TV tonight

[borderbabe]

Just a reminder about the new series on Kew Gardens and Carol Klein and her veggies. Saw her on Breakfast TV this Morning! 8pm and 8.30pm on BBC2 enjoy!

[mickthecactus]

Hooray - something decent at last.

[Plocket]

Oooooh thanks for point that out BB - I love the Kew programmes!

[Deleted]

Thanks for that - I must remember to set the video

[Deleted]

Thanks for reminder, I'd given up on Friday gardening night.

[Chuckles]

Thanks BB will have to set the vid, don't want to miss it. I did wonder wether it would be repeated on BBC3 or 4 but can't see it listed

[Plocket]

I'm going to have to watch it because we've mucked up on too many recordings in the last couple of weeks. The Strictly Come Dancing Special didn't record, and I forgot to record the one-off Green Wing Christmas Special.

[Dutchy]

Yippee it is a new series then.
And carol and her veg, great. Friday nights are getting better again.

[Deleted]

Was it just me or was Carol Klein's programme complete rubbish ?

The new "Year at Kew" was good though.

FA x

[4pygmies]

I don't think it was exactly rubbish but there certainly wasn't very much information in there was there? I like Carol Klein, and think she's a fantastic gardener but I do hope the series gets a bit more grounded than this first programme. It was quite jumbled and what was with the 1970's soundtrack? Nice to hear all those old tracks but a bit of a strange choice I thought.
I'll keep watching it anyway!

[Deleted]

Sorry 4P, I should have clarified my comment. I thought it was rubbish because, as you say, there was very little in the way of information or substance.

I was hoping for a bit more "this is what you plant at this time of year, this is how you plant it, this is how you look after it, this is when you harvest it" kind of info.

I want to make a veggie patch either in my current garden or the next one and I was hoping it was going to be more of a "veg gardening for beginners" type of thing.

FA x

[4pygmies]

I think you're quite right Tarquin!X

I was thinking about this in the middle of the night whilst waiting for smallest to go back to sleep....why do they keep doing these "rose-tinted" programmes about gardening? Lots of happy, healthy folk digging gently in the sunshine followed by "glorious" happy healthy produce full of happy health giving goodness! Do they think people can't cope with the fact that gardening is hard work? That it can be muddy, wet, cold and frustrating? Don't they have any faith in their viewers? Isn't anyone capable of watching actual "reality" anymore? Instead they give us these warped, twisted grotesques who are on TV because they want their fifteen minutes of fame followed by some financial reward which is ludicrously over-inflated and in no way a reflection of anyone's skill, talent or personality.
The whole point about growing your own organically is that it is genuinely rewarding, involves learning new skills, teaches you huge amounts of humility, renews your sense of wonder and is good for you and the Earth. I'd have thought that was more than enough! There is no need for all this ridiculous soft focus jollity and pumped up sunshiny nonsense!
Blimey, sorry.....shutting up now.

[Deleted]

What irkd me the most about the program was that it showed things like Carol digging a trench out for her spuds when she quite obviously was just doing it for show for the cameras and when she was supposedly putting in a bloomin great post to hold up..........something (can't remember what).....and she was hitting the top of the post with the gentlest taps I've ever seen and we were supposed to believe she had hammered the bloody thing into the ground. Like you say, why can't they show things how they really are so that people can make up their own minds on an informed basis instead of showing it all sunny, nicey, jolly, hunky-dory type of way.

FA x

[Juliet]

fatandy said:

I was hoping for a bit more "this is what you plant at this time of year, this is how you plant it, this is how you look after it, this is when you harvest it" kind of info.

Me too.

I also wanted to shoot the camera & sound people. When will these idiots get it into their heads that people watch gardening programmes (or history programmes or nature programmes or whatever) because they are interested in the subject - and therefore do not need novelty camera-work or loud bursts of music (often drowning out what someone is saying!) every 2 seconds to keep their attention?!

[Plocket]

I too was hoping for a bit more of "this is what you plant, when and how" - but Carol's excitement at harvesting the spuds was lovely! I would have liked to have seen what a Jerusalem Artichoke plant looks like too, rather than just hear Carol talk about them. I can't say I'll be tuning in every week though.

I did think the family that were chosen were lovely though, but what a shame for all the other families who must have applied, not living close enough to Carol for her regular attentions. I do hope we are going to see the results of their work - all we've really seen is them preparing the plot and doing a trench. I hope we see them actually growing and harvesting stuff.

It was lovely to see the new Kew Series though, and "meet" new people there. I thought the fungus find was great although I was convinced it wasn't going to be a rare species. And the compost heap was amazing! Now I wonder if they have a rat problem 4P ?

[Deleted]

Actually Plocket, I applied !! I was told that it wouldn't be worth them filming me/us because we would only have a small plot and they already had a "what can you grow in a small plot" bit.

Did we really need the close-up's on Carol's face as well ? I'm sure someone somewhere thinks she's a "looker" but personally I think she's been bashed with the ugly bat and I'd rather look at a close-up of a jerusalem artichoke than her wrinkled face !!

FA x

[Deleted]

I recorded the programme only to find it recorded only 4 mins at the end, dammit. Anyone know when a rerun will be on??

[MamIDdau]

pmsl FA... did she hit every branch of the ugly tree on her way down and then went up for another go?

[Deleted]

Yep. And then she overdosed on ugly pills too.......

FA x

[Plocket]

Ooooo FA MIEAW!!!!! She's not that bad! And at least she's chirpy and cheerful - not like so many people on TV. I'd rather look at Carol than Jordan any day ;D

So what do these Jerry Artichokes taste like then? Has anyone eaten them?

[grannyjanny]

Hi Plocket. Happy New Year to you & yours. I've had jerusalem artichokes. I enjoy them. I add them to soups & roast them with lots of other root veg. Lovely. They have a sort of earthy nutty taste.
BTW did I here on the news today that this summer is going to be worse (IMO) than last. I do hate having to hibernate.
Has LP settled back at school?
Janet.

[Dr Bill]

We used to grow Jerusalem artichokes at our previous house (we moved 22 years ago!). They are very persistent and became something of a weed.

They are very tasty, but such a b****r to peel that we got a bit cheesed of with them. Not eaten them since.

[Plocket]

Hia Janet and DrBill - thanks for the info about the Jerusalem artichokes - I'm not sure I've got space to give them a go if they are that rampant! I wonder if they would be happy in a large tub though?? Hum, that's something for me to think about!

Happy New Year to you too Janet! LP was pleased to be going back to school but has only had one day back so far: for some reason they returned on Friday. Normal hours next week and I'll be able to try and find some sort of routine. My list of jobs to be done is lengthening!!! ;D

[Cheerypeabrain]

Well although I agree with many of the comments (not the ones about Carol not being a beauty...cos I think she's a good old stick) BUT the programme did sort of nudge my OH into giving me a bit more space in the garden for a veg patch. He's not keen on gardening, but watched the programme to keep me company, and HE quite enjoyed it! He's already talking about what he's going to grow...(there's going to be a punch up over that) ;D

So I thought it was a lovely programme....praps there ought to be another one as well for 'grown-up' gardeners..but we'd prolly moan about that one too.....

[Juliet]

I was in Waterstones today so I had a look at the book which accompanies the Carol Klein series: www.amazon.co.uk/Grow-Your-Own-Veg-Rhs/dp/1845332938/sr=11-1/qid=1168291299/ref=sr_11_1/203-4748470-0443119
- looks much more useful than the programme - lots of basic practical info.

[Spruance]

I enjoyed Carol's programme. IMHO there's not nearly enough programming for new gardeners these days. It was also nice to see Carol in a relaxed environment without having to keep looking over her shoulder to see if MD was on the prowl.

The preceding A Year at Kew with the irrepressible Mr. Titchmarsh made for a very enjoyable hour's viewing.

[Chuckles]

Thanks Spruance you just reminded me I haven't watched it yet.

Now where did I put the video

Found it, blast I didn't realise Alan was on before it, just seen the credits

[Deleted]

fatandy said:

and when she was supposedly putting in a bloomin great post to hold up..........something (can't remember what).....and she was hitting the top of the post with the gentlest taps I've ever seen and we were supposed to believe she had hammered the bloody thing into the ground. FA x

Now that did make me laugh - she wasn't tall enough she should have stood on a chair ;D

I liked the program but didn't realise it wasn't the start of a new series

[Cheerypeabrain]

A New Year at Kew and Carol's Grow Your Own is on again tonight....8pm onwards beeb 2...well it's GARDENING ent it?

[Deleted]

Thanks for that reminder Cheery!! I had forgotten about the Kew program