Gardening TV programmes starting in January 2015.

[ancee]

As I'm stuck in now due to the awful weather and the fact there's not much to do out there presently. I feel the need to watch anything at all about gardening and I've watche'd some rubbish! I feel like I need a gardening 'fix' till I can get back out there again! Every book I'm reading is about gardening, I've rearranged my seeds twice, organised my label tin.... I'm an addict - clearly! If I can't do it I'll watch it! Help!

[WendyC]

Well I watched episode 1. I thought part 1 was marginally more informative than last year, with some growing advice. I quite like seeing the different varieties. As for the flowers and cooking I don't think I shall bother again. My family watched with me and laughed through most of it, with comments like "this isn't gardening" and "this is awful", don't think they will join in again.

[Martin H]

If you watch a second episode, you'll start cheering on your favourites and have to keep watching to find out if they win. Be warned!

[Knight of Albion]

We'll have to see how things pan out. The last series, for all its faults, clocked up around 2.5 million viewers per programme.

[KevinM67]

I watched the Channel 4 programme with Jamie Oliver that was on just before the Allotment Challenge which highlighted "ugly fruit" and that tonnes of the stuff is wasted due to the whims of our major supermarkets.

Yet, on the main part of an allotment programme they focused on the potatoes being different sizes and some having superficial marks.

Anyway, I've whinged enough about it - it's not really for me - Friday nights are usually family time for us, it won't be on.

[Alison]

If you watch a second episode, you'll start cheering on your favourites and have to keep watching to find out if they win. Be warned!

Didn't happen last time and I gave it a few episodes that time to see if it improved. Won't be happening this time.

[WendyC]

Didn't warm to anyone, just one whinging woman I wanted to vote off!

[Kristen]

I feel the need to watch anything at all about gardening and I've watche'd some rubbish!

Lots of good, interesting, instructive YouTube channels available if that would do you instead?

I think there was a thread somewhere ... might have been on a different forum though

[Ja9]

I enjoy 'the allotment challenge ' as some light entertainment. Thought JoJo was hilarious laughing at the pompous judges comments .Glad there is a little more practical gardening but it will never be as good as Beechgrove.
The jams/chutneys are all very WI and the flower arranging. I think that has some appeal though as it's very similar to preparations for showing at village fetes.I can never match a decent set of 4 spuds!

[Kristen]

January 6 at 7pm on BBC Two, the Great British Garden Revival is back, with a second 10-part series
January 6 at 8pm on ITV1, Britain’s Best Gardens a new three-part series with Alan Titchmarsh

Reminder! these are on TONIGHT

[Lumpy]

Ooo Ooo!
Just watched Titchmarsh on Britains Best Gardens?
Did you see the sizeof that Cabbage - it was mahoosive.
I'm about to go hunting for my hyacinth vase so I can have a go at growing a pineapple - I can't grow radish but maybe, just maybe...

[Alison]

Saw the grinning loon who is otherwise known as Joe Swift and quickly turned off!

[Jay-ell]

BAG is trying to pretend to be a traditional county show competition but without getting it. If your unlucky enough to have lousy new potatoes and azaleas then your off, even though you may have cracking carrots, desirable finalists, perfect peas and magnificent melons. In a show I wouldn't put anything into floral or coking (although to be honest at the moment I wouldn't put anything in the veg or fruit sections either - except the misshapen veg novelty section)

As with any show competition it focuses on the standard veg. I'd like more unusual. types of veg - not just round yellow courgette (which is the competitors choice) but cardoons, skirret, rapunzel

Personally I'd prefer a medal table/ points table with points for first second and third. Maybe allow for a joker contestants can play on their strongest entry. I'd also want more plot centric challenges - e.g. best plot judges on layout, plant selection (maybe not as they are given a plant list to grow) weeds, companion planting. A challenge on making compost might be interesting. How about a challenge on pest control when the judges release masses of aphids, caterpillars and possibly a lion and judge how the contestants manage it (extra points for effective organic lion control).

Of course all this means that I'm not the target audience for the program.

Perhaps they should make an allotment challenge extreme - instead of a prepared plot inside a walled garden they get dumped on a north facing slope exposed to the elements and covered in brambles and bind weed with only an argos gardening tool set to clear it.

[Martin H]

I watched last night's Great British Garden Revival. Despite my doubts about the presenters, I quite enjoyed it.

Rachel is fine when she's not reading from a script. I'm not really a fan of old roses, I think that some of the modern varieties are better garden plants. But she put up a good case for them.

Joe Swift was his usual slightly annoying self but I found the subject matter more interesting which makes up for it.

I'll watch again next week.

[KevinM67]

I caught the 2nd part of British Garden Revival last night which focused on soft fruit.

I'm wondering if anyone caught the name of the guava plant she mentioned -as I quite fancy it.

Thanks in advance.