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program 2
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Message 1.Â
Posted by kfgray (U14470933) on Friday, 18th March 2011
Mr Don don't half wheeze a bit after a little digging . Rachel went to another Garden with more bl***y Box hedging and she pruned 2 plants WOW!! Carol was Carol which was fine and at least we were spared Joe.
Not liking the half hour format . Most likely do to allow a longer run. But just feels choppy and rushed -
Message 2
Posted by kfgray (U14470933) on Friday, 18th March 2011
Note to self most proof read before posting. should read done to allow longer run not "do"
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Message 3
Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Friday, 18th March 2011
Well i am scratching my head wondering how this is suppose to be better then Toby at Greenacres...............
God help anybody who as never gardend before,I fell asleep half way through and woke up to a programme about trains ........... -
Message 4
Posted by poshHebeJeebie (U9319867) on Friday, 18th March 2011
I am still not enthused - but I did like the relaxed and reasonably informative style (which I had previously not associated with MD).
The pruning of fruit bushes was timely - but not, perhaps, sufficiently informative for the novice, I suspect. (I remember the first time I pruned black/red/white currants and gooseberries: I took my trusty gardening book down the garden and propped it open so I could do the necessary! I suspect that would be vital given the generalisations of pruning techniques in tonight's episode - but, in half an hour, it's a difficult subject to cover in depth).
Overall, I found it better than I had expected. I think In would like more "hands-on" gardening and less of the garden visitations - but I'd not quibble about the balance. I found MD - well, "warmer" is the best description I can come up with. Less intense, less preachy and more able to transmit an enthusiasm for his subject.
At this rate, I am in danger of being a convert!
Overall? I'd say it was on the plus side of OK. I have a feeling that it will (pardon the pun) grow on me.
PHJ -
Message 5
Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Friday, 18th March 2011
You hardly see him that much and he seems so lonely in that garden,coudn't they have shipped Alys in to help him fill the half hour.....
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Message 6
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
I agree with PHJ's take on this week's episode and would say that on the whole it did what it says on the tin.
I did notice that quite a lot of been carried out in the garden since the last episode i.e. the paths around the fruit bushes had been widened; to accommodate filming equipment no doubt. -
Message 7
Posted by Chris (U7536226) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
Don't like the visits to the 'lovely gardens'.
I like the concentration on day to day tasks in the garden.
I thought the previous series of GW with Toby etc. had too many 'gimmicks' to attract the younger audience (I'm very, very old !).
The ´óÏó´«Ã½ have plenty of money and it wouldn't take very much to create 2 GWs ... one for the older audience concentrating on day to day tasks and aspects of gardeing ... the other one to catch the 'younger audience' ... but as I'm old I'm not sure what that would contain. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ however employ so many experts and consultants that it should not be beyond the whit of man to work that out !
Hope this helps,
Chris (Very, very old !) -
Message 8
Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
The ´óÏó´«Ã½ seems to be lacking imagination lately. there always used to be other gardening programmes alongside GW - Helen yemm's series where she took beginners in different sizes and styles of gardens and showed them how to create what they wanted from their space be it old worn out garden, new plot, family garden, or a fruit and veg patch.
Then there was the series on Small Front Gardens, the series where streets of neighbours took on garden designs and builds with guidance from professionals, The series on front garden design and, of course, GH's Paradise and Ornamental Kitchen Garden series and AT's How to be a Gardener.
All of these provided ample information and entertainment for all levels of gardeners without gimmicks and tricks. They assumed we did not have the attention span of a gnat or the need for loud music, fancy camera effects.
There are endless variations of programmes on buying houses, cookery and selling junk and antiques. Why can't we have a similar variety of gardening programmes? -
Message 9
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
Well at least it was entertaining watching my OH squirming in his chair as Rachel gave advice on controlling Viburnum beetle
For information straight from the horse's (OH) mouth: The holes in the leaves were caused by least year's adults before they laid their eggs and popped their socks.
Eggs will have overwintered within notches in the stem covered with chewed up bark/faeces. These eggs will hatch in late April/May time and the small larvae will start to feed on the tender new leaves, causing many to become skeletonised.
The only 'organic' insecticide that will effectively kill them is pyrethrum which is toxic to bees, so why would Rachel recommend an organic insecticide with bees already in serious decline.
Another option is to use a non-organic insecticide such as provado, but this contains a systemic neonicotinoid chemical.
Other than that, you'll just have to accept that like many other pests, they have years when they do well and years when they don't. After the severe winter we might find that viburnum beetles are less of a problem. However, should they appear and you don't want to spray, then give the bush a thorough soaking with the hose once a week. This will knock off many of the beetle larvae where they will be attacked by ground dwelling predators.
Now, as for Monty's advice on opening up your current bushes to deter sawfly.... I'm assured that only works if you live in an excessively windy area where the sawfly find it difficult to fly. In any other areas it provides a nice landing pad for laying eggs.
Right, what next?...
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Message 10
Posted by chloedavis13 (U14811508) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
Hi- I agree that it feels choppy and rushed. Wish they would follow a process through properly instead of doing half a job and then quickly moving onto something else. Would like to see the jobs finished! The pace of life is fast enough and at least in the garden there should be time for reflection and GW needs to recognise that. So wish the wonderful Geoff Hamilton was here!
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Message 11
Posted by daintiness (U3887838) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
Hi HonestGreengrass, I couldn't agree with you more and was thinking similar things while I watched the programme.
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Message 12
Posted by hereisabee (U2342191) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
Any programme profiling Magnolias is ace, (but not acer which is a different genus). If I was a programme maker then I would have 'Magnolia Watch', following the flowers opening in Cornwall and then tracing their progress throughout the country. I recently added to text of my flickr Magnolia sprengeri set, the famous 'Diva' owing it's roots to Caerhays Cornwall is anyone is interested?
Enid Blyton left 'Old Thatch' for several reasons, one being it became infested with rats. In her nature articles she claimed a good strong cat was all that was needed, but in the end they had to use gas as the thatch became infested. -
Message 13
Posted by Lowena (U14575314) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
Beautiful photos H. I was at Trebah gardens this afternoon and Trengwainton on Tuesday - the magnolias are looking magnificent this year
Enjoyed Carol at Glendurgan -
Message 14
Posted by Ken Smart (U1158196) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
Once again I thoroughly enjoyed the programme. I've not been disappointed in the least by Monty Don's performance. I'm sure as the garden starts to spring to life, there will be something for everyone on friday nights. I felt a bit humble by only possessing 2 pairs of secateurs when I saw Monty's all lined up on the potting shed wall. He certainly has a super set-up.
I really don't like to go on about Rachel (and Joe, when he features), but it's like someone is trying hard to provide her (and him) with something relevant to contribute. That's really the second consecutive slot she's presented which had little in the way of substance. I can understand that 10 years ago, she might have been the resident 'fluff', but these days are now past, and she really has to do something more meaningful to justify her place. The presentation of the Blyton book relating to the cottage at the end of her piece was just naff - as if the owner of the cottage had never seen one before.
Another interesting visit by Carol Klein, who is again doing what she does best. -
Message 15
Posted by southmede (U5945214) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
Is it just me or did anyone else think that the lady with Enid Blyton's garden was well and truly lectured by Rachel. She probably had more garden knowledge as well but too polite to say.
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Message 16
Posted by Satin (U14303179) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
I found GW last night very relaxing and calming to watch. I was worried about the return of Monty as when he ran it before I found the program very boring. i think this was mainly due to when he starting presenting it they were never in the GW garden and constantly at shows or visiting gardens around the country.
In both GWs so far I have really enjoyed the parts with Monty working in his garden. But it seems too short so I wish they would cut out the garden visiting stuff and the Rachel and Joe daft filler.
Maybe it would be better to have GW as a working program following the work and progress in Monty's garden and leave the garden visiting for a different program. This would give time to cover garden jobs in enough detail to hopefully please most the audience. -
Message 17
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
My daft hubby thought Rachel was Nigella Lawson!
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Message 18
Posted by sinbad1234 (U14293347) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
Another snooze-fest GW.
Toby, Alys and co gave us huge variety, projects large and small, to be inspired with at Greenacre.
Now we have daft avenues of clipped box and nothing for the average gardener.
If the ´óÏó´«Ã½ did this because of the old-timers on here who endlessly whinged about the show because it was too new and young for them, I hope they are ashamed of themselves. -
Message 19
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Saturday, 19th March 2011
I think the idea is that Rachel and Joe are visiting gardens proffering advice and assistance.
But the two gardens visited so far have been run by experienced gardeners, so the 'advice' has seemed very staged, as if the job had been deliberately left not done, or the advice carefully scripted to make the owner seem appreciative. It doesn't really work at the moment. Perhaps will be better when they start visiting viewers own gardens. Not sure though. -
Message 20
Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
I quite agree Trillium. Anyone who opens their garden on a regular basis is hardly in need of advice from Rachel and Joe so this slot should either be redirected to cover ordinary viewers' gardens to help solve problems like they do on Beechgrove or to see what experienced gardens are doing right now this minute in terms of garden maintenance and projects to keep theirs looking good.
Given the average size of the British garden it migt have been useful to show currants grown as cordons to save space. I have yet to suffer sawfly - too breezy I suspect - and usually prune my bushes at harvest time. i find pruning out the berried stems makes harvesting easier and automatically leaves the new, unfruited growth to mature for next year's crop.
Just for once, I'd also like to see an alkaline garden in spring so that those of us who cannot grow camellias, rhodos and fabulous magnolias can have some inspiration for alternaive spring blooms.
Nevertheless, I nejoyed the calm, unhurried style of the programme and do not miss one bit the frenzy of GW with Toby. Still not enough for beginners though. -
Message 21
Posted by Logissimo (U14020652) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
Poor Rachel,
Cutting back dead perennial stems, tying in a climbing rose and identifying viburnum beetle damage. Surely she would like something more constructive to do.
As for the rest, it's box hedging and pleached limes.
I don't really have any major issues with the presenters, it's surely the producers who need to come up with something more dynamic.
If they cannot find anything better to show at this time of year then they should give up altogether.
I'm sure most gardeners do not know where to start at the moment with everything that needs to be done!
I'm off to prick out sope zinnias and tomato plants.
Have a nice weekend everyone! L -
Message 22
Posted by kfgray (U14470933) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
Poor Rachel,
Cutting back dead perennial stems, tying in a climbing rose and identifying viburnum beetle damage. Surely she would like something more constructive to do.
As for the rest, it's box hedging and pleached limes.
I don't really have any major issues with the presenters, it's surely the producers who need to come up with something more dynamic.
If they cannot find anything better to show at this time of year then they should give up altogether.
I'm sure most gardeners do not know where to start at the moment with everything that needs to be done!
I'm off to prick out sope zinnias and tomato plants.
Have a nice weekend everyone! LÂ Indeed there is lots to do in the garden other thamnprune ancient currents which most do not have. But maybe there is not much else to show in Mr Don;s garden at the moment.
He keeps talking about how it floods very often, it's a frost pocket and in very cold spot. I think they may have another Berryfield's on there hands. Which often was several weeks behind much of the rest of the county in growth. Thus telling us what to do long after these things had already happend elsewhere. I emenber Monty telling use how to dead head my Daffs when mine where already dying down -
Message 23
Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
100% Agree..The old farts won and ruined it for the rest of us,how this program will encourage new gardeners I dont know.
As for Rachel Methane and as Joe"veg box"swift well what do they offer.
Talk about going backwards... -
Message 24
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
Perhaps a garden down south would have been a better idea as everything will be a couple of weeks ahead than where Monty lives in Herefordshire. Berryfields suffered the same problems as it was also in the north of England near Tewkesbury.
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Message 25
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
100% Agree..The old farts won and ruined it for the rest of us,how this program will encourage new gardeners I dont know.
As for Rachel Methane and as Joe"veg box"swift well what do they offer.
Talk about going backwards...Â
Diddums! -
Message 26
Posted by ukyogi (U14804579) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
GW has gone downhill so fast it's unbelievable. Fell asleep half way through, poor Monty looks tired and well past it. Bring back Toby!
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Message 27
Posted by tattiebogle (U11728394) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
That must explain the popularity of Beechgrove, which comes from Aberdeen, which as everyone knows is in the south of Scotland.........
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Message 28
Posted by Sue Hall (U13984403) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
Perhaps a garden down south would have been a better idea as everything will be a couple of weeks ahead than where Monty lives in Herefordshire. Berryfields suffered the same problems as it was also in the north of England near Tewkesbury. Tewkesbury? North of England???????
Really?
My flabber is gasted! -
Message 29
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
Come on.... It's north of England in comparison to Littlehampton!!
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Message 30
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Sunday, 20th March 2011
Anything above the M25 ring is north to the ´óÏó´«Ã½
As for the second programme it was as awful as the first. OH say she has discovered a cure for insomnia.
It was boring and Monty Dull looked very subdued
I give him less than 18 months before he opens the garden as a theme park.
Roll on Alan T on ITV (and that rhymes) -
Message 31
Posted by the cycling gardener (U2350416) on Monday, 21st March 2011
The ITV press release described AT's new programme as "lifestyle". If you are expecting a gardening programme to rival GW, you may be disappointed.
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Message 32
Posted by Bluedoyenne (U2341157) on Monday, 21st March 2011
Delighted to see the programme was moved to another slot, rather than being shelved for a week because of Children in Need. I looked forward to seeing MD's garden again and found his advice on the division of the perennial geraniums and acanthus spinosius, the lily bulb planting and in particular the planting of the eremurus seasonal and good to see again. It was good and useful information for any first time gardener.
The Enid Blyton garden 'helping hand' - not sure. I'm assuming that this section of the programme is a take on the Beechgrove team's visit to gardeners in need of particular expertise and that GW as yet doesn't have any 'real' cries for help.
While this works within the Beechgrove format, GW this season is centred around MD's garden which, with its size and diversity, is enough in its own right to give a very varied (and IMO very interesting) 30 minute programme and, because of this, I find the visits distracting and definitely 'bitty', taking precious time from MD's garden.
Overall, I'm just very happy to have the programme back in a sound, calm and relaxed manner and in the very capable hands of MD. -
Message 33
Posted by Lowena (U14575314) on Monday, 21st March 2011
Different slot? It's always on ´óÏó´«Ã½2 at 8.30 isn't it?
Quite right about AT's new show.....definitely "Lifestyle" not gardening per se - I heard Alan say it himself on tv. -
Message 34
Posted by Bluedoyenne (U2341157) on Monday, 21st March 2011
Lowena, instead of the usual Friday evening ´óÏó´«Ã½2 slot, programme 2 (Friday last) was moved to Saturday p.m. because of Children in Need.
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Message 35
Posted by Lowena (U14575314) on Monday, 21st March 2011
Well, I'm sure I watched it on Friday :/ The Saturday one was a repeat.......but no matter - I still dozed off
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Message 36
Posted by cufcskim (U14483815) on Monday, 21st March 2011
What did I watch at 8.30 on friday then?
It was only ´óÏó´«Ã½ NI that got it on saturday, it'll be the same for episode 3. -
Message 37
Posted by Lowena (U14575314) on Monday, 21st March 2011
´óÏó´«Ã½2 only had CIN during the 10 o clock news.................I hope there is a shift of gear this week, or Moga really will be living up to his name
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Message 38
Posted by Lowena (U14575314) on Monday, 21st March 2011
Phew!! I thought I was hallucinating for a moment there - I even checked with Mr Lowena ( not a gardener) and he confirmed it was Moga, in front of whom I was snoring
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Message 39
Posted by Bluedoyenne (U2341157) on Monday, 21st March 2011
It appears I get GW on ´óÏó´«Ã½ NI - didn't check to see if I could have got it on Friday evening as planned in other ´óÏó´«Ã½ zones, but will check it out for this coming Friday. -
Message 40
Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Monday, 21st March 2011
You can elect to get ´óÏó´«Ã½1 from your original region. See channels 971 to 988.
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Message 41
Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Monday, 21st March 2011
Watched the first programme on i-player and gave up after10 mins as was so boring-second programme slightly better but how many times do we have to watch perennials being divided?? seed sowing yet again-and Rachels bit was beyond belief- how is it if you listen to gardeners question you always learn something new- but Gardeners World just seems rehashes of previous years- I am counting down to the annual lawn maintenance bit-I appreciate there are new gardeners - but I am looking for new ideas and inspiration-And Carol has gone back to gushing mode- by the way did I see Monty with a bonfire-what has happened to his "enviroment concerns" or is he just like the rest of us "normal people"- peat composts, chemical sprays- when needed- etc. Needs a lot of improvement and please cut back on the mood music -not needed!!
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Message 42
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Monday, 21st March 2011
Poor old Monty, bet he wonders what he has to do to please us.
I am a bit concerned that he does seem a bit subdued and doesn't look totally fit. I do hope he has fully recovered from his illness and isn’t regretting taking up the reins of GW again. -
Message 43
Posted by 1stClassAlan (U14795082) on Monday, 21st March 2011
There was a wonderful sketch in "The Fast Show" in which Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse put on their D.J. personnae exactly copying a real life event on "Top of the Pops" years before - I think one was "The Hairy Monster" Dave Lee Travis - there they were two forty year old millionaire blokes surrounded by prepubscent teenagers bussed in from council estates half heartedly dancing while they chatted to each other, live on air, about mowing their lawns with ride-on tractors at country mansions.
Isn't that the basis of most complaints on here? The viewers have nothing to relate to with the presenters. Look at Monty - I used to only see a slightly squinty eyed bloke who confessed to not liking gardening very much - now I see a slightly squinty eyed bloke who confessed to not liking gardening very much but who owns a garden the size of a small village!
At least he'll have the disturbance fees to fix all the mouldering fixtures and fittings the camera dwells upon I suppose. -
Message 44
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Monday, 21st March 2011
I know I'm not representative of the target GW audience as someone who now gardens for a living. That said, GW matters to me - my family love it as keen gardeners or would-be gardeners and I want it to warm the cockles of their horticultural hearts.
The first two progs have seemed quite dark to me, the light levels have been low, there is little colour in Monty's garden and there's been tendency towards gritty realism in focusing on dead material and artistically dingy 'stuff' generally. This is fine for some (myself included), but to inspire more people I do think there should be a little more light (yes, I know Greenacre's artificially lit shots were sometimes horribly artificial) and more colour on the screen.
Also, I think it's important that Monty doesn't come across as something of a misanthropic 'Billy-no-mates' gardening on his own in his chilly, damp Hereford garden. There's no need for silly banter, but comradeship and the sharing of a garden's treasures is part of the great pleasure of gardening. Otherwise, what's it all for? -
Message 45
Posted by tony field (U2429972) on Tuesday, 22nd March 2011
I Couldnt agree with this comment more, Most of us on here Garden and to watch a programme about the same things we`ve all Done by now is Boring and uneventful.
If you want a gardening progamme for beginers put it on another show.
Toby`s garden was nice and inspiring, i feel as a gardener that you need to be inspired not bored to death by Monty Don`s mellow tones about box hedging.No Offence to Monty, his older garders world from Berryfields was great. -
Message 46
Posted by physalis (U14221327) on Wednesday, 23rd March 2011
I couldn't agree with you more.
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Message 47
Posted by 1stClassAlan (U14795082) on Friday, 25th March 2011
Right you lot - I'm just off now to get my fix of the lovely Rachel CH4 ( ha,ha, ) if I come on here later and find anyone's been having a go at her - it will be bamboo canes at dawn!
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