The Edible Garden - BBC2 @ 20.00pm

[Headfry]

If I was going to run a new gardening program for TV I would research......
would it not be an idea to look at forums to get an idea of what the people want?
The work has been done for them surely?
Simples!

[mogs]

Too much yacking and faffing, not enough real growing for me - bring back the Big Dig - pleeeeease!

[PAULW]

Its a sort of revamp of the nigel slater program alla JO and sophy dahl, once the program maker get hold of a format that get a bit of interest they flog it to death

[Tomatoking]

OK, my pennyworth; liked the dog, the peas and the wicker work, which is handy because we are growing some willow.

I am sure the idea of this programme was to show how to grow edible produce within your small flower garden, which in a way she did.

The filming as many have said, was far too 'arty' and the retro bits took up too much vaulable time, but maybe she was trying to get across more of her personality. I doubt if she personally did the editing, but probably had a say in how she should come across.

You never know Alys might even come on here and pick up a few tips, as to how her programme should be, but you can't please all the people all of the time, so maybe she should just do her own thing. As we all have our own personal edit button, which I am sure some of you will be using!

Mr TK

[basketcase]

And my pennyworth...

Wanting to grow in a less formal style on my lottie, I was looking forward to this programme. Perhaps my expectations were too high...

I expected a reasonably down-to-earth woman showing how she'd set about turning her 'backyard' into, effectively, a cottage garden. I thought we might get an idea of the way she was going to lay it out, why she was planting what with what etc. Maybe a month by month account or something. Certainly if she was focussing on one type of veg (eg legumes) and cooking something to show how it got from 'plot to pot'.

What I got was an oddly-clad (for gardening at the very least!) Alice in close-up either stuffing her face with produce she didn't show us how to grow in any detail (as others have said) or cooing how "pretty" her garden was.

The willow bit was interesting, but any non-weaver would be hard-pressed to create anything from what they saw. Toby was much better on Friday!

The plants were back-lit by the sun and appeared to be crammed in in any old order. We were treated to a couple of flickery, indistinct 'garden plans' which were never explained and that was it.

As for the chooks... I got fed up with her burbling about how much she loved them. And, if her parents kept them, why the wobbly lip when they had their flight feathers trimmed? Never kept a chicken myself and even I knew it was like having their nails cut if you did it properly! (Which she - apparently - never asked about, despite wanting to keep poultry!)

As for the (literally in my case) migraine-inducing 'arty' bits and dodgy camera-work... What a waste!

I'll give it one more week, just in case it improves, then I'm off!

Uncle Geoff did the garden-bit better; (and you don't know how it pains me to say this but...) Jamie did the grow 'n' cook better.

[Flummery]

Ah me. Camera work such a waste of time - We could have fitted in an extra 4 minutes without it, in which she could have explained to new gardeners about pea and bean varieties, eventual heights, approx number of plants for a family of 4 for example.

I have gardened in a mini skirt in my time - I've been at it for a long time remember. I stopped when a frog with a VERY cold nose hopped up me fundament and scared the bejazuz out of me! ( I think the frog was badly traumatised too!)

As to it being billed as a lifestyle programme, I have to say that both at the beginning and the end, it was titled - Gardeners' World, which gives the impression it is a gardening offshoot programme.

Wasted opportunity. Geoff Hamilton did the flowers and veg together thing so much more clearly, imaginatively and non-wobbly-camera-y.

[nerdgas]

Although not particularly likely I wouldn't mind seeing some of the contributors to the GYO mag involved in a GYO program.

Surely there is an untapped market here begging out for some down-to-earth advice for growers new and old?

[Jeanied]

Never mind the mag nerdgas - how about the grapevine!! I'd love to see more of the grapes on TV!!!

[Headfry]

here here nerdgas!
This forum is great and full of good advice on all sorts of subjects - you cant beat it, and such lovely people too!

[taff]

Carole Kleins programme was better, repeat it!!!! purely for veg growing of course.

I dunno,I watched it, and it seemed that it didn't really know what it wanted to be, trying to please all sections meant it pleased none.

As an encouragement to a normal [?] family to grow some veg that wouldn't spoil the look of a flowery garden, it did well.

[Florence Fennel]

I thought it was twee and whimsical, but then I just can't seem to like Alys so that might be why I found it a bit "flowery/floury"!

[Hermit]

There was not much growing your own info, i thought it was going to be gardeners world but with fruit and veg, a bit disappointed, not as much as finding out she is married, she is nice.

[Snadger]

Wasted opportunity. Geoff Hamilton did the flowers and veg together thing so much more clearly, imaginatively and non-wobbly-camera-y.

Here, here!!!!!!! And here's these young born again hippies thinking they've invented something new!

[HappyMouffe]

Flummery, Flummery, your comment about the frog has just made me snort coffee down my nose!

[northepaul]

I thought it was twee and whimsical,

A perfect sentiment..seems to be a trend on the Beeb at the mo...what with Sophie Dahl pretending to be a chef!!