Gardeners' World

Our soil is rich, fertile fen soil which sounds ideal for growing anything and everything but we have nettles that could put a taser to shame.

We're extending our veg garden so DH got stuck in with the rotovator a month ago where the raised beds have been placed. The rest will be open sided beds so we're having a competition which I'm determined to win

Yes I saw that. I have been 'no-dig' for many years. Home made compost on the surface for the winter then a rake over in the spring ready for planting/sowing. I am fortunate to have a light sandy soil at the top of my garden where I grow vegetables, which breaks down to a lovely tilth and grows few weeds. I wish I could say the same for the rest of my garden, but it is blue clay with little top soil, I could make pots!

Did anyone see the visit to Charles Dowding's 'No-dig' vegetable garden in Somerset during the last episode of GW?

I've been a fan for years but I'm married to an ex farmer who believes in machinery, machinery, machinery so out comes the rotovator, in go the plants and up grow the weeds!

He agrees with me on the organic approach though so while he's out of action as far as rotovating is concerned, I'm happily using all my lovely compost to mulch, mulch, mulch.

Watch this space

I think Alan Titchmarsh's cat was called Spud.

I watched the episode of Around the World in 80 Gardens that concerned Chima and Japan because I adore Japanese gardens, and the Zen gardens in Kyoto were exquisite. MD was truly in his element.

Totally agree with you Day6 (with the exception of liking Alan Titchmarsh). I could listen to Monty all day and adore his slow, gentle style of presenting.

I think Monty Don is absolutely lovely. I like his warm and knowledgeable style. I could listen to him all day.

I would be upset if he didn't present the show. He knocks spots off other presenters, and as mentioned he doesn't have any ego. Lovely man. I don't think I'd be able to put up with Carol Klein or Joe Swift as presenters.

I did like Alan Titchmarsh too. Another man with an easy style and pleasant mannerisms. He had a garden cat follow him around, which I loved but I also enjoy watching Monty's way with his two dogs. Nigel is a star too.

Gardener's World remains for me as relaxing, interesting and informative as it's always been, and long may the gentle, smiling Monty reign.

6.45am on Sunday???

They're 'aving a larff

I'll watch it on catch up as I like the Beechgrove Garden

Beechgrove Gardens is on tonight in Scotland and on Bbc2 at 6:45 am on Sunday in England. Give it a try if you haven't watched it.

Elrel, the programme you referred to is Around the World in 80 Gardens. Currently being repeated on Sunday mornings around 7 am! If that's too early you could set it to record. I've seen it before but enjoying it again. Yesterday's episode was in China and Japan.
Regarding GW, I love Monty and the dogs but the programme is too short to cover any item in any depth. I hope they return to doing an hour long show once the growing season gets into the swing.
My all time hero though was the late and wonderful Geoff Hamilton.

Monty is OK but IMO, GW has never been the same since Geoff Hamilton died.I loved him (and Dennis!)

My Partner and I have discovered Monty Dons " Around the world in 80 Gardens".
If you are bored with Monty in 'Gardeners World', then do watch this brilliant series.
To give you an idea of just how good it is....
My Partner, who would rather eat his own foot than watch a gardening programme, is smitten. He even gets up early with me on a Sunday morning ( when it is screened on TV ) just to watch it. AND.....
He wants the boxed set of Dvd's too.
We love this absolutely fascinating series. Well done Monty.

I love gardeners workd and have watched since Geoff Hamilton and liked his style but did love Allan titchmarsh and prefer him in the garden as opposed to anything his has done since . Do like month but loved Alan!

Don't mind Monty, (used to live round the corner from him), can't stand Diarmuid Gavin, love Carol Klein.
GW hasn't been the same since Geoff Hamilton died. I loved him - my all time favourite.

i can't stand monty don and stopped watching gardeners' world when he started presenting it again after being ill.
i really enjoyed gardeners' world when toby buckland was presenting it and felt that i learned a great deal from the programme. i was really sorry when the bbc announced that toby would be replaced by monty don and the garden he had created out of nothing would be left to go to rack and ruin.
i am an expert gardener although i am unable to do much in the way of gardening as i am disabled.

Love Montys quiet style. I have to fast forward when Carol is on. She drives me mad.

Why can't anyone of those putting questions to the panel just deliver their query in a straightforward and no-nonsense manner? Why, oh, why do they have to always put a "comedy twist" in their question?

Most of the puns are just too cringing to listen to, but I still listen because I can't believe just how awful they are......

yup, the dogs make it for me!

We have two acres, Yorkshiregel. It's been work in progress since 1998!

One acre is still a field as we are on a very tight budget so constantly spending on the areas nearest the bungalow and annexe. Oh how I'd love a nice juicy lottery win!

Be careful what you wish for

Don't you feel envious of all these huge gardens? Maybe the programme needs to have a re-think because we cannot all afford ponds, outdoor furniture, stylists or very expensive shrubs and trees.

I have lots of small to medium shrubs and about 4 trees, including a beautiful Magnolia that is in full bloom at the moment, and also an apple tree that is coming in to bud. Also my favourite is my Snow Tree through which I have allowed a clematis to climb so that I have something for every season, snow and berries in the winter, flowers in the spring and summer and coloured foliage in the autumn. Plus an Acer that changes colour too.

Any vegetables and tomatoes have to either be grown in pots or in the little greenhouses.

I love gardening and Monty is one of my favourites. Don't like Joe Swift's style, and Carol Kline can be too gushy for me although I think she is a nice person.

I know the basics but what they do and what happens in my garden are completely different. Perhaps it is because of their soil I don't know, but last year I had one massive carrot, and no potatoes at all although I planted 4 tubs of the things and got a lot of healthy green tops but nothing else. Must be doing it wrong or perhaps I have mice but I haven't seen any, only one little dormouse.

I have two small greenhouses of the plastic kind, but I wish I had a proper one. Every Mothers' Day I ask for plants and usually get them. This year I got binoculars too so I can watch the birds more closely.

Oh please - do not give Monty a hard time. We love watching his programme. He strikes me as having no airs or graces and no huge ego like some 'celebrities' on TV. I've seen him a few times at Chelsea or maybe it was Hampton Court and he is just a normal bloke trying to do his job the best he can. Apart from having a stroke a few years ago he is also plagued with depression. As a fellow sufferer I can tell he is probably struggling with it at the moment. There is nothing harder than trying to carry on as 'normal' when you are in that dark tunnel. To be honest even to get out of bed in the morning is a struggle sometimes so he is doing well in the circumstances if indeed he is going through a hard time mentally.

Adam frost seems to be up and coming, I like his style and perhaps he's being prepared for main presenter in the future perhaps

I've been thinking the same, Bluegayn, seeing as he has a regular feature designing and developing a very large garden in his impressive country pad!

Not sure I like him just yet. Perhaps he'll grow on me

I am a retired garden designer and horticulturist, and used to look forward to GW, but I stopped watching a few years ago as there wasn't enough to hold my interest.

I think Monty is ok, but I prefer a more upbeat presenter like Carol Klein (over the top for some, I believe, but she really grabs your attention).

I would like to see more on plant combinations too - Carol used to present some of these and this was both interesting and informative.

Adam frost seems to be up and coming, I like his style and perhaps he's being prepared for main presenter in the future perhaps.

I have started to watch again this season, and will see how it goes.

I stopped watching it when Monty Don took over so I sympathise with those of you who are still watching Gardeners World.