Gardeners World

[Biggles]

Yes I thought it was a nice 'touch' to have a seasoned allotment holder show Joe how to plant onions. and the 'tip' of making a ridge either side was helpful and explained why--
The programme went too quickly for me, I wish it was an hour long.

[Auricula]

Hate the "tickling" and too much emphasis on veg growing for my personal taste.....but......still a VAST improvement over the programmes of the last few years. Would love an hour though

[Tig]

I will be the voice of dissent then - I was bored ...

Hardly made any notes

x Tig

[Chuckles]

I've just watched it on the BBC iPlayer. I really love all the little tips and small details they cram into the programme because there is always something to learn in gardening no matter how long you've been doing it.

Useful bits for me in this episode were the leaves Carol was planting were grown in individual cells, I always sow too thick so I'll be giving that a try. Loved the way he did that spiral for the tulips, how easy was that There is a good mix for most I reckon and it's good to see stuff like taking turf up in spade size clumps and showing how to prepare ground for planting the box hedging was good. Not sure 30 mintues is enough though, it does all seem a bit rushed at times

The use of flowers was quite interesting to see but maybe not my cuppa. All a bit fiddly and faffy cutting up all those petals for the cake, although it looked scrummy. The ice bowl looked great but again too fiddly for me.

[Chuckles]

Must try and watch it on the TV tonight instead of later on the PC, if I get the remote that is Hope your'e not bored tonight Tig ;D this is the blurb for tonights prog

"The team start preparing for a premature spring. Toby Buckland plants early alpine tulips and, together with Alys Fowler, rejuvenates the lilac in the Spring Garden. Joe Swift moves comfrey on his allotment as he begins to re-order his plots ready for next year's crops, and Carol Klein lifts and divides centauras at her Devon home "

I assume "re-order his plots " means crop rotation, that will be useful for me

[Barbara]

I watched some old ones yesterday with AT in charge, oh the difference. it just felt right. I'm not against this Toby, but the gardens are't there's, and I think thats the difference.

[Tig]

The half hour went very quickly - Joes bit wasn't that interesting

The cloche building reminder was very good - although I don't know where to get that plastic hose from in my neck of the woods? £20 per cloche is a bit more than my limited budget extends to, I would need to scavenge some wood.

Alys sowing seeds <shrug> (she was using the same seeds as fb though - then Toby treading on the soil in the raised bed <another shrug>

Carols bit was good.

Not having a greenhouse I don't do early spring bulbs - but I'm sure others found that interesting

Overall, I still enjoyed the prog

x Tig

[Barbara]

I've just read an article by carole, in it she said she would have loved to present GW, she joked she had hit the grass ceiling.

[Auricula]

We'd never seen that plastic hose stuff either!!! Also, did you notice that when the cloche was used it had 3 struts and folded plastic ends - a touch of "here's one I made earlier!!" ;D ;D
A much better programme now than ever it was with Monty Don at the helm

[purplejulia]

Just watched Friday's Gardeners World. I thought it was better this week than last. Maybe I will have a go at Sweet Potatoes next year - got to be better than Joe's grown on his allotment.

Also interested in the planters made from Cherry tree logs. We had to to have the old Cherry tree taken down when we moved to the new house in 2006 as it was diseased and was in danger of falling down. Have a few large pieces of trunk that would be ideal if I (OH) can manage to grind out the middle like Toby did. Fancy having some winter plants in there.

[Tig]

Lucky you PJ - when he put them all together they made a nice feature, although I wasn't sure how long they would last

You can grow your own sweet potato slips, it wasn't difficult, just a matter of remembering to get an early start

I enjoyed the visit to Barnsdale and the apple arches which Geoff planted in 1990 - Carols segment was good too.

[Ladygardener]

It was lovely to see the flashback to when Geoff was planting those fruit trees and see them now still doing well. I thought making planters from old trunks looked really good. The programme does seem quite clipped and rushed to me but I thought the info on the sweet potatoes was good.

[Dr Bill]

Oct 17, 2008 22:29:49 GMT Tig said:

Not having a greenhouse I don't do early spring bulbs - but I'm sure others found that interesting
x Tig

I liked this idea so have potted up some narcissi, scilla and galanthus today in my NEW GREENHOUSE ;D

[Chuckles]

Just watched last fridays on the old Iplayer. I'm really enjoying this series, they all seem to make the effort and give you the detail on whatever they are doing and extra hints a tips.

I reckon Toby should get a new blade for that folding saw he uses, it's looks hard work every time he uses it and they are normally good little tools. I got really excited when I saw those Black Worcester pears, looked good and I was thinking must look out for those then they said they were cookers not eaters

Didn't know Rosehips have 20 times more vitamin C in them than an orange and I fancy some of that syrup on me porage ;D Have to say I couldn't be faffing doing what Alys did though, easier to go and buy some.

[Amo]

I remember seeing HFW making some on one of his programmes not long ago, it looked painstaking then. OH's reaction was ICKY!!! Was force fed that as a child and wouldn't go near it with a barge pole now!!

I thought it was all, well, mediocre to be honest. Toby is better than we've had in a long while but.... Perhaps he doesn't feel the program is his yet. It is the tail end of the TV year after all. Bit of a shame because I think this is the start of the gardening one!!

[Barbara]

as kids me and my sis had to drink rose hip syrup, very very sweet.eugh

[Auricula]

It can't be easy, taking over the helm half way through a series. Let's hope they get things sorted out in a way to suit all the presenters ( Toby, Joe and Carol ) by the start of the next series in spring.Ditching annoying Alys and her equally annoying pooch would be a good start!! ;D

[Tig]

I read today that there will be a new daytime programme "Gardeners World Top Tips", 10 episodes aimed at beginners with top tips from the past 40 years programmes - don't know when it starts, but they (Beeb) have published a book to go with the programmes available from this month, and Joe, Carol and Rachel have filmed episodes already so it can't be far off

x Tig

[prodigal gardener]

Oct 28, 2008 15:51:54 GMT Auricula said:

It can't be easy, taking over the helm half way through a series. Let's hope they get things sorted out in a way to suit all the presenters ( Toby, Joe and Carol ) by the start of the next series in spring.Ditching annoying Alys and her equally annoying pooch would be a good start!! ;D

Really ?? I like Alys - I think she is very good - the dog is a bit much tho I grant you !!

[Biggles]

Gardeners' World -I found it quite interesting again-
Nick Hamilton (Geof Hamilton's son) is just like a 'Chip off the old Block' (as the saying goes) it was interesting to see those Apple Trees-that Geof snr. had planted years ago and how they have matured and grown along the Arches.

Toby/Joe /Carol make a good team and seem to be getting the programme more balanced now and communicating with each other better.

I still think Alys is a spare part--and her contribution on making Rose-Hip Syrup just didn't make me want to try the same thing!
Also I wish she would 'talk' to the camera instead of walking away from us while she was talking--

I still think half an hour isn't enough time for a Gardening programme to cram everything in--Maybe 3/4 hr might be better.

I liked the idea of making a feature out of the Tree stump---especially if you have a Tree Stump just lying around your garden-

Now where can I find a Tree Stump? Anyone offering?-- Bigs

[Auricula]

As Mrs Beeton would doubtless say "First cut down your tree!!" ;D

[Tig]

Get in touch with your local councils parks department Bigs - they may have some to donate to a 'worthy prize winning garden initiative'

You could create a communal stumpery

x Tig

[Ladygardener]

Tigwitch, that's great news about a new programme Gardeners World Top tips, wonder how long it'll be on for?, I hope it's repeated on catch up tv for those of us who will be out at work.

[Biggles]

Oct 28, 2008 22:33:35 GMT Auricula said:

As Mrs Beeton would doubtless say "First cut down your tree!!" ;D

[Dutchy]

Bigs I have loads of tree stumps for you ( don't tell OH he wants them for the fireplace )
Somehow mine are never rotten in the center. Maybe my friend fells her trees too early as they use most of the wood for cabinetmakers and what have you.
I too don't feel like making that rosehip syrup. Pitty Alyce seems not to fit in.
But then 4 might be too much and the other three obviously are way ahaid in their presenters training whereas she is so obviously a hands on gardener. Each his/her own.
I wish they would let her do the how to sow and make cuttings and such.
Or veg, she did that real nice some time ago.
Of course Joe sort of got the veg with his allotment, hm
What do you recon Alys would be best at?

[Amo]

I think she does a good job supporting Toby as she is the head gardener after all. Carol's at her own place now and Joe can stay at his useless allotment forever as far as I'm concerned. I think what the problem is that half an hour is not long enough for four presenters. And then you throw in Sarah out on her expensive jollies too.

[purplejulia]

I cannot stand Sarah Raven and her "cot" flowers!

[Dutchy]

Who can
cot flowers ah so that is how one pronounces it ;D
Ms Raven is a brand and I suppose she might be paying to be seen.
How are these kind of programs payed for in the UK?
Out here the garden programs are privately sponsored and it shows. On public tv there isn't one as they only look at the amount of people watching and somehow the masses have gone dumb and only watch soaps it seems.

[Tig]

Just watched the last episode - jury is out at the moment - I made a couple of notes, mainly Carols items

Roasted pumpkin seeds - maybe when the oven is on for something else, Alys replanting the window boxes - just bunged everything in? I wonder if we will get to see them again over the winter

[Ladygardener]

I don't often comment on GW as I find there is usually something to take note of but honestly I thought friday's was hardly worth watching. To me it was like blue peter with the presenters showing how to make things. By the time the programme was aired I'm sure all the pumpkin faces had already been carved in homes all over the country, 8.30pm so it was irrevant anyhow and they spent so much time with it. I wish they would concentrate on gardening and give us tips for what to do now and in the coming months. No winter trials for them I see. I think the windowboxes beautiful have a smashing selection of plants and will look lovely.