Gardeners World - not back for 4 weeks! - Page 2

Thanks Kate1123, I think though as they have not produced the series its too late to act, what a shame!  I feel we will have to garden alone without the help of Monty. I am glad my discussion has ignited some passion in people... lets turn over to ITV to see Alan do a little bit of gardening for now! 

I've just ranted about this in reply to another question, but will say once again that NOT EVERYONE LIKES SPORT! and I personally am SO SO SICK of switching on the TV only to find it's football YET AGAIN! What gets me is there are loads of daily programmes about house buying - in town, in the countryside, in another country - what next Off Planet? . Yet we get one measly programme about gardening. I'd like to see some figures about the economic benefits to the country from gardening. Garden centres, nurseries, gardening shows, public and private gardens, on-line shopping, TV shopping, even supermarkets. Is Alan on ITV at the moment? I'll see if I can get that on iPlayer then

I really wonder why there isn't a gardening channel- we have channels for just about everything else. I can watch medical programs, antiques programs, diy programs, cookery programs, news coverage oh and sport 24/7 but not gardening- is it because gardeners are out doing their garden for much of the time rather than spending all their time in front of the tv?It is just a shame that there isn't the chance to watch about gardening once we come in and sit down to relax in front of the tv.

I agree to that idea- I sometimes watch a drawing and painting channel as I do like to do some botanical art- and no- we don't have to sit in front of the telly I'm sure we all agree that watching in the dead of Winter or on a day we cannot access the garden will be a treat! I can watch gardening progs any old time,and I'm sure the BBC could manage to scrap some of the inane rubbish they air to accomodate a weekly gardner's world eh?

Pavery you can watch all the series on iPlayer. I play iPlayer through my TV via broadband, so if I'm out gardening I can catch up on GW and Beechgrove - I was going to say on a rainy day, but there are more rainy days than programmes . I agree 1 x 30 minute programme for a few weeks a year is not exactly catering for all. Bev you're right, we are our own worst enemies as we're generally out gardening. Thank goodness for iPlayer. I agree about a separate channel though. Do people really collect antiques more than they garden?

quercus_rubur wrote (see)

..I agree about a separate channel though...

There used to be a dedicated gardening channel - The Horticultural Channel. They had a few programs made by themselves, and also used to have lots of replays of old BBC and ITV programs.

The programs are available on Sky (though I'm not sure what's currently running). Their website simply says: "Broadcast on Sky Channel 166, and Freesat 402 on Sundays at 9am; Monday at 2pm; Wednesday at 2pm and Friday at 9pm with a new programme every fortnight."

They also have a website, which has some very recent material on it. For example, there is a short program about Gardeners World Live, filmed at the NEC last week. A decent chunk of this is an interview with Alan Titchmarsh, but there are some other interviews too. It's here:
http://thehorticulturalchannel.info/2012/06/bbc-gardeners-world-live-2012/

quercus_rubur wrote (see)

You can watch all the series [of Gardners World] on iPlayer. I play iPlayer through my TV via broadband,..

I often do that. We're living in a world where the nature of broadcasting is changing rapidly. The days of a 30-minute program in a fixed time slot are on the way out.

I agree with the majority of posts here. I shouted out loud at the telly when Monty said that Gardeners World would be off the air for 4 weeks!!!!! I pay my TV licence knowing I am going to get certain programmes. Yes, sport is important, but gardening and all things horticultural are too!!! What about 4 feature programmes about the gardeners who work at these sporting venues? I for one would love to hear about the massive planting schemes done at the Olympic site, the designer and the gardeners. Please BBC surely you can accomodate the needs of a huge population of gardeners by keeping a 30 minute programme running throughout the main growing season? I don't even mind if you change the channel and the day and time!

Thanks for the link Gary, the website looks good. I've bookmarked it so I can browse on a rainy day.. oh like now!

determinedjanette wrote (see)

...., sport is important, but gardening and all things horticultural are too!!! .. the massive planting schemes done at the Olympic site...

And not to forget that the theme of the Olympics Opening Ceremony will be England's Green and Pleasant Land. It's what we're world-famous for. We're a lot more famous for our countryside and our gardens than our antiques, or cookery.

Very good point Gary.  I don't suppose it will cut much ice with them wot's in charge, though

(btw am I alone in worrying about live animals being used as "window dressing" for the opening ceremony?  The noise, lights etc would be enough to scare most animals.  I suppose the RSPCA has been consulted.)

Thanks Kate1123, I've had my say on there as well. I'm sure most of us will be watching Alan T.

Thanks Gardener's wife for this discussion. I shouted at the tv when Monty said no GW for 4 weeks. Just hope he's making the most of the rest and having a holiday himself!

I'm a young(ish) gardener and have only been interested in gardening for the last three years or so, no-one else in my family or friends enjoys gardening so when I need help or advice I rely on tv shows like gardener's world or this forum and the internet in general.

To stop showing a gardening programme at this time of year for 4 weeks is a decision that can only have been made by someone who doesn't undertand our love of all things green.

I await the day I tune in only to find the episode's been dumped for tiddly-winks live from Milton Keynes...

Gald to hear your enthusiasm Leggi! I was a young gardener - once upon a time  - and even then it was Gardeners World and Gardeners Question Time that taught me the basics. Please don't say tiddly winks too loudly or you'll put ideas into some non-gardening sporting fanatic in charge of Friday night programming schedule.

i agree with all of these threads.what annoys me is the amount of money that we all spend in this country going to gardening centres,the bbc should reflect the nations interest in their scheduling.also films,how much does that bring in,what do we get film 2012?whens that on?and fashion?the clothes programme anyone?!just saying..

Another rant here. No new points to make but heartily agree with fellow posters.

Mutter mutter, grumble growl. SHOUTY SHOUT!!!

I am a young and very much learning gardener; and to suddenly be told by Monty, that  theres no gw in THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER leaves me thoroughly disappointed and, as much as I love sports, with all the ''red button' capabilility, i feel that in 2012, bbc1 and 2 should go through their regular programming FULLY UNINTERRUPTED all year round. And yes, I feel their is a market here to tap in to. Gardening IS becoming more popular amongst younger generations, and I think a second edition of gw should take us 'back to basics' as I feel when people try and get into gardening, all the latin names being used and mixed with the english names, literally scares them off! That is how I felt and sometimes still feel, but I am  like a perrenial weed, very persistant and i will blossom eventually

James and others new(ish) to gardening - I do sympathise, having learnt an enormous amount from Geoff Hamilton and Geoffrey Smith many years ago.  However - all is not lost:  this message board has some very knowledgeable people around - so I suppose it's a case of ask about anything that you're unsure of.  I know it's not the same as actually seeing it on GW each week - but beggars can't be choosers!

And as one who has been very critical of the BBC for there being no GW for four weeks - I wonder if there is a reason other than sport for its absence?  For all we know, Monty et al may need a break or be committed elsewhere.  (It wouldn't hurt the Beeb to explain, though.)

I'll just add my voice to the general grumbling. Gardening, like sport, is topical and needs to be shown at the right time, either live or very close to filming. A topical garden show will deal with the things we want to know now, this week, and will relate to the actual weather we're experiencing this year. Watching old repeats would be as much use as watching last year's Wimbledon.

Cutting out the only gardening show we have for a whole month during the height of summer is totally unreasonable. They set aside whole evenings for darts matches (who ever watches darts?), and hours at a stretch for golf, tennis, and of course football. If these events overrun, they're sacred and everything else gets squeezed out for them.

If there is another reason, the BBC are hiding it. What Monty said was that it was sporting events that had pushed GW out of the schedule. I feel a stiffly-worded complaint to the BBC or Radio Time coming on ...

The only consolation to constant sport, olympics, tennis etc etc...is to escape into the garden. I plan to spend every minute I can there. By the time the sporting events end my garden will be fantastic!!!!