How to Create a Garden - RTE 1 - 28/3

Antiquo

Folks, thought this would be of interest.

Saw this advertised for RTE 1 starting on Monday 28th March a program called How to create a garden.

Judging by the title it should be full of ideas and not too mind boggling for the first time gardeners out there (hopefully).

Prowetod

Anyone else see this? What did you think of it?

HardyEustace

I didn't think it was great. They were trying to emulate an urban garden set up but frequent problems in urban gardens are
2. storage of soil, debris, tools

which was all very neatly side stepped.

Also, judging from the guy who put the patio in, whacking sand down was vaguely mentioned, there was no advice on stone you'd choose or why, the process of laying down a patio.

Antiquo

Didn't watch it meself thought it would be a bit better than that though.

Dissapointing

MASTER...of the bra

I couldn't believe your man sprayed Round-Up, the whole thing was just lazy. "It's gonna go inert in the ground..blah blah...." Granted he's working on the flower/ornamental garden but still. And there's a good few in more or less doing it for them, the presenters.

That must be tip 1--->get someone to do it for you.

The vegtable end.......meh.......make raised boxes.

Not what I was expecting.

There hasn't been a good practical gardening show in a long time, there's to much time spent messing round with things the normal gardener would never be in to.

secman

Not a patch on BBC's "Gardeners World" to be honest, but I'll give it another chance to improve.

Secman

casey junior

Percy Thrower's badly missed!

redser7

Geoff Hamilton was best. Got a box set of specials he did a while back. Brilliant

magicbastarder

interesting that monty don got the nod again; given the fuss over carol klein not getting the anchor presenter role, i'd have thought she'd have stepped in after toby whatshisface left. and he got a rough ride, he seemed to take a lot of the flak for the change in format which i suspect was down to the producers.

bmaxi

Only saw a bit of this, wasn't overly impressed but will give it another go.
Not really fair to compare it to Gardeners World with the resources and background at the BBC and even that has deteriorated. I too was a big fan of Geoff Hamilton, I loved the way he got stuck in to everything and all the little homemade bits and bobs he'd come up with, sad loss. The programme at the moment features two of my least favourite presenters in Rachel de Thame and Joe Swift. Too much niche gardening and not enough muck under the nails. Either dig up Geoff or bring back Alan.

Funsterdelux

Bring back Gerry Daly I say! Yeah thought the whole patio thing was a bit of a cop-out too. And the whole round-up business, they should be trying to encourage alternative methods.

The only useful tip I got was the Buffalo dung, heehee

Zuiderzee

Yup, I found it quite poor, nowhere near as good as Garrai Glas.
Glad I'm not the only one as I felt a bit guilty about the poor write-up I gave them on the blog. At least it's a start.

Not very practical, the only thing I saw that was of any use to me was the pallet gate idea.

Also, this is in Fota, land that has been well cared for over the years, not exactly the urban garden it tries to emulate with its rocks, stones and waste.
Even worse - reclaiming land on a small holding

For the soil test for example, an expensive electronic device, not the bog standard shake and see that most people will use.

As MASTER...of the bra said, the use of roundup is disturbing. Why not show people how to make their own weedkiller or support a small Irish company making organic weedkiller like OWK? There is a recession on you know, and I feel that RTE should when possible try to promote Irish companies.

Also, there is one piece of advice I always give people when developing a new garden for veg from grass is use supernemo's - again - an Irish company but vital against cutworms and wireworms - in particular when starting a veg garden on virgin grass land like a lawn. If you don't listen to anything else I say, that's the one thing you should heed - I speak from bitter experience.

Pretty poor program IMHO - but at least they gave it a shot.

Sonnenblumen

I watched it for the first time the other night. Couldn't watch the full show, instructions were incoherent, presentation dreadful and attention to detail was completely lacking.

It was difficult to discern any real level of expertise, be it how to lay roll turf, instal a patio or even build a basic Raised Veg frame. A pallet gate, who would want such crap? Old McDonald's Farm?

Probably suffers from inadequate resources, overall, a very amateurish production of poor standard, and I doubt if I'll watch again.

A bunch of students would do better.:(

paddy147

Sorry,but that presenter hasnt a clue about acidic soil.:rolleyes:

He left bnehind some amount of stones in his soil when he was laying the rolled grass out.

Apart from that,it was a reasonable episode the other night.

paddy147

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

instal a patio or even build a basic Raised Veg frame. A pallet gate, who would want such crap? Old McDonald's Farm?

People who are into their allotments or starting out with an allotemnt.

Might be crap to a person like you,but its fine for people who keep allotments

Sonnenblumen

paddy147 wrote: »

People who are into their allotments or starting out with an allotemnt.

Might be crap to a person like you,but its fine for people who keep allotments

I would not consider an allotment a garden.

paddy147

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

I would not consider an allotment a garden.

Would you ever wize up and cop on.

Alot of people use their own gardens to grow their own fruit,and veg these days.The economic downturn has had a big effect on many many people and diy money saving ideas are all the rage now.

Alot of what that programme shows and deals with IS relevent to anyone who is starting out on an allotment or has an allotment allready.

Allotments are a fast growing pastime and hobby in this country,especially with the economic downturn and emphasis on growing your own veg.

Example of things dealt with on that programme that have relevence to an allotment is raised veg beds,growing potatoes and onions,moving around your vegetables each season,and so on.


Ive just started getting into the gardening and allotment side of things,thanks to my girlfriend.
Shes a fully qualified,professional horticulturalist,landscape architect and garden designer and she has her own 250 square meter allotment.

She loves working on and in state owned and private walled victorian gardens,raised garden projects and also on her allotment,so her passion has rubbed off on me.


So dont be looking down your nose at allotments or anyone who would get good information or use out of that programme and apply what they learnt to their own allotment or garden.


Many people also grow food,fruits and veg in their own gardens too.

That might not be to your taste or to low brow for you,but dont dump on it.Its very popular in this country nowadays




Wize up and cop on with regards your posts and comments.

Sonnenblumen

^^^who is looking down what nose and what are you ranting on about? I gave my opinion of the programme and that gate.

You love it, good for you.

paddy147

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

^^^who is looking down what nose and what are you ranting on about? I gave my opinion of the programme and that gate.

You love it, good for you.

Im pointing out something that is very obvious with regards that programme and how it would relate to allotments or peoples gardens,that you seem to like to slate,with regards your post about the programme and the diy tips they gave and showed.

Im not ranting on at all.And Im not looking down my nose at anyone,or low browing them either.

But Im making a clear statement to you with regards gardens and allotments in respect of the programme and what it showed.

Less of your belittling comments towards the people who would watch the programme or get any diy ideas or use from it.

Wize Up

redser7

Personally I think it is poor because it doesn't know what it is trying to be.
On the one had I think it is aimed at the complete beginner. Nothing wrong with that. But then they literally flies through areas with terriblly scant detail. I think it could be more off-putting that encouraging to a new gardener.
Best if they had focussed on fewer areas and given more detail. A waste of TV budget if you ask me. I image there is a huge appetite for a new Irish gardening programme. Why not give it the full hour and do it right!?
Now this is good TV ...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Geoff-Hamilton-Collection-Anniversary-Gardeners/dp/B000R343M6

I think there is about 20 hours worth of episodes for just over a tenner!

magicbastarder

a gardening program would not be a particularly expensive series to make; so it's a pity they don't set up a recurring one, a la gardeners world.
the 'dermot's secret garden' series is not really a gardening series, it's more a documentary.

Zuiderzee

Paddy147 - like Sonnenblumen, I do not think of an allotment as a garden, it's a dedicated veg patch -which I prefer.
Despite having 16 acres, I have set up my own kitchen garden as an allotment, based on what I have seen in England and had in Holland.
But I think you got the wrong end of the stick if you think that's an elitist comment somehow.
From the veg part of the show - the only bit that would interest me, I have already pointed out that they had a chance to promote better, and cheaper, alternatives to roundup and did not.

When it cames to the spuds, the presenter asked 'have these been chitted' without explaining what that means, simple things like that.

I think redser7 hit the nail on the head, the program is not well defined in what it is trying to be.

Mr.Boots

I did and will continue to watch it for 2 reasons....
Its Irish
Its about gardening.

I do however think its pretty crap
The gate was a bit silly
The guys attitude was very "celtic tiger" Spray roundup, roll out lawn, lads laying patio ect ect ....in and out quickloy and easily!!!
I think the ladies garden is more interesting, but again not enough focus on basics and essentials.

Wyldwood

I have to agree with the majority here, I don't find this programme very good. I've been a huge fan of Gardener's World over the years & was looking forward to an Irish gardening programme back on air this spring but what a disappointment. Bring back Helen Dillon!!

Sonnenblumen

redser7 wrote: »

Personally I think it is poor because it doesn't know what it is trying to be.
On the one had I think it is aimed at the complete beginner. Nothing wrong with that. But then they literally flies through areas with terriblly scant detail. I think it could be more off-putting that encouraging to a new gardener.
Best if they had focussed on fewer areas and given more detail. A waste of TV budget if you ask me. I image there is a huge appetite for a new Irish gardening programme. Why not give it the full hour and do it right!?
Now this is good TV ...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Geoff-Hamilton-Collection-Anniversary-Gardeners/dp/B000R343M6

I think there is about 20 hours worth of episodes for just over a tenner!

Agree, Geoff Hamilton made classic TV gardening programmes. Why doesn't RTE simply pay the rights to run the series, hardly cost grounds?

May be TG4 will do an Irish dub version.:)

niceoneted

I am in my house nearly 10 years and keep wanting to do something with the garden. I have watch numerous shows and have never been inspired. This time I am. I thought they made it look pretty easy to get started - ok a bit of graft. but they have taken the fear out of gardening for me.
I have a plan in place and purchased some of the items needed.
I think it depends on the level of gardener. I also think there could be some improvements but I am intelligent enough to fill in the gaps.

magicbastarder

there ya go - the sort of person who the show was aimed at seemed to like it.
to be fair, comparing it to gardeners world is unfair; gardeners world is aimed at gardeners. this is aimed at people who are not.

bmaxi

niceoneted wrote: »

I am in my house nearly 10 years and keep wanting to do something with the garden. I have watch numerous shows and have never been inspired. This time I am. I thought they made it look pretty easy to get started - ok a bit of graft. but they have taken the fear out of gardening for me.
I have a plan in place and purchased some of the items needed.
I think it depends on the level of gardener. I also think there could be some improvements but I am intelligent enough to fill in the gaps.

Usually the fear of gardening is a fear of failure and looking an idiot.
I've had my own garden, in one place or another, for more than forty years and I can guarantee that this year, I will make a balls of something I've probably been doing every one of those years.
The great thing about gardening is, you always have someone to blame, Mother Nature. Too much/little rain,sun, heat, cold, light, dark etc. I've planted "dwarf" shrubs which are now 30ft high, introduced plants which looked nice and then took twenty years to get rid of, stupid things too numerous to mention. The thing is you learn from your mistakes and you'll always get a second chance.
I hate these TV shows that show beautiful clipped topiary and immaculate lawns and all these manufactured beds and borders. That's ok if you have teams of professional gardeners and landscapers or oodles of time and money, but for the regular guy trying to get out the back between the showers, it's pie in the sky.
Just get out and do it and if it doesn't work there's always next year.

HardyEustace

niceoneted wrote: »

I thought they made it look pretty easy to get started - ok a bit of graft. but they have taken the fear out of gardening for me.

To be honest, the would be one of my main criticism about the program. I've recently finished my garden which, though a small garden, had a lot of hard landscaping in it. It is pure slog to dig out the garden, put hardcore down, get it whacked down properly, get your levels right.

I got professionals in do my paving, I was absolutely delighted with the quality of the work and because my garden is sloped, I needed all their expertise when it came to drainage and laying it out.

The guy who put the patio down barely mentioned all the work, didn't even show people what a whacker plate was, didn't mention how important levels were, drainage was happily skipped over and unless you'd done it yourself, you may not have noticed that he had THREE, YES, THREE people in the back ground helping...

Hardly do it yourself.

touts

I am currently doing my garden (front last year back this year) with both family/ornamental aspects and raised beds. I was looking forward to this show but I had a bad feeling when the guy said "gardening is easy. You stick it in the ground and it grows". Well either he is talking rubbish or my plot defies the laws of gardening. A good 15 to 20% of what "I stuck in the ground" last year is dead now. In my investigation of a number of these untimely demises I have discovered it could be frost, lack of watering, too much watering, wrong PH, disease, bad drainage, pests, wind, lack of sun etc etc. I probably have had all of these in my 12 months as a hobby gardner.

Basically "stick it in the ground and it grows" sums up the problems with the show.

And I dont like the new gardeners world. Last year it was packed with tips for the average Gardner with the average garden. This year it feels aimed at professionals running a 200 year old estate. I come away feeling how hopelessly immature, inadequate and small my litte plot is.

Sonnenblumen

Touts

plants can and do fail even if all the obvious factors are correct including PH, soil conditions, aspect, aftercare etc etc. In my opinion, poor ground preparation is also a common cause of plant failure. Simply digging a little hole is not sufficient which is why, hence one of Alan Titchmarsh's many tips, 'spend twice as much on the hole as you did on the plant'. Also within the many plant groups/varieties available, some are more vunerable despite what the books/labels might say. There are also a core group of sure fire reliables, but gardens like people are individual by nature, which is why it's good to trial and err etc.

The important thing though is to understand why and learn from why a particular plant did not do as well as expected. What's it called, experiential learning, and in the university of gardening, one is always learning.

magicbastarder

touts wrote: »

And I dont like the new gardeners world. Last year it was packed with tips for the average Gardner with the average garden. This year it feels aimed at professionals running a 200 year old estate. I come away feeling how hopelessly immature, inadequate and small my litte plot is.

the funny thing is the last two seasons of gardeners world came in for heavy criticism from the traditional audience because it was too 'dumbed down'; it has usually been a program for people who are comfortable with gardening, so assumes a level of knowledge or experience which may not be there.

Antiquo

What's the point of making a program entitled How to Create a Garden which is obviously aimed at the newbie gardener and then fail to provide sufficient detail and guidance? Badly thought out and executed show.

Geoff H an extremely practical and down to earth bloke was my favoutite on GW and this effort could do worse than view a few of his shows to see how it should be done. Latter day GW is trying to please the whims of the nouveau rich gardeners who get a man in to do the dirty digging etc. Stick to the basics and get rid of the airs and graces.

It's really not difficult to make an instructional video on the basics of lawn laying, soil preperation (without gallons o weedkiller), sowing seed, pruning, how to grow a few veg in beds, etc.

V poor effort RTE and can I please have a refund on my TV licence as this is not worthy of a €160 contribution although they prob spent that on weedkiller

redser7

I imagine it is down to some producer/director who says 'ok you've got 45 seconds to show these people how to create raised beds'. And so they do. The speed at which the presenters deliver the instruction is pure celtic tiger :-) and not at all in tune with the pace of real gardening. It's like an asault.

the optimist

I have enjoyed this program and look forward to each week. I dont know anything about gardening and have found this program to be excellent for ideas even if it doesnt go into a step by step guide for everything. I am planning on starting to sort out our back gardens and will take ideas from his and her garden. I love the rotary patio idea and plan to use it but dont plan on laying it myself so dont need to know how to lay the patio. I am more interested in the ideas and the layout of raised beds and how to plant and care for vegetables. Loved the fruit bushes in tonites episode and plan on doing them too. All in all i think this program is aimed at beginners like me and if it went into too much detail it would go way over my head. This is enough to get me started and I can carry on from there.

shawnee

As an experienced gardener , I watched the show for the first time last night. While the show dealt with pretty basic stuff , I enjoyed it. Most experienced gardeners know what's to be known anyway.
Nice to see new gardeners and basic stuff being catered for. Perhaps it would be nice if they had a little bit at the end for the experienced guy, like for example unusual plants/ideas.
Nice to see an Irish production but I agree, not a lot of money spent on this one.

Calluna

Just my own 2 cents worth as someone who likes the idea of gardening but hasn't ever really got into it...yet!

I didn't see the first programme in this series but saw the one this week and specifically commented to my (very uninterested) husband afterwards that I was glad RTE had made a 'how to' gardening as opposed to a 'look at fancy gardens' programme. We currently have a half acre garden which requires work. We have a half built stonewall feature which 'we' diy'ed. We will be putting in a patio (getting someone to do it) and have planted an 'orchard' including some fruit bushes and trees. So, I was glad to see that based on my own intiative/reading, I was on a track similar to the one they were recommended. I felt inspired but not over-awed by it, which I think sometimes happens when I watch gardening programmes showing very large/old/established/beautiful gardens.

Generally, RTE never makes series with programmes more than a half hour in length. It's their biggest downfall, but I suppose they consider the risk of failure too great. Off the Rails seems to be the only half hour one that has increased...and that took about 10 years (and I stopped watching last season because I'm not a fan of new presenters). I always find that the interior design shows are rushed, could do with another half an hour to either give you more 'how to' and a more detailed after...rather than a quick camera flick around the house and the credits rolling along the side.

So, I will continue watching. I think it's very difficult to pitch a gardening programme, especially on a lowish budget. I felt that this was aimed at someone like me...with an interest, but a beginner and not really for someone with an established garden. I liked how they didn't bombard us with too many plants and I can remember the ones I liked and which I'm going to actually go out and buy. Also like that they are combining the two types of garden which gives a decent mix.

The DIY element can be questionable. Am I really going to make my own cold frame? Yes, some people do and I know it's probably not that difficult, but I'm not capable of it...and my DH is not willing! So I think they give enough detail in showing a few minutes and referring to more details on the website. Similarly with laying a patio. In reality, most people will get a professional for that job, unless they are quite handy or a building professional.

Thumbs up from me. It's Irish. It's pitched at beginners, but they are restricted by the half hour time slot...but that's not unusual for RTE. One other thing I liked was that the timing of it was applicable (i.e. it was April for them too).

Prowetod

I like it, I've learned one or two new things each episode.

Meelich

I haven't actually seen the new RTE programme but have been an avid Gardener's world fan for a long time, however I seriously struggled with Toby Buckland and Alys fowler, nothing against them personally however but they didn't make me want to garden. What I find about Monty Don, Carol Klien, Alan Titchmarsh, Rachel de Thame is that while they do things I can't do because I don't have the space/time their love of gardening comes across and makes me want to garden. But they won't appeal to everyone, however I'm delighted to see Monty back.

Unfortunately I'm wayyyy to young to remember Geoff Hamilton :rolleyes::rolleyes:

To me gardening is about creating a thing of beauty - and the learning in taht process which is hugely self satisfying - that's my personal definition.

I really miss Helen Dillon on the telly - I thought she was marvellous. Apparently RTE pulled her because they got feedback that IRish people didn't like her or feel they could relate to her because she was English - what a shame.

deisemum

I'm enjoying it and just glad that they've got an Irish gardening programme aimed at beginners. I did email RTE last year asking for such a programme as there are a lot of new viewers interested in growing their own vegetables and that it would make a pleasant change from all the cookery programmes.

I like the idea of 2 different gardens and different approaches.

I love Gardeners World especially Monty Don and Alan Titchmarsh.

I'm old enough to remember Percy Thrower

Zuiderzee

Just watched second program on RTE player, better than the first

Lazairus

Hello

Being a scolar of Harry dodson(I have his out of print book also)

, I see that they have a walled garden, the show blatently dissmisses this, Most gardeners would give their right arm to own one,

Instead they build a urban garden inside a walled garden


shame on them

Laz

touts

Lazairus wrote: »

Hello

Being a scolar of Harry dodson(I have his out of print book also)

, I see that they have a walled garden, the show blatently dissmisses this, Most gardeners would give their right arm to own one,

Instead they build a urban garden inside a walled garden


shame on them

Laz

Well we can't all afford a stately walled garden so there is little point in showing us how to maintain one. The majority of people have just a small plot of land around the size of the gardens they are doing. I have been disappointed with the show because of the lack of detail that we get in a brief 23min (minus the ads) show but I also say well done to them for not going down the Gardeners Worlds route and producing a niche show for the niche audience of near professional gardeners. An unrushed hour long "How to create a garden" would be much closer to the needs of the audience than Monty Don's new Gardeners World.

However that said you should not be too disappointed. Once the show is over I suspect these show gardens will be buldozed and the walled garden returned to the empty field that was there before the cameras moved in.