I've been enjoying the programmes, although I'd rather have had Monty Don
presenting than Mr Smugmarsh, but two other things have particularly jarred
every time I've watched:

a) Charlie Dimmock's wooden way of reading anything out to camera and b)
that flipping awful theme music! :-/

--
Sue

Sue wrote:
: I've been enjoying the programmes, although I'd rather have had Monty
: Don presenting than Mr Smugmarsh, but two other things have
: particularly jarred every time I've watched:
:
: a) Charlie Dimmock's wooden way of reading anything out to camera and
: b) that flipping awful theme music! :-/

I agree with you about the blue fencing and decking man! Why not a real
gardener but I ask myself is Chelsea for real gardeners?

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Sue wrote:
: I've been enjoying the programmes, although I'd rather have had Monty
: Don presenting than Mr Smugmarsh, but two other things have
: particularly jarred every time I've watched:
:
: a) Charlie Dimmock's wooden way of reading anything out to camera and
: b) that flipping awful theme music! :-/

I agree with you about the blue fencing and decking man! Why not a real
gardener but I ask myself is Chelsea for real gardeners?



hmmm, on that note, would you class Hampton Court as a show that would be
genuine interest to 'real' gardeners?

Reason I ask is that we're considering going - it's only a couple of miles
down the road from us - and persuading my parents to come down fromYorkshire
for it as well. (related question - my father can't walk long distances any
more without a great deal of pain in his legs, is he likely to find places
to be able to rest there? Don't smoke, kids, it'll kill ya...)

Although I'm enjoying watching the coverage of Chelsea I can't really say
that I'd be tempted to go. Altogether seems like a lot of hard work and a
long day out...


--
Richard Sampson

email me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

On 27/5/04 19:56, in article ,
"RichardS" noaccess@invalid wrote:

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Sue wrote:
: I've been enjoying the programmes, although I'd rather have had Monty
: Don presenting than Mr Smugmarsh, but two other things have
: particularly jarred every time I've watched:
:
: a) Charlie Dimmock's wooden way of reading anything out to camera and
: b) that flipping awful theme music! :-/

I agree with you about the blue fencing and decking man! Why not a real
gardener but I ask myself is Chelsea for real gardeners?



hmmm, on that note, would you class Hampton Court as a show that would be
genuine interest to 'real' gardeners?

Yes. Very much so. Chelsea is too except that the arty farty tv brigade
have got their dead hand upon it and some plonky director is trying to make
a name for himself or herself. God alone knows who it is and I don't want
to know or I'd have to do something radical.
We are really furious about this cheat of a programme. We have watched
tonight's 'Chelsea' and seen not one plant with a name, not even a plant
description. Instead, we have seen roof gardens god only knows where,
ladies growing exotic veg somewhere, Chelsea by night which nobody ever
sees, so the lighting is immaterial to the planting *and* encourages yet
more light pollution; the inanely grinning while 'tense because I hate
you', faces of Alan T and Diarmuid G and the flicking hair of Rachel de T
attached to the rest of her and Alan T doing his imitation of a royal wave
from Buckingham Palace. We fell asleep shortly after that, having given up
on the foolish notion that watching a programme about the Chelsea Flower
Show might actually show some plants at Chelsea. We thought we were pushing
our luck to expect actual plant names on the screen because producers of
such programmes expect them to appear through the medium of aliens via
tinfoil hats, apparently but we did think 'Chelsea' might show a bit about
the plants at Chelsea!

Reason I ask is that we're considering going - it's only a couple of miles
down the road from us - and persuading my parents to come down fromYorkshire
for it as well. (related question - my father can't walk long distances any
more without a great deal of pain in his legs, is he likely to find places
to be able to rest there? Don't smoke, kids, it'll kill ya...)

I wouldn't count on this being a good place for someone with such
difficulties. By its very nature there's a lot of walking about if you're
going to see everything. BUT if he is happy to go, see a few things and
then stay in one of the refreshment areas and wait for you, it's a possible.
But it's worth remembering that any resting places are likely to be used by
others who got there first. Perhaps you could take a folding chair, some
sandwiches, and a bottle of whatever for him so that he can choose his own
place to stop?
My husband has been to Hampton Court many times and I've only been once.
But I think, as he does, that it's a much more enjoyable show without the
Chelsea hype. Overall, there is more room to move around (we'll never go to
Chelsea again because of the crowding) and the way it beats Chelsea hands
down, IMO, is that you can actually buy and take away plants and seeds.

Although I'm enjoying watching the coverage of Chelsea I can't really say
that I'd be tempted to go. Altogether seems like a lot of hard work and a
long day out...

Damn right. And we still think the coverage is abysmal. ;-) If anyone
else does, I hope they'll write to the Beeb as I intend to do tonight.
'Chelsea' my foot!


--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds after garden to email me)

"Sue" wrote in message
...
I've been enjoying the programmes, although I'd rather have had
Monty Don
presenting than Mr Smugmarsh, but two other things have particularly
jarred
every time I've watched:

a) Charlie Dimmock's wooden way of reading anything out to camera
and b)
that flipping awful theme music! :-/

I agree with you about the music. It was about as bad a mismatch
with a programme about gardening as couldbe imagined. They should
sack that persistent awful drummer.

Franz

"Sue" wrote in message ...
I've been enjoying the programmes, although I'd rather have had Monty Don
presenting than Mr Smugmarsh, but two other things have particularly
jarred
every time I've watched:

a) Charlie Dimmock's wooden way of reading anything out to camera and b)
that flipping awful theme music! :-/

Well I've only watched a couple but I personally prefer Mr T to Monty as a
presenter of all things gardening. I find I don't bother to religiously
watch or record Gardeners World any more.
Not seen CD at all.
--
Regards
Bob

Some photos of my plants at.....

"RichardS" wrote in message :

hmmm, on that note, would you class Hampton Court as a show that would be
genuine interest to 'real' gardeners?

Reason I ask is that we're considering going - it's only a couple of miles
down the road from us - and persuading my parents to come down
fromYorkshire
for it as well. (related question - my father can't walk long distances
any
more without a great deal of pain in his legs, is he likely to find places
to be able to rest there? Don't smoke, kids, it'll kill ya...)

Although I'm enjoying watching the coverage of Chelsea I can't really say
that I'd be tempted to go. Altogether seems like a lot of hard work and a
long day out...

Hampton Court is, just like Chelsea, of interest to real gardeners. Don't
let anyone tell you different.
They differ in the space available, that HC is not in London, the fact that
you can drive to HC (if you have the time!) and park, that you can actually
buy what you see at HC, but Chelsea has the better displays and plants.
There are more "normal" gardeners at HC (the dirty broken fingernail type)
but then Chelsea is on the social calendar like Ascot.

If your Father can't walk far you will need to take some form of seating for
him, a shooting stick perhaps, the extra space at HC means more walking than
Chelsea and that is bad enough. Both very tiring, wear very comfortable
shoes.

p.s. driving from the West, Teddington/Hampton/Sunbury etc it's worthwhile
driving through Bushy Park rather than that solid jam on the road from
Kempton Park by the river, can save ages.

Don't let anyone else know. :-)
--
Regards
Bob

Some photos of my plants at.....

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Sue wrote:

...but I ask myself is Chelsea for real gardeners?

Chelsea is to gardeners as fashion shows are to those who
wear clothes.
--
Nick Wagg

The message
from "Nick Wagg" contains these words:

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Sue wrote:

...but I ask myself is Chelsea for real gardeners?

Chelsea is to gardeners as fashion shows are to those who
wear clothes.

Sorry, don't agree. The show itself is packed with fascinating plants,
ideas, exhibits and information .It's only the TV coverage, which fails
to address the needs and interests of gardeners.

We went to the first Galloway Garden Festival at Castle Kennedy last
weekend. A glorious venue, lovely weather, and every nursery, grower etc
for many miles around displaying and selling plants to a high turnout of
gardenlovers. Not many "furniture and knicknack" stalls, but we shared a
B and B with the salesman from one of the few, who said his sales were
so fantastic that he'll be back next year, and all the other
stand-owners had found the same.

Janet.

"Nick Wagg" wrote in message
...
"Robert" wrote in message
...
Sue wrote:

...but I ask myself is Chelsea for real gardeners?

Chelsea is to gardeners as fashion shows are to those who
wear clothes.
--
Nick Wagg


Cute (-:
Though I understand the sentiment expressed, I have only one real problem
with the "real gardeners" label.
It's a bit like saying ; a little bit pregnant.
To be or not to be a gardener is just as simply real. The only sub
categories that I think may apply might refer to financial rewards. The
professional and the amateur both deemed enthusiast... and both gardener.

Patrick

"Franz Heymann" wrote
I agree with you about the music. It was about as bad a mismatch
with a programme about gardening as couldbe imagined. They should
sack that persistent awful drummer.

It was probably all electronic and no doubt intended to appeal to a yoof
audience. It did sound as though it might be the sort of thing you hear
booming from a boy-racer's car stereo system as he speeds by. :-/

I suppose the nonsensical 10 minutes of 'Pot Idol' with Nicki Chapman in
tonight's programme was on the same lines but I'd rather have seen more new
plants shown and described instead.

--
Sue

In article , Janet
Baraclough.. wrote:

The message
from "Nick Wagg" contains these words:

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Sue wrote:

...but I ask myself is Chelsea for real gardeners?

Chelsea is to gardeners as fashion shows are to those who
wear clothes.

Sorry, don't agree. The show itself is packed with fascinating plants,
ideas, exhibits and information .It's only the TV coverage, which fails
to address the needs and interests of gardeners.

That would be because the BBC audience for its Chelsea programmes
comprises a majority who are not keen gardeners. The BBC has decided to
build its audience rather than serve the needs of keen gardeners. Hence
the daytime presenter was Jenny Bond for whom this may have been her
first ever visit to Chelsea. I thought she was excellent: very
coherent, very engaging, very professional - the very kind of
professional presenting that the show has lacked in the past. Last
year's Chelsea programmes were a technical disaster. Much better this
year and it seemed to me that even Charlie Dimmock has finally had some
TV tuition. It will be better still when the Beeb finally figures out
that the incomprehensible bumbling, mumbling Diarmuid Gavin isn't cut
out for any kind of TV work.

Simon

On Thu, 27 May 2004 18:33:12 +0000 (UTC), "Robert"
wrote:

Sue wrote:
: I've been enjoying the programmes, although I'd rather have had Monty
: Don presenting than Mr Smugmarsh, but two other things have
: particularly jarred every time I've watched:
:
: a) Charlie Dimmock's wooden way of reading anything out to camera and
: b) that flipping awful theme music! :-/

I agree with you about the blue fencing and decking man! Why not a real
gardener but I ask myself is Chelsea for real gardeners?

delurks

can someone tell me what a real gardener is?

I'm still developing my interest in gardening so don't understand the
distinction that seems so apparent to the group regulars.
--
Paul C

Sue wrote:
: I've been enjoying the programmes, although I'd rather have had Monty
: Don presenting than Mr Smugmarsh, but two other things have
: particularly jarred every time I've watched:
:

Well I liked seeing AT again. Still cant stand D.Gavin ( cant understand the
accent and it irritates!) R de T or frankly even Charlie!

On 29/5/04 9:45 am, in article , "mich"
wrote:

Sue wrote:
: I've been enjoying the programmes, although I'd rather have had Monty
: Don presenting than Mr Smugmarsh, but two other things have
: particularly jarred every time I've watched:
:

Well I liked seeing AT again. Still cant stand D.Gavin ( cant understand the
accent and it irritates!) R de T or frankly even Charlie!


I agree with this. AT is professional but the teeth achingly winsome stuff
between him, RdeT and Diarmuid last night reduced him in status, IMO. I
wouldn't mind betting he can't stand DG off screen, somehow.
Anyhow, I'm writing to the Beeb to have a general whinge about all this and
I hope others who feel the same will do so, too. Gardens in Manchester and
Spitalfields are NOT Chelsea Flower Show. A whole other programme or two
could have been made out of the totally irrelevant stuff shown during
supposed coverage of CHELSEA!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds after garden to email me)