On 16/05/2014 17:53, Martin wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2014 13:05:01 +0100, David Hill
wrote:

I seem to remember a series that ran for a few years where it featured
gardens wishing to open under the NGS and the presenter helped the
owners prepare the garden and you saw the assessment and then if
accepted the open day as well, an interesting series.
I believe it was called Open Gardens

I have vague recollections of that too.

Wasn't that presented by Carol Klein? Yes, I enjoyed that series too. It
was interesting to see how the various NGS officials (a rather
formidable bunch) assessed the various gardens.

The BBC have to move away from making every programme a competition.

Hear, hear, to that part. Yes, exactly what we keep saying, chez nous.

Don't agree with previous comments up-thread about Monty on GW and the
Chelsea programmes though. Some of us enjoy his style of presenting the
programme and have no beef about whether or not he's got paper
qualifications or had recognized training in horticulture. Neither do
lots of other very experienced, well known gardeners and growers but
they've learned by years of experience and hands-on growing and so has he.

I for one don't particularly like Alan Titchmarsh as a presenter and am
glad he's not fronting Chelsea coverage this time. He may well have
loads of impeccable gardening credentials but for me he comes across as
far too smarmy and self satisfied with all that name-dropping,
pretentious literary quoting and general air of smugness.

But another vote here for Beechgrove which I like to record for later
watching. It's a completely different style and format from GW which is
all to the good and it's been even better since Chris Beardshaw joined.
The more coverage gardens and gardening gets on the old box, the better
I like it.

--
Sue