Gardening on TV and Radio

[Chuckles]

Plockets and Barbaras posts below from Whats on the Box prompted me to think why don't we have a thread for Gardening TV and Radio so here it is ;D

Nov 19, 2008 18:47:43 GMT Plocket said:

Is anyone going to watch that new programme on tonight with Nick Knowles and Chris Beardshaw apparently turning gardens into wildlife havens? I can't yet decide whether it's going to be a proper gardening programme (unlikely coz it's on BBC1!) or whether it's going to be a bit naff. Unfortunately I can't possibly take Nick Knowles seriously after some of the programmes he's done in the past.

Nov 19, 2008 19:04:03 GMT Barbara said:

it says in the paper, tonights show is for a lady who wonders why she doesn't see butterflys in her garden

[Chuckles]

Didn't even know about it never get the controls in our house ;D Will catch it on iPlayer during the day though

BBC1 8.30 - 9.00 Wild About Your Garden - Tales from the Riverbank New series. Nick Knowles is joined by garden designer Chris Beardshaw and wildlife expert Ellie Harrison to transform urban back gardens into wildlife havens. In the first programme, the team remove the concrete and crazy paving from a garden in Crayford, Kent, replacing it with hundreds of plants and 14 trees to attract butterflies and birds SUB
Gardening

Thanks for the prompt P

Must be a good sized garden to be able to plant 100's of plants and 14 trees

[Dr Bill]

Ground Force re-vamped.

[Tig]

They didn't tell you what half the plants were And they didn't say how much it all cost!!
I am all for wildlife friendly gardens but how many folk could afford to get all the machinery required to plant stuff that size in their gardens

Shan't bother watching again because it didn't relate to what I can achieve, and I thought it was very 'thin' on realistic information.

x Tig

[purplejulia]

I have just watched the programme and was very disappointed. I hate all that instant garden stuff; it is such a waste of money. And using all that expensive machinery. I am glad I didn't live next door. I am sure they planted the water voles as well!

[Barbara]

I just sat there not believing what I was watching, how utterly ridiculous to think we could all do that, cost is'nt the only factor,

[Plocket]

I recorded it because OH wanted to watch the Footie and I'm not sure whether to bother about catching up. I wouldn't mind the space for 14 butterfly attracting trees!!!

[Ladygardener]

Totally agree with the above comments. The programme was such a disappointment. I'd really been looking forward to it. Won't be watching the rest of the series.

[Plocket]

I decided to take the plunge and watch whatever it was called - the wildlife thingy. And I didn't think it was too bad actually. As easy going TV watching (while I was latch-hooking) it was ok. Nick Knowles was dull, Chris Beardshaw was protective of his plants and I liked the wildlife woman too. The end result garden was lovely for a quick makeover and although Chris did name a few of the plants it would have been a lot better if the names had come up on the screen. However I wouldn't be surprised if there was a full list on the appropriate website - not that I've looked. I won't be itching to watch what happens next week, but they provided exactly what the lady wanted: a garden to attract wildlife. I also liked that they showed how the garden had matured in just 5 months, which a lot of these programmes don't show.

To sum up: reasonable presenting; customer got what she wanted, not what the presenters wanted; and we got to see the matured look.

Although I don't like instant gardening it was a bit like Ground Force re-vamped, but it didn't have Charlie thrusting her tits out for the cameras, it didn't have the obligatory water feature and they created a very attractive and wildlife friendly garden.

[Dutchy]

It topped the water feature as they had a water vole ;D

I liked the program. Yes it had a strong Ground Force feel but that did not bother me and the several months after bit was great. I would like to see it again 3 years on.
Even if that means bringing a Chainsaw or Machete.

Not bad at all as entertainment for a midweek day.
For serious plant information I suppose we should go to lectures by specialists.

[JennyWrenn]

Ooo didnt watch this but it sounds interesting - may give it a go next week - unless it classes with Im a Celeb but of course can watch it on Catch Up and in fact I may do that right now cos got the day off today

And Plocket your language you naughty girl go wash your mouth out with carbolic soap immediately

[JennyWrenn]

Update

Just watched this on iplayer and it is rather similar to Ground Force but I enjoyed it - wonder how much that little lot cost to put together ;D

[Plocket]

I recorded it last night but I'm going to try to watch it this evening

What was wrong with my language? It was all good English wasn't it? ;D

[JennyWrenn]

You said the "T" word Plocket - you is going to get a red card now from the Mods

[farmersboy]

Nov 21, 2008 8:08:28 GMT Plocket said:

I decided to take the plunge and watch whatever it was called - the wildlife thingy. And I didn't think it was too bad actually. As easy going TV watching (while I was latch-hooking) it was ok. Nick Knowles was dull, Chris Beardshaw was protective of his plants and I liked the wildlife woman too. The end result garden was lovely for a quick makeover and although Chris did name a few of the plants it would have been a lot better if the names had come up on the screen. However I wouldn't be surprised if there was a full list on the appropriate website - not that I've looked. I won't be itching to watch what happens next week, but they provided exactly what the lady wanted: a garden to attract wildlife. I also liked that they showed how the garden had matured in just 5 months, which a lot of these programmes don't show.

To sum up: reasonable presenting; customer got what she wanted, not what the presenters wanted; and we got to see the matured look.

Although I don't like instant gardening it was a bit like Ground Force re-vamped, but it didn't have Charlie thrusting her tits out for the cameras, it didn't have the obligatory water feature and they created a very attractive and wildlife friendly garden.

I always thought that Charlies tits were the best bits in the programs

[Plocket]

Nov 27, 2008 8:29:59 GMT JennyWrenn said:

You said the "T" word Plocket - you is going to get a red card now from the Mods

That's not a bad word.

Is it?

[farmersboy]

Course its not Plocket

Jenny,they say a lot worse on celeb,that you like to watch ;D

[Plocket]

;D ;D ;D I think Jenny is just playing FB!!!

I can think of plenty of other words I could have used instead though!!!

[JennyWrenn]

FB really;

They is called buzz ums

[farmersboy]

I havent shocked you Jen,have i

[JennyWrenn]

No you havent - am used to you now - you are very cheeky and I dont know how you get away with it I really dont ;D

[farmersboy]

Nov 27, 2008 17:37:22 GMT Plocket said:

;D ;D ;D I think Jenny is just playing FB!!!

I can think of plenty of other words I could have used instead though!!!

Yes Plocket,i know she is playing,so am i

You could have said,boobs,dumplings,melons,milk points.

I get away with it Jen cos i think most ladyees like me being cheeky,they know i mean no harm ;D

[Tig]

I watched last evenings Wild about your garden - the size of the trees planted was more in line with what most might achieve - but the pond!! I don't think that was sensible when they had just had a baby! It might have been graduated in, but it was still pretty deep in the middle! And I wouldn't want a badger sett in my back garden

[Ladygardener]

Well of course I watched it too despite saying I would'nt. I agree that the end results are lovely but they're so unrealistic for most people. The cost must be way above most peoples pockets and they don't give any info on the plants etc... or real hints and tips about what to plant to attract birds, wildlife into the garden.

[Chuckles]

I actually watched the Wild About Your Garden: Tales from the Riverbank today

Started of ok ish but when it came round to getting the trees in didn't they go on and on and on about how they were going to get them in, bad planning if you ask me and it started to get quite boring, I know they do these things to play to the viewer but all it did was make them look a load of IMO

I'm very envious of that lady to have a river at the bottom of her garden and wasn't it great to see that water vole appear whilst they were clearing the river bank of rubbish. That was the best looking top soil I've ever seen and what a great start for all those plants. As they filled the garden up with the plants I did start to think that woman has some work to do to keep that garden in good shape. I liked the idea of the planting on the edge of the water but did wonder if they would have needed permision to do that, not sure. When everything was in place it looked great and after only 5 months it looked fabulous, the wildlife they had captured on those cameras was amazing. Hope they do go back in another 6-12 months.

[Auricula]

I have watched both programmes of WAYG and enjoyed them both. I am an avid CB fan and quite like NK ( although his presenting style is always the same ).
Are they going to choose a focus each week to major on? eg. water voles / badgers?
If they ever get round to slugs, I have a garden full that they can have cheaply!! ;D
It is, in truth, a pretty undemanding programme, but I like the fact that they return when it has settled down. Much better than no gardening programmes and CB is always worth a look
Don't forget Gardener's Question Time this afternoon - 2pm Radio 4

[Auricula]

Ooh forgot to say - apparently there is a series of short programmes on BBC2 at 2pm each day next week. Gardener's world top tips or something similar

[Plocket]

I've now caught up and watched Wild About your Garden from last week - the one with the badger set. I thought the end result was gorgeous, and very well thought out particularly with the baby due. The formal garden was so attractive and my only slight disappointment (from my point of view) was that the pond couldn't be seen from the house. But safety was an important issue.

The people who had the garden were obviously very pleased with their new garden, but there's no way I'd want badgers in my garden, particularly with a small child about.

I'm looking forward to the programme tonight, where they are trying to encourage red squirrels.

[Auricula]

I didn't know that red squirrels were so small!!!
Enjoyed the programme but shudder to think of the cost!!!

[Plocket]

I thought the red squirrel garden was lovely, but can't help thinking that the neighbours who took on little pine trees might regret their decision in years to come. There was no mention of the pine trees blocking light. There was less mention of plant names this time which was a bit of a shame.