But for the last two years it has not been the same – as many people have agreed. I don’t mind the presenters – they’re all very knowledgeable. Alys Fowler, indeed, is one of my gardening heroes. I can’t wait until (if!) she has another series – ‘The Edible Garden’ was so good I watched each episode about three times. But it was the format and content of the ‘new-style’ Gardeners’ World I (and others) objected to. We don’t want garden design and brand new plots, we want to know what to do at the weekend in our established gardens.
But now they’ve got Monty Don back at the helm of Gardeners’ World. I think that Monty Don is a fantastic writer and an awesome gardener, and – joy of joys – they’re filming him in his own garden. What a beautiful place! We can watch him carrying out the tasks he would normally do in his own space, rather than a studio garden. These tasks are not thought up for the camera: they’re the jobs that are necessary to keep the garden flourishing.
Now I can snuggle up on Friday night and again be inspired to really get my hands dirty in my own garden come Saturday morning. I don’t watch tv on a regular basis, but I will make an exception for a show that will hopefully be as comforting as I remember it from my childhood, and as useful as I wish it to be now.
I would just like to say that i think the last series of Gardeners World was very enjoyable. Toby and the gang presnted it very well and made it extreemly enjoyable.
I think it was a refreshing change to have Toby as the main presenter. I think Monty
is very interesting, but to be honest we have seen a lot of him in the past and i think it ia a real shame we havn’t got the winning conbination of Toby,Joe, Carol and Alice,
again!
I wholeheartedly agree that last season was a joy to watch. I was new to gardening last year and thoroughly enjoyed each programme as it spurred me on and gave me the information i needed. I thought the team was great and loved Toby as presenter. It appears now that there is no longer a programme for newbies to gardening and I’m very saddened by this. Some of us don’t have gardens that have been established for 20+ years so have no programme to guide us now. I can’t put into words how very disappointed i am. Bring back Toby and the gang.
Hmm, not sure I agree. Alys’ own series was a poor man’s version of River Cottage, and as for Monty’s garden I couldn’t believe all those straight lines and tightly clipped hedging. I just hope that as the series progresses his garden comes to life. It is good to see him back though, he is a great gardener, a great enthuser and a great personality to bring us such a great topic though I do lament Toby’s going. I can’t see what he did to not have his contract renewed. I don’t like it when people are treated that way.
Ok, Andrew – I’m sort of with you on the straight lines thing. I like box hedges – but am not a fan of pleaching. From the pics in Monty Don’s book the straight hedges really come into their own when the border is full and spilling over with blowsy plants – in the winter it does look a bit stark.
As for Toby – I do think he’s great, and I would love to see him doing his own thing in a show that lets him do his own thing (BBC…hint??!!).
But I’m sticking to my guns and am really looking forward to tonight’s show!
I was pleased to see Monty back as his departure was sudden and I think we are all glad he is well once more. I was not so keen on the last series in the way the format had changed although I did like the presentation team and it would be nice to see another series of ‘The Edible Garden’. Of course what we must remember is that GW is a living programme that has to change to be interesting, and reflect changes in our way of life, and how gardening changes, and of course the presenters as they come and go, and their individual contributions they have made across the years.
Can’t believe all this crap about Monty Don.
Toby actually knows about gardening, soil, plants etc — not surprising since he studued at Cambridge.
Don by contrast is an amateur — like me — knows little and can’t communicate. He is only out for his pocket!
I am finding it very hard to agree with the one or two fans of the new Gardener’s World and Monty’s garden. It is early days and I will try to give it time, but Comic Relief tonight was far more tempting that the example of GW I saw last week.
The most common comment I have read over the past few months about Gardener’s World is that it was a ‘false set’ and not a ‘real garden’. This implies that no-one ever has a new, small, rough garden and we all move house to well established, set up acres where one can drift between the daffodils or dahlias pruning a little here or rejuvenating that annoying overgrown patch near the tennis court. It also implies that we think because we want a style of programme it is obvious everyone else must like to watch the same, showing a remarkable lack of thought beyond your own wants.
I work in the industry advising gardeners of all abilities on matters horticultural and beyond, and I can definitely say that the Greenacres garden was far more representative of what really goes on in the gardening world than the very bland, boring and colourless ( . . . oops! “b-b-c” ) effort I watched last Friday 11th March. I had high hopes that the producer’s would be able to justify their shameful treatment of Toby and Alice and GW might actually be OK to watch, I was sadly disappointed. The only colourful and informative part being Carol’s contribution and Joe’s work in the pond, otherwise it was sadly lacking in anything imaginative and again we are back to the same unreliable information that stops short of explaining the reason behind why a task is better done a certain way. Carol explains tasks well because she is a trained teacher, Chris Beardshaw and Alan Titchmarsh have also both taught and are adept at communicating knowledge, the same for Toby and Alys. Just because you know a lot about a subject doesn’t make you good at teaching it, I’ve learnt that the hard way and feel Monty doesn’t quite make it either as I didn’t feel I had learnt anything new at all. As a wise gardener once told me “you could live to 1000 years old and you would never know all there is to know about gardening” He was absolutely right, there should always be something to learn about your favorite subject and from a gardening programme no matter what your ability . . . . . on second thoughts, perhaps I did learn that when I need to advise where to find a good gardening exemplar, not to rely on Gardener’s World
Gardeners World has not been the same since the the days of Alan Titchmarsh and this new series I find to be very boring. I know Alan will probably never return but why axe Toby and the “gang”? at least they were more interesting!!
yes i agree montys garden-well its a bram stoker of a garden all rather gloomy.obviously montys trendy vision of what a garden should be back when he concieved it in the nineties.
i think monty needs a make-over and his garden as well and his co-presenters .consign joe back to his jungle garden and retire carol from whence she came.
bring back the lovely rachel and charming old chris, they can help monty rip out all those box and yew pompoms and re-design like they used to do at berryfields.
I am sorry to say that with no disrespect to Monty Don this programme is a retrograde step back to a boring what am I doing this week in my very large linear garden which has little resemblence to 95 % of our gardens.We have now seen enough of Carol Kline (Please stop laughing while you talk) and need a programme we can relate to which the last two series were.
Perhaps someone should go back to Barnsdale and take a leaf out of Geoff Hamiltons book. But I forgot the BBC still prefer the the old retainers as they always have
Fantastic to see Monty Don back – his presentation is knowledgable, intelligent and interesting – and he doesn’t talk down to viewers [as has happened with recent previous series which have been so disappointing and more worthy of children's hour]. Welcome back!!
I am delighted to see a more educative format to the programme with the start of the new series – I certainly don’t have a 20 acre site (100ft long garden) but nevertheless I loved being shown around a garden that had been created from scratch by Monty and Sarah and am now inspired to know that what is planted as a seed or when small eventually gives stunning results. The last couple of series were not to my taste with the lack of the use of proper latin horticultural names when describing plants and flowers and a general air of slapstick – that is not what I tune in for on a Friday evening. I want to learn and be reminded of what to do “this week” and the best way of doing it and the fact that Monty’s garden is well established is an advantage to me as you see the pitfalls as well as the successes – which we all have – and there is plenty of opportunity to see sections created from scratch as all gardens are constantly evolving and are being reviewed and renewed in certain areas. I enjoy hearing about the different types of veg and fruit that are easier and more successful to grow in given circumstances and hearing tips about methods for growing that offer more success. I am delighted to know that like good food and fine wine, the new series offers a feast of pleasure in Monty’s and the other gardens visited and I am very please to see Rachel De Thame back – Thank you. I look forward to being inspired and informed each week.
I think bringing Monty Don back is a retrogade step, it came as no surprise to me that he is on his own, and in his own garden and in obvious total control. Back to just listening to gardeners question time for me, with the variety of views etc, and more interesting presenters.
Welcome back Monty. I love his garden and can’t wait for the season ahead. I too liked Alys and also miss Sarah Raven who is v down to earth and practical about growing veg and flowers. My main complaint and it’s a HUGE one is WHY oh WHY is the programme only 30 minutes long!!!! Please BBC a one hour slot for possibly the most popular pastime in the UK isn’t much to ask. Is it?
It seems there is a 50/50 split in opinion. I liked Toby and the last 2 series. I agree with others that it helped newbies get started from bare earth. I wonder what prompted the change? It must have cost us alot to set-up a brand new garden, what’s happened to that? It takes time to warm to new lead gardners. I will wait to see how this new format unfolds. Paul.
What a joy to be able to watch gardeners’ world again. Monty leaves you wanting first light to arrive so that you can get out into the garden. A much more balanced, interesting and watchable programme than we have had for a couple of years.
I am pleased to see the return of grown up gardenening with Monty Don back at the helm of Gardeners world. I to would also like the program to be 1 hr long. Surely the bbc could afford us this!! As this is the nations favorite pastime. I would also like to see a new programme set up for beginers at Greenacres with Toby and his team. With the amount of our money the bbc had spent on it and telling us that it would be the Gardeners World forever garden. ( I don’t have a short memory!)The programme can be called Gardeners World Extra. I am sure that would kill two birds as they say. I would be very interested in your views. Jackie
What a joy to have Monty back. Its the first time i’ve switched on again and I watched all three episodes back to back online. I have been apalled to read all the attacks against Monty in the press. Its irelevant to me whether he is an amatuer or is educated. Quite frankly its gardening for tv and many of the so called experts leave me cold to be polite. I admire Monty greatly and find him the most down to earth and easy to follow since Jeff Hamilton. Monty was taken ill mid contract so did not steal anyones show. They filled in for him, and I am incredibly impressed that he has bounced back from a stroke and as a fellow sufferer of depression. I don’t mind at all if he feels comfortable in his own garden. Its facinating and very personal. great to see the structure of a mature garden rather than endless swapping of new plants for throw away design culture. It is also to be applauded that the BBC is saving money after the money blown setting up a film garden for Tony Buckland. Tony Buckland was great but the knit your own yoghurt posse with him were tiresome. I would definately watch more Tony if he had his own show. Many of the ideas from Amateur Gardening Magazine would translate to TV well. I am so glad that GW is an hour. However why oh why must it be late at night to complete with the films when I am falling asleep after a long week at work. GW at tea time on friday night was a joy. I would race to get dinner ready then unwind and bliss out with my tray to GW. Please put it back to earlier in the evening and add a ‘flash back slot’ (like we have on chefs prgrammes of flloyd etc) Only put a Geoff Hamilton bit and a percy bit and gardens from Italy and Spain etc. Great to see Joe and Carol back. Intelligent interesting gardening is great. Welcome back Monty. You are a treasure.
It is lovely to have Monty Don back. I find his Gardener’s World very beautiful and inspiring .
However I also miss Toby and Alys. The last two series with them were great – very informative and encouraging to watch for a more novice gardener. I wonder why there couldn’t be a place for both, especially as we only get half an hour now. Toby and Alys could do a “Gardener’s World 2″ or something similar – aimed at younger or newer gardeners. Surely there are enough keen gardeners out there to provide enough viewers for both.
All I can can say is please bring back Toby. He was great fun and had a vast knowledge of gardening. It was such a great team with Toby ,Joe Alys and Carol that I cant think of any reason why it had to alter. I doubt if I shall be watching again. This is after years of watching gardeners world. I have been gardening for many many years but there was something new to learn every week with Toby. Lets face it how many of us have the vast garden size of Monty Don……. I am one very unhappy viewer.
Now that Monty is back on I’m afraid I shan’t be watching. After watching Gardener’s World for many years it was Monty that turned me off during his last stint. To me all he ever seemed to do was split plants and move them from one area of the garden to another (As well as CONSTANTLY going on about his compost!). I think Toby was a fantastic presenter, and I did watch (most) of the programmes he presented. However I have to admit, it did leave the show lacking something by being staged in an old playing field rather than the presenters own garden.
Has any body wlse noticed how little hands-on gardeing is actually done in the new series?
PLEASE, BBC if you have any interest in your audience, get rid of Rachel + Carol, bring back Alys and Toby and give Joe something to do.
Wow! I don’t think I would have believed how strongly people feel about Gardeners’ World!
Just so you all know – I am not in any way connected with the BBC. They have kindly linked to this site as I linked to iPlayer. If you wish to make the BBC aware of your views, please contact them directly!
As a relative ‘newbie’ (less than a decade!) to gardening I preferred Toby’s team. I first started watching GW in the days of uncle Alan, but lost interest when Monty took the lead, it was somehow less friendly, though I can’t explain why. Monty is clearly a talented guy, but he didn’t engage me. Nevertheless having got used to Monty, I was saddened when his illness caused further changes that lead to Toby presenting. I soon discovered I enjoyed the new format much more having recently moved to a house with a ‘blank canvas’ garden. Perhaps the same will happen this time? Maybe I’ll get used to Monty again. There seems to be room for a beginners Gardener’s World also?
Carol Klein and Monty Don are excellent presenters as they are not afraid to reveal their personal thoughts and feelings. It was lovely to hear about Carol’s family and see her pets in the series on the seasons which was superb. But then, Carol is a Lancashire lass and can show them how it’s done! Welcome back to Monty, a good writer and a sensitive presenter.
Just bring Toby back and lets have some good old basic gardening with lots of useful and practical hints for our small gardens and allotments .
Les
THANK GOODNESS, monty is back with carol , joe and rachael , i will be waching now every week again, i stopped watching when tony took over,like so many others.
I hope we get to see Carols garden again as well, glad you are back Monty see you next week.
Annie xx
I agree with all the comments wanting to see the return of Toby and Alys,they had a wonderful team. How boring I find Monty, who on earth wants to know how to plant tomato seeds, potatoes and cornflower seeds, my 5yr old grandson knows this already.His garden is very dated with square boxes and little hedges, please do not put on a one hour slot with him at the helm.
I am thrilled Monty is back – I adore him generally and was frankly put off GW by Toby whose style/delivery/personality grated on me hugely! I wouldn’t mind a little more action in his garden, though, in terms of someone with him for a little more engagement… And I love Carol, too, btw – keep laughing, I say!! Thanks, both, for keeping me in gardening while I am between gardens.
I like Monty but the new programme is a very middle class ego trip for him, patronising and with little practical gardening- it certainly does not justify the treatment of Toby & Alys. Joe’s contributions are helpful, Carol’s enthusiasm sometimes seems a little forced and Rachel I can do without.
It is great to see Monty back, he will go down into the Gardners World history books as one of the great presenters along with Geoff Hamilton, Percy Thrower, Arthur Billitt etc.
Have to agree with many of the previous posts. I have nothing against monty as a person but think the BBC have stepped into a time warp. I liked the short, up to date articles they did in the last show. It was fresh and had a younger more modern twist to it which i enjoyed. I had it recorded every week as i was never home from work in time to watch it but I think now I will be deleting it of the sky plus. My mum who’s in her late 60s and is a very experienced gardener also agrees. Bring back Alys, Toby and Joe!
it is so nice to see monty don back on our screens i have missed him and his wisdom so much i like joe swift and carol cline too where did alice go ! i did not like toby buckland and his ideas it seemed like toytown gardening to me i have always loved nature watching leaves fall and seeing the buds ready for next season taking cuttings and seeing them grow to be re planted its all magical i love my garden i have spent many years doing it just when you think it s all come together you think of something else to do monty has inspired me greatly and most of my garden is down to him friday nights were boring without him fridays are cosy now with mug of tea watching in wonder once again for ideas welcome back old friend.
well I have not watched Gardeners World for some time as i couldnt stand it with Toby presenting – but now we have the lovely gentle enthusiastic Monty back – partnered by the eloquent and passionate Carol supported by Rachel and Joe – its the perfect combination and once again Friday nights will find me indoors and watching again – thank you BBC – at last!!!!
I have only just turned on to see Monty back on Gardeners World – I nearly wept with joy. Now we have the grownups back! Toby and Alys were sweet but it was like a “kinder garden”. Back to relaxing with slow calm gardening – the way God meant it to be.