dissapointed with the first show for 2005. The programme seems to be leaning more and more to the design of gardens, (especially spacious ones!) and less on the more 'everyday' gardening advice. Am I the only one who expected more on 'What to do in the garden NOW'?

And as for planting snowdrops singly, I am astounded. Otherwise it was the usual boring old stuff they always do. Be interesting to see what they do in The Alpine House, Bet you its a Crevice garden, now I wonder when they read this site. hmmmmmmm!

I always used to enjoy the programme and look forward to the next week but I certainly don't feel like that now, sadly it has lost its magic for me.

Same Theme on [ All Quiet ] ;)

From Natty Em  :)

Where the h*ll is alain<who is that substitute<isnot my cup of tea>

??? Oh dear I’m feeling a little claustrophobic or maybe because I'm an amateur gardener, I really enjoyed the Prog. I thought what a good idea splitting and re-planting single bulb crocus (or is it crocus's?) to avoid virus spreading? And having read Jerry Sanders thread on spud container growing got me hyped up on the up and coming container garden and last but not least that blank canvas awaiting a sub-tropical jungle. 8)

Deffo got me hooked, wham Bam thank you Mam. :o

I thought seeing as how they had replaced Chris Beardythingy (Tho I liked him) we would be 'getting back to basics'. Sadly, the producers are trying to cram into 'Gardeners World' the whole world of gardening. I for one don't want to see stately Homes or rolling hillsides on what should be a basic ' How to do it' gardening prog.

.

....Mind you, they have a greenhouse to die for.

I actually watched all of the programme which for me is a first for a very long time, so it cannot have been too boring.
The bulbs she was planting were Galanthus nivalis and forms in the most part.
And sorry Roy, but unless you are trying to bulk up snowdrops for sale and so not bothered about flowers, then planting them singly usually (hedge my bets there) leads to disappointment.
Virus in snowdrops is actually very rare. And (starting sentences with 'and' is bad grammar) some of the clumps in my garden may well have been undisturbed for 30 years, perhaps even as long as 70 and when I looked I could not find a single unflowered bulb.
Oh and "must be planted in the green" is a bit of a mis-statement too.  Snowdrop bulbs can be moved at any time of the year and at any stage of growth with little difficulty. What should be avoided is letting them dry out as they do in Garden Centres etc.
Sad really as I have always found Ms Klein to be very interesting and her gardening operations extremely watchable.

Quote from: Roy Bham UK on February 25, 2005, 22:24:01
And having read Jerry Sanders thread on spud container growing got me hyped up on the up and coming container garden and last but not least that blank canvas awaiting a sub-tropical jungle. 8)

Talking of clumps they are pulling Ms Klein's hair out in clumps on the Beeb thread. I realise now she made a boo boo (or did she?) after reading the replies from some keen gardeners over there. :o
And I promise I won’t display no more bad gramma again. 8)

It is a shame really, because having watched Ms Klein on other progs I have been very impressed with her knowledge and her enthusiasm.  She was fantastic in 'Real Gardeners' as was Monty Don too.  I dont know who writes the script for GW but I think it is that thats flat not so much the presenters.  As for getting down to basics,,, welllllll how many times do you need to be shown how to take cuttings and how to plant this or that.  If that is all that was shown you would soon get fed up.  I love the variety in the programme.  Yes they do show big wild sprawling gardens but you also get the idea of smaller ones with the different 'rooms'  at Berryfields.   Come on guys give em a chance!!!!

I feel a little left out as I don;t have a tv! I would like to see the Clwb Garddio (gardening club programme in Welsh on S4C) show, and their garden which is not too far from us in this corner of North Wales. Have you been there Mary?

At least I can listen to GQT.

Big black cloud so no gardening this morning  :'(

No never been there Mia.  When you find out when the open day is perhaps we could go??

be interesting to see how it progresses throughout the year, i suppose they had to give an overview of 'this is what we are planning' in the first programme, and we will see the 'nitty gritty' of each over the weeks as they progress. think the container veg garden will appeal, interested also in their 'jungle garden'.
sadly missing Chris though, not much explanation of his absence. i'm afraid joe swift gets on my nerves terribly, as does RdT, monty and carol are ok, although i would prefer sarah raven.
think they have a difficult job covering everything- as you can't please everyone all of the time.

Quote:... As for getting down to basics,,, welllllll how many times do you need to be shown how to take cuttings and how to plant this or that...unquote;
There are garden matters that come around on a cycle, and where it might be 'boring' to learn how to chit spuds every year, I'd rather watch 30 seconds of that and other annual chores mixed with ongoing attention to what was planted last year than take a 10/15 minute walk through someone elses 50 acres. And let's not forget, it's the basics that new people need to know from the programme to learn how to get started, if we simply progressed from year one to a fully fledged garden, then the programme is going to exclude ALL newbies.

Everyone  as lost me now being new...Roy is Talking about Crocus

Palustris talking about Snowdrops [  is that part of the crocus Family too] ???

Have'nt watched a Gardening Programme for a very very long time so which really is the Best to learn from!!

Poor Multiveg  as no TV :o

Kenkew is absolutely right about the Greenhouse..would love to find that in my Christmas stocking.  8)

Poor Ruud he is missing...Allen!!!  Who !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Other than that its seems we all enjoyed it in some shape or form :D

                            mike

I too was disappointed with GW last night.  Was under the impression that it was an hourly programme now, but obviously mistaken.  At first glance, I was a bit disappointed with their projects.  In fact, "Jungle" -  the viewers nomination was a surprising choice but who knows as it is developed I might change my mind. My OH has sent away for some Dahlias seeds to take part in the trials.

I suppose it is a bit premature to judge one programme on the coming years ediitions, and in a few months  I might be raving about it.  First impressions though were not fantastic.  Trying to be fair, it might be that the relationship between them all will warm, but there didn't seem any natural chemistry between any of the presenters.  I also found it difficult to understand Carol Klein - her voice was indistinct and grated on me a little (this coming from a Geordie).  However, as I say lets see how it develops.   :) busy_lizzie     

I think I have never seen so much C**P in my life as that programme last night. But nice to see that are licence money as allowed them to have four presenters now instead of last seasons three, poor sods have got about 7 minutes each now to get through. As for the info on snowdrops what planet does she come from, I have always planted bulbs and as yet have had no trouble with them. Bet Percy Thrower is turning in is grave.

I miss Chris not being on.  :'(

There are too many presenters. Monty and an occasional guest could carry that programme, and the garden is too tidy by half.:-)...p.s.  some more messageboards gorn... ...shades of yesterday.

Hi Richard :D
You´ve struck a note..............I do remember Percy Thrower.........my God thats some time ago ah!!! ;D

Woah! New gardeners world! Where to start? The snowdrops subject has got the experts falling out of their prams! I could tear it all to shreds but having just watched it again it all looks so lovely so why be like that. Anyway I bought  my onion sets and seed potatoes today.

I think the problem with GW is that they only have half an hour and have to try to include basic stuff as well as cater for people who've been gardening for years. Another problem is that in gardening as in so much else in life, however you do something, there's always someone else who does it differently and thinks theirs is the only way. The only writer/broadcaster I've ever found practically infallible is Christopher Lloyd.

I was a bit surprised about the planting snowdrops singly cos I've always split mine into small clumps and that seems to work fine, but it comes to the same thing in the end, you'd just have to wait a bit longer for one bulb to become a clump.  I thought the point of the 'rolling acres' garden was to show that hellebores and aconites flower now, as well as snowdrops. Someone who has a large garden is more likely to have grown different varieties and be able to talk about them.

Talking of hellebores, I don't know if it's just my branch of B&Q or whether this has happened nationwide, but some doubles seem to have got in among the singles, and I bought a lovely primrose yellow double there the other day for £6.98 (as opposed to £12 - £20 charged elsewhere).

My remedy for GW would be to have separate programmes for complete beginners and for the more advanced. Or an hour-long programme with perhaps 10-15 minutes devoted to some basic skill relevant to the time of year. There must be at least 30-minutes worth of rubbish they could cut out of the schedule elsewhere to make space.

Sue

Quote from: Roy Bham UK on February 25, 2005, 22:24:01
I thought what a good idea splitting and re-planting single bulb crocus (or is it crocus's?) to avoid virus spreading?

Well spotted TULIP-23 where on earth did I get mixed up with Crocus ???...well I am a newbie :-[

Thank you Roy ;)

Shows I´m learning from everyone and paying attention  Hahahaha 8)
                             Mike

Sue M :)
Some very good points there
In respect of Novice or Beginners 8)
Send it in to GW                   Mike

for all you Chris fans here, EJ and others, i came across his website the other day.
all the w's, chrisbeardshaw dot com. nice pictures :P.

This week on GW.
"This week in Gardeners' World, Monty makes a start on pruning the fruit trees at Berryfields, while Rachel de Thame begins on the construction of a new alpine house and rockery. Chris Beardshaw returns to the programme for a special report on an impressive camellia collection in Cornwall."

Nice to see Chris back, if only visiting. But why does he have to take us on a trip? Stay in the garden Chris!