Plant snobbery

I work in a nursery,my job amongst others is doing customer orders for hanging baskets,containers etc,Illumination apricot begonia is by far the most popular plant for baskets and Non Stop begonias for tubs and containers etc,each to their own.

I use begonias as filling, they provide some constant colour colour when others plants, roses etc have finished their first flush. The big plus for me is that slugs and snails do not touch them we find the same with fushias. As we try to avoid chemicals in our garden plants which flower and do not get eaten are a real bonus.

Adaunas I don't like begonias either but the foliage ones are nice, but not being hardy far more fiddly. I don't think you can really call disliking a particular plant being snobbish.

There are some I just dislike and would not have in my garden, like those small bedding begonias and the small orange and yellow marigolds. I saw some enormous Begonia flowers at the floral marquee at the NEC at the Gardeners World live today. Not my scene.

I am another who grows perennials rather than summer bedding. I do buy some pelargoniums and petunias for patio pots.
I did not use to like the very boring pink or blue rather sad looking hydrangeas everyone had by their front doors but I saw some fantastic new varieties at the NEC today.

I was being good and not spending too much money right now having just paid for some landscaping work but I took a lot of photos to give me ideas about good looking varieties.

Can't think of a plant I don't like off hand- there must be one. Love Geoff. Love Monty. Two entirely different characters each with their take. Love Nigel and Nellie gentle dogs like their owner.
Like Beechgrove - but prefer Montys style of gardening.

I have some Begonias that I bought as left over bulbs, in a packet, in Wilkinsons, at least 10 years ago. Every Autumn I put them still in their pots, in the garage and forget about them. Every year they sprout and produce a wonderful show.
This year I lifted them, dried them and repotted them in March. Circumstances forced me to keep them outside thereafter.
They are sprouting again, so I hope for a good show this year. They seem as tough as old boots!

Didn't see the program so can't comment on Monty's exact words. But surely we all have likes and dislikes? I've never liked carnations- although I love the small wild pinks which are currently growing all over the place on banks around here in the Jura mountains. Never likes by Chrystanthemums which remind me of plastic funeral flowers... And generally am not fond of tidy border plants in neat rows.

I love perennials as in curate's gardens, à la Gertrude Jekyll or Beth Chato, with plants taking over with new colour and texture as others fade.

At the moment out in the wild around here, arnica, kingcups, pink bistorts, large daisies, blue and white Jacob's ladders, Sainfoin, tall blue sage- and so many more.

Well I like large begonias. I plant them in amongst the herbacious borders, in no particular order. They add a little surprise of colour when they pop their heads out.
I also like Monty and his soothing voice, but I will never forgive Joe Swift for his hanging basket attack, or Titch for his gladioli sneer.

I also prefer Beechgrove garden for two reasons. Firstly they understand the problems of a cold north climate and secondly my nephew is sometimes on the programme.

In beds I prefer perennials - too much bother replacing annuals every year, but I do put colourful annuals in pots, - begonias, petunias, fuchsias and pelargoniums. I make no apology for begonias. They add a splash of colour to my patios and, unlike the petunias, survived very well that tropical rain we had last weekend. The little fibrous-rooted begonias are also flourishing in their big pot and very colourful.

Each to their own I'm not a fan of begonias myself or bedding plants I prefer perenniels and hardy annuals,but life would be boring if every garden was the same.DH however loves the municipal park bedding look luckily he doesn't do the planting.

I was at horticultural college when Geoff Hamilton died. It was during the summer holiday and the first day of the new term was really subdued - as though it had only just happened.

Somebody said, 'Where are we going to get our inspiration now?'

A bit dramatic, I thought but he was a breath of fresh air and the library copies of the Cottage Garden series were soon worn out.

about Geoff Hamilton. Saw him at NEC making an incubator (?) out of a cardboard box! Love visiting Barnsdale.

I think Beechgrove Garden is better. I agree

I'm such a rubbish gardener, I'm just happy to have flowers of any kind in my garden

Please spare a thought for Monty. He has his problems

taps nose

He's a gentle soul really

I like large begonias but I have never grown them. I probably wouldn't have them in my garden - but certainly wouldn't have Monty Don in my garden - 'cos then I wouldn't be able to switch him off!

I wouldn't say GW is aimed at the higher end of gardening but it's nice for keen gardeners to have one (and there only seems to be one at the moment) programme that isn't dumbed down.

There has always been plant snobbery - Just take Roy Strong for example. For me it adds a great deal of fun to my big 'passion' in life.

Years ago my brother bought me this for Christmas

I can highly recommend it as a bedside book for gardeners with a sense of humour

I'm not keen on them and I actively dislike showy chrysanthemums. However, I love Busy Lizzies and nasturtiums and obviously, they aren't showy at all!!

I still miss Geoff Hamilton.
He was the best Gardeners World presenter in my humble opinion.
He was like a kindly knowledgeable uncle who was very keen on organic methods and ditching the 'miraculous' chemicals promoted by the likes of Percy Thrower et al.
I remember well the final episode that he was half way through filming when he died and they brought in his twin to help finish the filming.
It was very moving and poignant.

Well I like the large showy begonias. I have several outdoor pots of mixed summer flowers and there are some glorious orange begonias in them. How can he be so negative about a flower?

Oh dear! Two 'those' in one sentence. It's catching Teetime!

Have to agree about begonias though. More about the large showy ones though. The little ones are fine. And very useful.

3 'larges' in one sentence - tut tut!

mmm although I watch his programme it does seem to be aimed at the higher end of gardening- he seems to assume that all gardens are large gardens with large budgets when a large number of us live in ordinary houses with 'compact' gardens. I love his dogs though.