undergroundbob wrote:
Make that 5. DG's designs bring tears to my eyes. It's not about
plants, but great slabs of concrete and metal. Bad gardener, deperate
format, painful programme! I couldn't watch more than 3 minutes.
Why are there no gardening programmes for kids? Has there ever been
one? Last week's gardeners world 'pumpkin trial' results showed that
loads of childers watch the programme, and it's all good clean outdoor
fun.

Off course it is. But this doesn't make money. It doesn't bring
thousands of people to garden centres. And look at horticultural
courses across the country. They don't attract the young but the older
adult with a career change in mind, or someone with design or landscape
skills.

Last year I had started a practice skills course at the same time as
the RHS general. After 6 weeks it closed down because our group didn't
make the numbers and this wasn't worthwhile for the college. We were 14
adults, 5 were travelling 4 hours plus daily from home to attend. We
fought the college, we needed more explanation. We didn't get any
beside that we had to be 15 of us to make it work. At the same time
they created 3 more classes for the beauty therapist and nail painting
sessions.

At my first year RHS, 4 lads came reluctantly to the course, were very
disruptive and didn't give a fig about anything. They had to have the
necessary levels to find employment - they thought gardening would be
easy. Unfortunately for them there's more to it than just cutting the
grass. Needless to say we haven't seen them again this year.

So now, with children not able to identify a courgette from a celery
stick, with the public at large thinking gardening is all about
decking, with our public parks strugling to keep open and safe for all,
we have gardening programme about to revolutionise the wall paper
industry. It's a funny world indeed )