'The Edible Garden' starts at 8pm on BBC 2 on April the 7th

[Millymollymandy]

Hee hee I still have a pair like that somewhere - National Health finest, which were soooooooo naff and geeky at the time but they look quite cool these days!

[Odsox]

Yes they were using loo roll tubes on GW last week!

I've never used one in my life and have no need to as I've got hundreds and hundreds of plant pots in all sizes - every time I buy a plant - guess what? It comes in a POT!!! It doesn't make me a snob/coffee table magazine gardener. I also know the Latin for a lot of plants - again comes in handy overseas but is rather annoying in France that a lot of the mail order companies don't use the Latin, just the common name.

OK, OK, it seems like I'm the odd one out here.
But in my defence I was trying to point out that GW is aimed fair and square at novice/wanabee gardeners and how on earth can they relate to growing tomatoes in a £20,000 double glazed, paved greehouse, and who probably don't own a single flower pot but almost certainly have access to loo roll tubes and empty yoghurt cartons.
Fair enough about Latin names and foreigners, but this is a BBC program aimed at novice/wanabee licence paying British gardeners, and up until this year Carol Klein used unpronounceable multi-syllable Latin names exclusively, when a well known common name would have been far more appropriate.
But as I seem to be in a minority of one and have made my point I will shut up.

[southeast-isher]

I agree with SusieGee, i think if we want the world to start changing things and heading in the right direction it is important to promote these sorts of principles to every walk of life be it someone with not much money to someone well off... basically everyone, no matter what their background no matter what their class. If there is such a thing as the class system still...

[Millymollymandy]

I've always felt that GW was aimed at the gardener who already knows a fair bit. I for one want to hear the Latin names because I need to know the variety. Can't stand things just labelled for example, 'sedum', I want to know which one it is - there are loads of them and the same for most flowering plants and shrubs!

They need big greenhouses because they are raising tons of plants to fill their vast spaces and they need a huge variety of plants to keep us the viewer interested.

I'm not interested in any how to or novice gardening programmes because I already know how to garden - I want info for the intermediate/advanced gardener. On the other hand, I stopped getting GW magazine years ago because that was aimed at the newbie and there was nothing in it for me to learn. My French magazine is brilliant because I learn new things from it every month.

[grahamhobbs]

MMM, I'm agreeing with you (what's up!), there is too much dumbing down on telly, lets have some serious programmes. Gardners World is not exactly highbrow, far from it, it is trying to interest a broad spectrum of gardeners and I often get annoyed that it just flits over subjects most of the time. I wish they'd spent a good 5 or 10 minutes on a particular item but it now seems TV producers think that punters can only take 30secs on any one subject otherwise they'll change channels!. I'm only thankful that GW hasn't managed to get some silly hyped up competition into it, like Mastercrafts.

[bonniethomas06]

Shame they have gone down to 30 mins again though...not long enough IMO

[Big Al]

Aw now come on - Alys is no babe! But I do like her - she's a very intelligent young lady who knows her stuff, and I'd listen to her any day, all day. And yes, that bit of hair always floating across her face sort of makes her look attractive in a rustic kind of way. And her somewhat shy but assertive approach is very comforting.

Bit of a babe, really.

Oh - hang on ...

Mike

She's into retro clothing as well and just to lower the tone I bet many men wouldn't kick her out of bed.........

[southeast-isher]

It's on very soon. I saw the book for the show on sale already.

[bonniethomas06]

Oh dear...I saw an excerpt for this on GW over the weekend - it was all shaky, wobbly close ups of her floppy hair and mock-retro sepia camcorder stuff.

I will try and keep an open mind, but WHY OH WHY do producers do this? Particularly on a programme where you are trying to learn technique and how to do things for yourself - you need to be able to SEE what is going on! GRRRR

[Millymollymandy]

I think Relocation Relocation is on at the same time and I'd much rather watch the 'posh' Kirstie than the 'posh' Alyce (or however she spells her name).

[Millymollymandy]

Oh but it's fun. Actually I will record this proggy tonight so that I can watch it and see what I think if only to join in the love it/hate it debate here!

[southeast-isher]

We love Alys!

[mrsflibble]

loved the programme, especially the fact that she said "selfsufficient...ish" lol!

i love the idea of permaculture, it's kind of what i'm trying in my own garden. it's stunning how much she got in small borders; and i also love her warderobe lol!

[Nomada]

loved the programme, especially the fact that she said "selfsufficient...ish" lol!

i love the idea of permaculture, it's kind of what i'm trying in my own garden. it's stunning how much she got in small borders; and i also love her warderobe lol!

I know, that made me laugh a bit, bloke looked at me like I was mad. That's what I'd love my allotment to look like, overflowing with plants. I like mixing different things together. She looks like she's stepped out of the sixties or seventies, but in a good way!

[theabsinthefairy]

I too have wardrobe envy - and that whole fey thing in the garden - oh how I wish - I just get all red faced and dirty from smearing my dirt encrusted hands across my forehead.


But enough of that - thought I would hate the show and her, but it was OK actually, couple of recipe ideas thrown in that were nice and quick and easy. Felt sorry for the tiny area her chickens were housed in though. Will watch it again next week if I remember.