Gardeners World

I absolutely love Carol. Her spot where she had a team of enthusiasts and showed them new things was fabulous.

We started gardening last year, and have a small family. For us the garden is our space, we can't afford babysitters. Sitting in the garden with a coffee when the kids have gone to bed feels like we are out relaxing in a beautiful place. And although I hear the case that young parents need to spend their cash elsewhere, a packet of seeds and compost, or even an inexpensive new plant is affordable. And for the enjoyment it brings money well spent. We struggle permanently, but we encourage the children to join in and you can grow a lot of seeds for the same price as a happy meal!

I'd like to see more of carol, I agree as joint host with Toby. And I think between them they offer enough, with guest spots and all the other features they could include. I felt it was a little basic last year, and I am a beginner!

No more silly stuff either - stupid quick challenges. Anyone who only wants to spend 2 minutes making a feature certainly isn't going to be a gardener!

 

When presenters visit marvelous gardens I wish they wouldn't stand talking while I am wanting to know"what is that lovely plant behind you".

 

I'm delighted to hear that we'll be getting so many new gardening programmes, and also pleased that the BBC have finally admitted that they got it wrong with Gardeners World (thanks for those links, Steve).
BTW, none of the GW presenters read from scripts when they did their "pieces to camera" at Wisley when I worked there one summer 5 or 6 years ago, including Rachel de Thame. Strangely, nobody recognised her when she tied her hair back! She was often to be found snapping closeups of plants in the herbaceous beds or wherever, same as everyone else.

 

So Monty Don is to front the next series of Gardeners World from his own Herefordshire garden with Rachel de Thame.
What have YOU heard?
Will there be room for Alice?
What about Carol and Joe?
Toby seems to have been cast aside............for me he did nothing wrong ,just lacked charisma.
Is this the begining of a new era for Gardeners World?

 

I hear Alys (spelt correctly?) is leaving too. I never liked her, I felt she was too stuffy. I loved Toby though and am sad to see him leave (am probably the only person too)

 

So sorry about the typo JJ,I can't believe I spelt dear Alys wrong.....slap my wrists.
BTW I think she IS adorable x.

 

My other half felt the same, so you can see why I am hostile to her. I would rather see her than Rachel De Thame though

 

I'm delighted that Monty is coming back to GW - he is a true gardener. I read an article about him today and he is all about the slow burn rather than the quick fix which all true gardeners will identify with. He is a make do and mend type of guy and I look forward to welcoming him back after his breakdown. He's articulate, engaging and easy on the eye - what more could we ask for on a Friday evening.

Rachel de Thame mmm! the Nigella of gardening without the personality. Her flat voice is sooo boring but then I guess she does bring a touch of glamour which has been missing from the format and would help the ratings.

Alys Fowler, bless her, is hardly a sex symbol unless you like posh, greedy women with no dress sense and a passion for hens!!! She has a great career writing about her craft without being in the public eye.

Toby is okay but his snorting makes me think he's had a line of coke before the programme begins.

Carol is certainly on something - she's like a bubbling over pot and quite exhausting.

Joe is real, no gimmicks but where can he go from here? Back to designing I guess.
There's alway's daytime television for the has beens. Who knows we may be seeing one of them in the jungle next year - always good for reviving a flagging career.

 

I stopped watching Gardener's World when Monty Don started presenting it. Geoff Hamilton was great - and definitely no dreary lecturer. Alan Titchmarsh was good, but I failed to warm to Mr Don, who didn't seem to me to be a proper gardener. Not sure what I would want in a gardening programme now.

 

Unfortunately we can't bring back Geoffrey Hamilton but Alan Titchmarsh has bigger fish to fry. I think the pool of presenters is drying up and we need new fresh talent to give the programme the WOW factor. Perhaps a reality show like the X Factor for potential garden presenters could come up with someone who knows their onions.
A friend of mine auditioned for GW and was pipped to the post by Rachel de Thame. She had an impeccable horticultural background but didn't shine in front of the camera. Why is it always more difficult for women to get these jobs?

 

The above comments only goes to show that no man or woman is all things to all people for Gardeners World....that's the way it is.
So lets embrace Monty and his team and look for the positives NOT the negatives.
I for one am pretty sure we won't be dissapointed....:thumb: