Super Garden 2011

Goodne

http://www.rte.ie/tv/supergarden
Just wondering is anyone watching this season Super Garden? Just watched episode 2 & I really don't think the garden worked. Some elements were good; I really liked the thatched gazebo but she just didn't pull of the woodland theme to make the most of it.

paddy147

The programme doesnt reflect reality as the people involved get friends in to help and work for free.

The last chap,was an engineer and so was his father so all the steel and metal work was got and done for free.

Its a con of a programme and doesnt show the "real and true cost" of doing a garden to that spec.

emer_b

I'm looking forward to the next episode. I thought the archway/seat/fireplace thing lastnight was very funny, at least she was honest and admitted it was a mistake. Lastnights garden was so different from the first one, hard to judge them against each other.
I agree its not a true reflection of actual budgeting for a garden but they are quite upfront about the free labour and favours so I think its clear to see that the costs are lower than you might expect to pay in reality.
Show time is only about 20minutes (minus the ads), way too short.

Goodne

have to agree about the actual garden not reflecting the real budget. I know its supposed to be a show garden but how come you never see where they put the real things people have in their back garden like a clothes line, a shed or toys?

Corsendonk

Goodne wrote: »

have to agree about the actual garden not reflecting the real budget. I know its supposed to be a show garden but how come you never see where they put the real things people have in their back garden like a clothes line, a shed or toys?

All true, not to forget when the plants they planted out actually grow too and then seem inappropriate for the garden size. Far from reality gardening.

Goodne

I am disappointed with the shows so far, the garden last night was so boring! I can't believe he was given the opportunity to design a child friendly garden & then went & made it boring

secman

If that garden last night was a football team it would be Birmingham City............very very boring and waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay tooooooooooooo safe.

He could have gone for an Arsenal, Man Utd or a Barca !

Secman

Sonnenblumen

Goodne wrote: »

I am disappointed with the shows so far, the garden last night was so boring! I can't believe he was given the opportunity to design a child friendly garden & then went & made it boring

I think the designer, first time out, went some distance to meeting the client's reqs. He was able to stand his ground, and exposed the rather silly subjective nature of some of the comments made by the judges. For example, 'boring' had been mentioned, here too, yet none of the judges were able to articulate how or where this could be achieved in a €6k garden for a € 6k budget!! Another judge said "you're a designer not a landscaping contractor", shows how much she knows. The designer was hands-on, and did a fair job, proof that you can design and build, unlike some designers, who couldn't pick a colour! perhaps some of the experts can explain here how the designer could have made the garden less boring, child friendly and within budget.

I was disappointed no one could be more explicit about silly plastic water features, which are sold by programme's sponsor. The designer wanted to use a granite feature but because of no money, had to use this type of crap.

I would also take the Woodies horticulturist expert to task about underplanting bamboo with Pachysandra. He seemed to indicate it wasn't feasible, probably due to his lack of experience/knowledge. This is actually an excellent groundcover and underplanting solution for bamboo (assuming the bamboo is maintained).

Overall, show is a bit of a fiasco, unrealistic budgets, overdemanding expectations and little support from judges. A bit like the water feature, a miserly attempt to be what it cannot be.

TheFatMan

secman wrote: »

If that garden last night was a football team it would be Birmingham City............very very boring and waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay tooooooooooooo safe.

He could have gone for an Arsenal, Man Utd or a Barca !

Secman

Best thing about Birmingham City is that Keith Fahey Fella!

As for the budgets guys I think 6K is a lot of money (in current cliamte anyway) but its unrealistc in that most people wouldnt want to spend 6K on the garden now, would like to see them do more with less which is the reality for most people today

d1897

Yeah I thought the first garden was about the nicest but not realistic with the fella getting all the steel for free and getting free labour too....

6k is way too much on a garden... whoever would spend that would need their head examined. You can do a beautiful garden for a few hundred euros and some hard sweat ofcourse!!!

prospect

d1897 wrote: »

6k is way too much on a garden... whoever would spend that would need their head examined. You can do a beautiful garden for a few hundred euros and some hard sweat ofcourse!!!

There are way too many variables to say something like that, most significantly, the size of the garden, the condition of it before you start, does it need fencing, a shed to store stuff, etc and so on.

I started on a green field site, so literally had to invest in everything, from sleepers for kerbing, a gate, play area, cobbled area, trees, plants, lawns (and a ride on mower) and so on. I can assure you I spent many multiples of 6K and still have a driveway to do.

d1897

Hi Prospect,

Well i'm glad that you were able to do it, I guess i only have a small garden about 13ft x 20ft. I spent money on a shed 600 for a pressure treated one and then dug the rest of the garden myself -- i did it bit by bit for 2 months. Its finally dug up now and the lawn is planted. So now i just have to buy some bamboo trees at 50 euros each which ain't cheap as i will need 4 of them but i will have to save this 200 up!! So hopefully i will this done next month. I really wish i had one multiple of 6k though!

redser7

d1897 - I sympathise with you, everything I have to do with the garden I have to use ingenuity, resourcefulness and a tight tight budget.
Would love to take these but they don't fit for me. Maybe you could use them ...
http://www.freetradeireland.ie/item_detail.php?item_id=67531

d1897

Thanks Redster but i think these might be too big. Good site though, i'll watch out for more stuff there. Also i'm a good bit away from Dublin.

prospect

Don't get me wrong, of course it can be done on a budget, but just because someone needs to or wants to invest more doesn't mean that 'they need their head examined'.

All money I spent on my place has been over 7 or 8 years. But every investment has been a lifetime one, so over my time in my house, it'll work out cheap. Well, thats my logic anyway


Back on topic:
I don't have an issue with the free labour element of the show, as long as they are open about it. Most of use can get some help for the cost of a BBQ dinner and a cuppa tea.
I am often surprised at how impractical the gardens can be, like the point made in Ep.1 about stilettos on the metal grid paths, or the lack of a decent shed in the family garden. Pea gravel right up to a lawn without a fixed barrier, silly simple things like that are often neglected. I would imagine those gardens look very 'iffy' in real life, compared with how they appear on our TV screens.

d1897

Hi Prospect,

Yes sorry for using the phrase 'head examined'. I'm just jealous that i don't have that kind of cash. If i won the lotto in the morning, i'b be the first one to spend it on my garden. Hope you didn't take offense.
D.

prospect

d1897 wrote: »

Hi Prospect,

Yes sorry for using the phrase 'head examined'. I'm just jealous that i don't have that kind of cash. If i won the lotto in the morning, i'b be the first one to spend it on my garden. Hope you didn't take offense.
D.

Not at all,

Although I'll have to cancel the appointment I just made with my psychiatrist.

fryup

****REMINDER****

tonights the night, the final verdict

wonder who'll it be

Sonnenblumen

Surprise ? Shock? I'd say Kevin has it.

fryup

can't believe Ken won, taught Mary was a certainty

call me an ol'fart but a garden is not a garden without a lawn

feorais

As a 67 yr. old gardener who has 1.5 acres, could I caution against using bamboos from whatever source? They are the most expensive plants on the market, are unbelievably easy to grow and as for increasing your stock, forget it- they would grow in the cape of your coat! They are just "thugs" and especially in a small garde. I had loads of space and despite buying supposedly slow growing varieties (sic), the virtually took over, growing into the lawn and under the special garden covering designed to keep weeds etc. at bay. I just had to set to and dig it out, it took weks and there is no weed or scrub killer that works on it. My advice is to keep away from bamboos altogether, and use some of the larger decorative ornamental grasses instead!Just Google ornamental grasses and away you go!