For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!

"Trevor Appleton" wrote in message
. com...

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!

"Trevor Appleton" wrote

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!


I'm not sure. I have noticed that if we go out I don't bother to record the
programme or watch it on iPlayer whereas with Geoff it was compulsive
viewing. I do think Monty is a good presenter though.
My beef with Monty is that he is strictly organic and won't even mention
chemicals, makes his own compost which few can and decries peat based
compost which we all know is the best for plants, and has a field for a
garden. All that must make it very difficult for most "new" potential
gardeners watching who have, maybe, 30ft by 20ft as a garden and no room for
a compost bin.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 01/09/2013 08:47, Martin wrote:
On Sat, 31 Aug 2013 20:59:32 +0100, "Trevor Appleton"
wrote:

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!

I wish we could say the same.

Do you watch Beechgrove?
http://www.thebeechgrovegarden.com/


Having just watched his prog on Japanese gardens, Monty comes across as
a bit of a fruitcake. Zen doesn't work here because there's no one to
spend all day maintaining perfection. Anyway, a rock in the middle of a
load of gravel doesn't do it for me.

In article , says...

"Trevor Appleton" wrote

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!


I'm not sure. I have noticed that if we go out I don't bother to record the
programme or watch it on iPlayer whereas with Geoff it was compulsive
viewing. I do think Monty is a good presenter though.
My beef with Monty is that he is strictly organic and won't even mention
chemicals, makes his own compost which few can and decries peat based
compost which we all know is the best for plants, and has a field for a
garden.

At least it really is his own home garden; where he's lived and
gardened for decades, long before he started presenting GW from it.


All that must make it very difficult for most "new" potential
gardeners watching who have, maybe, 30ft by 20ft as a garden and no room for
a compost bin.

You may have forgotten, or never knew, that Geoff Hamilton's TV garden
at Barnsdale was 5 acres. He acquired and developed it for the purpose
of GW.The (many) apparent "small suburban plot" areas shown on GW, were
created for the purposes of TV broadcast.

Janet.

On 01/09/2013 10:32, stuart noble wrote:
On 01/09/2013 08:47, Martin wrote:
On Sat, 31 Aug 2013 20:59:32 +0100, "Trevor Appleton"
wrote:

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world,
our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been
putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like
equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!

I wish we could say the same.

Do you watch Beechgrove?
http://www.thebeechgrovegarden.com/


Having just watched his prog on Japanese gardens, Monty comes across as
a bit of a fruitcake. Zen doesn't work here because there's no one to
spend all day maintaining perfection. Anyway, a rock in the middle of a
load of gravel doesn't do it for me.
And a british suburban garden would do nothing for Zen Buddhists

On 2013-09-01 10:32:54 +0100, stuart noble said:

On 01/09/2013 08:47, Martin wrote:
On Sat, 31 Aug 2013 20:59:32 +0100, "Trevor Appleton"
wrote:

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!

I wish we could say the same.

Do you watch Beechgrove?
http://www.thebeechgrovegarden.com/


Having just watched his prog on Japanese gardens, Monty comes across as
a bit of a fruitcake. Zen doesn't work here because there's no one to
spend all day maintaining perfection. Anyway, a rock in the middle of a
load of gravel doesn't do it for me.

Ray always maintains that Japanese gardens made by Westerners don't
work properly and he may have something. We saw a beauty at Huntington
Gardens in California but it was designed by a Japanese and I'm pretty
sure it was maintained by one, too.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

In article ,
Sacha wrote:
On 2013-09-01 10:32:54 +0100, stuart noble said:
On 01/09/2013 08:47, Martin wrote:
On Sat, 31 Aug 2013 20:59:32 +0100, "Trevor Appleton"
wrote:

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!

I wish we could say the same.

Do you watch Beechgrove?
http://www.thebeechgrovegarden.com/

Having just watched his prog on Japanese gardens, Monty comes across as
a bit of a fruitcake. Zen doesn't work here because there's no one to
spend all day maintaining perfection. Anyway, a rock in the middle of a
load of gravel doesn't do it for me.

Ray always maintains that Japanese gardens made by Westerners don't
work properly and he may have something. We saw a beauty at Huntington
Gardens in California but it was designed by a Japanese and I'm pretty
sure it was maintained by one, too.

On the other hand, when I first saw the gardens in Japan, I realised
where the 19th revolution typified by the Cornish gardens of that
era came from. The Cornish always having been a maritime people,
of course! I am pretty sure that I saw the original of the pond
at Burncoose somewhere in Tokyo, though I now forget at which of
the gardens.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 2013-09-01 12:25:20 +0100, Nick Maclaren said:

In article ,
Sacha wrote:
On 2013-09-01 10:32:54 +0100, stuart noble said:
On 01/09/2013 08:47, Martin wrote:
On Sat, 31 Aug 2013 20:59:32 +0100, "Trevor Appleton"
wrote:

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!

I wish we could say the same.

Do you watch Beechgrove?
http://www.thebeechgrovegarden.com/

Having just watched his prog on Japanese gardens, Monty comes across as
a bit of a fruitcake. Zen doesn't work here because there's no one to
spend all day maintaining perfection. Anyway, a rock in the middle of a
load of gravel doesn't do it for me.

Ray always maintains that Japanese gardens made by Westerners don't
work properly and he may have something. We saw a beauty at Huntington
Gardens in California but it was designed by a Japanese and I'm pretty
sure it was maintained by one, too.

On the other hand, when I first saw the gardens in Japan, I realised
where the 19th revolution typified by the Cornish gardens of that
era came from. The Cornish always having been a maritime people,
of course! I am pretty sure that I saw the original of the pond
at Burncoose somewhere in Tokyo, though I now forget at which of
the gardens.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

It's so long since we've been to Burncoose that I don't even remember a
pond! Charlie might know more.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 2013-09-01 10:34:19 +0000, Jake said:

On Sat, 31 Aug 2013 20:59:32 +0100, "Trevor Appleton"
wrote:

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!

I really tried to like Monty, at least his incarnation 2. But if I
want to be preached at, I'll go to church! I no longer watch the
program. I used to record it just to watch Carol Klein's bit but now
find, without the interesting "wrap" either side of her segment, her
exuberance is a bit too much to handle.

But those who are "on" Twitter, might care to follow the hashtag
#shoutyhalfhour while the programme's on air. The discussion is often
illuminating and entertaining, especially if Monty digs a hole!

Thank God for Beechgrove!

Is that what the "shouty half hour" is all about! I did wonder but have
never explored further. I'll take a look!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 01/09/2013 12:11, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-09-01 10:32:54 +0100, stuart noble said:

On 01/09/2013 08:47, Martin wrote:
On Sat, 31 Aug 2013 20:59:32 +0100, "Trevor Appleton"
wrote:

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this
world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been
putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or
Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like
equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!

I wish we could say the same.

Do you watch Beechgrove?
http://www.thebeechgrovegarden.com/


Having just watched his prog on Japanese gardens, Monty comes across
as a bit of a fruitcake. Zen doesn't work here because there's no one
to spend all day maintaining perfection. Anyway, a rock in the middle
of a load of gravel doesn't do it for me.

Ray always maintains that Japanese gardens made by Westerners don't work
properly and he may have something. We saw a beauty at Huntington
Gardens in California but it was designed by a Japanese and I'm pretty
sure it was maintained by one, too.

I quite like the one in Holland Park (West London) but, again, it needs
more tending than anyone can afford to give it. In a way I suppose it
sums up the Brits just as zen reflects the unbelievable orderliness of
the Japanese.

On 31/08/2013 20:59, Trevor Appleton wrote:
For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this world,
our household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been
putting 'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or
Toby, or even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like equally
as much as Geoff - good old Monty!!




I also find that I am increasingly enjoying Monty's garden and gardening
*but* not as Gardeners' World. It's Monty's garden. We are all a bit
nosey about what happens in someone else's garden, and Long Meadow
fronted by Monty is great at showing that. Nigel's pretty good, too!
He has his own following, I believe. However, I would like someone to
come along and do what St. Geoff did, which was decorative and
productive gardening on a more suburban scale and, indeed, on a budget -
at least some of the time. I know Monty's garden is divided into
smaller gardens, which helps a bit, but they're not 'gardening from
scratch' *and* they're possibly a bit grandiose for many people.

We certainly need a prime time gardening programme (not 'show') to give
us a mix of gardening types, some small construction projects, and lots
of information about plants *with their names* so that we can learn and
be inspired. I confess I loved Toby Buckland's handling of GW and wish
the BBC had left him at the helm to work in his own way. Alas, it was
not to be.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On 2013-09-01 14:33:43 +0100, stuart noble said:

On 01/09/2013 12:11, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-09-01 10:32:54 +0100, stuart noble said:

On 01/09/2013 08:47, Martin wrote:
On Sat, 31 Aug 2013 20:59:32 +0100, "Trevor Appleton"
wrote:

For the last 17 years since Geoff Hamilton sadly departed this
world, our
household expression for watching GW at 8.30 on a Friday has been
putting
'Geoff' on. No one could replace him and certainly not Titch or
Toby, or
even Montys first charge of the helm.

However I can finally now say that I feel we have someone I like
equally as
much as Geoff - good old Monty!!

I wish we could say the same.

Do you watch Beechgrove?
http://www.thebeechgrovegarden.com/


Having just watched his prog on Japanese gardens, Monty comes across
as a bit of a fruitcake. Zen doesn't work here because there's no one
to spend all day maintaining perfection. Anyway, a rock in the middle
of a load of gravel doesn't do it for me.

Ray always maintains that Japanese gardens made by Westerners don't work
properly and he may have something. We saw a beauty at Huntington
Gardens in California but it was designed by a Japanese and I'm pretty
sure it was maintained by one, too.

I quite like the one in Holland Park (West London) but, again, it needs
more tending than anyone can afford to give it. In a way I suppose it
sums up the Brits just as zen reflects the unbelievable orderliness of
the Japanese.

The process of the tending is part of the Zen experience and I think
you're probably right that raking gravel and placing boulders 'just
so', doesn't go along with our outlook generally. ;-)
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On Sun, 01 Sep 2013 15:06:06 +0100, Spider wrote:


I confess I loved Toby Buckland's handling of GW and wish
the BBC had left him at the helm to work in his own way.


I agree, but he did get a lot of stick from this newsgroup, I still
watch GW, love Beechcroft, and this summer finally got to visit
'Barnsdale' a great day out, (except for the Garden Center that is on
site, which was poor)

Janet wrote:

You may have forgotten, or never knew, that Geoff Hamilton's TV garden
at Barnsdale was 5 acres. He acquired and developed it for the purpose
of GW.The (many) apparent "small suburban plot" areas shown on GW, were
created for the purposes of TV broadcast.

An interesting place to visit. I was surprised how really small
some of those plots are. I never quite saw the point of a lawn
whose diameter was about the same as my outstretched arms.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Plant amazing Acers.