Gardeners' World

The last two weeks were very dull and I cant remember a thing about it. I have recorded last nights as I couldn't face it

I won't have a word said against Monty and rather like his slow, laid back style, which suits me just fine when winding down on a Friday evening . The article about the lichen was very interesting as I always thought it was a sign of a poorly plant . How amazing to grow what they have outside in Barbados. It's a glorious morning here on the NE coast but hardly the Caribbean . Still I am cleaning out my little leanto this morning greenhouse and very excited to get started .

I'm not criticising Monty, gillybob. I like his slow, laid back style as well but he sounds like he's grinding to a halt.

I do hope his health is not an issue (he suffered a minor stroke a few years ago) because I can't think of anyone else I would like to see presenting GW.

I personally don't like Monty Donn style as a gardeners world presenter; I agree with Teetime that the programme is becoming rather dull and I too wondered if his health is becoming an issue. I thought I read somewhere that he suffered from depression. I didn't know he'd had a stroke.

It's the laid back, slow style I like though Greyduster . I knew that MD does/did suffer from depression. The gardening must be very thereputic though. I wouldn't watched a fast paced program which is not what gardening is about for me .

I do like Monty Don even if his acres bear very little resemblance to our patch. I also love Nigel ❤️

I wish the man no ill, and hope that it is just his style, and not some underlying condition, that causes him to bore the pants off me. He seems to live in some sort of gardening ivory tower. I think they should give it to Rachael de Thame, or Joe Swift, or my choice, Carol Kline, who at least infect you with some of their enthusiasm. Sorry to those who like him.

grey we all are different. How boring the world would if we were all the same. Nellie and Nigel are stars. Monty Don hasn't changed he's been like that ever since he's been on TV. Perhaps he simply isn't your style? Personally I love his calmness and self effacing qualities. I also like the others you quoted for different reasons, but do think Monty has presence that the others lack.

I enjoy watching Monty and love it when his dogs appear as well!

I found by chance on Catch Up Monty Don's series from some years ago about gardens around the world. The South America programme was was, I thought, brilliant and the gardens so varied. I must find and watch the others. I enjoy his quiet manner with the people he meets too.

Despite my observations upthread I still think he's the best presenter of gardening programmes/travelogues on TV.

I wonder if he listens to The Archers. I'd like to nick Lynda's Resurgam stone for Monty's garden.

Chacon a son gout! ?

I enjoy Gardeners World and Monty! Last nights programme was not one of the best. I watched it on iPlayer but it ended just before the week end weather? I reloaded it, but the same thing happened! I did notice that Monty had plasters on some of his fingers, maybe he'd had an accident and was not feeling too good. The TV schedule said it had a feature about courtyard gardens, but obviously it was wrong. Maybe next week.
I also like Joe Swift, last year l heard him give a live show, he was very entertaining for about 2 hours.

I'm sure he's a nice bloke but he bores the pants off me, and not in a good way! I prefer Diarmuid Gavin's style of presenting. Much more enthusiastic and cheery.

I love Monty Don..not though enjoying the new series and my feeling is...neither is he!!! maybe he's not being allowed enough 'say' in the production!!....

I like Monty too but I do find, after a few years now of watching him, that it's like groundhog day, the same things come up year after year. I want to learn something in my gardening, and I find I don't much with this programme. Also, I agree, ten minutes into the first programme this time (after being excited that Spring was here and it was back on), I switched it off, it was boring and same old, same old. I do wish there was a programme on which was more for beginners and taught us basics but different things.

I've put some wildflowers seeds in today and tomorrow, hopefully, health permitting, I want to get some seed potatoes in. I've bought some carrot seeds and an onion set too but they never seem to do these. Follow the instructions I suppose.

I have not seen this, prefer the radio to the tele. I like gardener's Question Time. I have no time for Monty Don in any way shape or form. I like to listen to Bob Flowerdew, and I like his ideas.

Elrel - the Gardens around the World series is being repeated on BBC2. I watched the episode from Japan earlier this morning.
About 7-8am.

What I would like to learn is actual planting plans. So dimensions of beds, the plants, aspect, soil requirements and end result and season of interest. They could do things like herbaceous, water garden, shade, shrubbery, there is no end of stuff that would give a good clue.

I have an idea of what the end result should look like but there is always something not quite right and I am for ever moving stuff around.

Thanks Tricia - I will watch Monty visiting the Japan garden later today on catch-up. Feet up, of course, because it's Mother's Day!

I agree about planting plans, whitewave. With today's technology it would be easy to show the layout of a border, shape and form of plants, correct positioning/orientation and eventual size. They could also do more on planting combinations which is what everyone makes a note of when you visit a well-known garden.

Joe Swift did a regular garden design feature in a past series but as usual it focussed on hard landscaping, furniture and the 'outdoor room' theme.

Even the dogs looked bored in last Friday's episode.

Must have been boring and slow. I fell asleep. Love the dogs but get the increasing feeling that the man himself is heavily scripted.

Yes rubylady but isn't most gardening in real life like "groundhog day"? The seasons don't change (well a tiny bit they do) and we tend to do the same, or similar, things in the garden year after year. I spent almost all day in the garden yesterday wearing a tee shirt. It was heavenly. I got stacks of jobs done.

I am hopeless at links (took some photos) but we saw Joe Swift at Tatton Park Flower show last year and it took him about 5 or more, attempts to do a short piece to camera. Fluffed every one and then had a bit of a strop.

Ha Ha, gillybob. Reminds me of Jekka McVicar at Chelsea many years ago. I was really chuffed when she took time to chat to me about the herbs on her stand when she suddenly broke off and yelled, 'Put that down, don't you dare touch my plants' to a woman who was trying to break off a sprig of something.

It made me jump and people started pushing forward to see what the kerfuffle was about. I just hoped they didn't think it was me! Her last words before she stormed off was, 'Bloody cheek!'