Trying To Trace A Television Program

[kah22]

Some years back BBC aired an allotment type program the name of which slips my mind hence this post.

If memory serves me correctly they followed an elderly gardener, I can see him now he was small, dressed in a dark suit, and had spent his working life working for the big house.

The basis of the program, if I remember correctly, was how this very practical gardener looked after his own little patch of ground. One of the tips I recall was when planting potatoes set them in a bed of soot, apparently keeps slugs away.

Anyway I thought I'd like to trace down this program, so anybody know the name and if the BBC have a video of it available. It's was a great program, the type of a program I wish they would repeat - but then again I'm sitting looking out at the rain and feeling rather miserable.

[vegnut]

Hi Kah22
The only possible one that comes to mind is the Victorian Kitchen Garden with Peter Thoday and Harry Dodson. Here's the link, hope it helps.

The Victorian Kitchen Garden [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Peter Thoday, Harry Dodson: DVD

[Polly Fouracre]

Or was it Mr. Digwell?

[StephenH]

I've got the book of 'The Victorian Kitchen Garden', though I didn't see the series. Lots of interesting insights into how things were done in Victorian big houses, with their plentiful labour. One I remember was putting a stone flag underneath newly-planted fruit trees, to restrict their root growth, and thus also their top growth, in the days before modern dwarfing and semi-dwarfing rootstocks were available.

[Nicos]

Ken Burras was the first Gardeners World presenter- but I can't find a piccie of him.
No idea if this is the guy you are thinking of??

[arpoet]

I've got the book of 'The Victorian Kitchen Garden', though I didn't see the series. Lots of interesting insights into how things were done in Victorian big houses, with their plentiful labour. One I remember was putting a stone flag underneath newly-planted fruit trees, to restrict their root growth, and thus also their top growth, in the days before modern dwarfing and semi-dwarfing rootstocks were available.

Victorian Kitchen garden is often shown on 'Yesterday' and along side the Wartime Garden are wonderful TV Shows and far better than the over hyped and often dissapointing gardener world. Each time i watch them i learn something new.
roger

[Florence Fennel]

Kah22, you ought to get hold of "The Big Dig", television series that I believe is now on DVD. The series was repeated about 4 times and I watched it every time and could probably watch it again. Proper growers, no airs and graces, very, very good.

[francesbean]

Sorry don't know who you're old bloke is, but who was the other bloke in the late 70s on ITV who used to sit in his shed and tell stories about country pursuits, making things and generally being a countryman. I cant think of his name and its now bothering me. He smoked a pipe and was a bit posh but lovely, I must have been a young teenager but loved his programmes. I can even remember the theme tune - shame you can't hum on the net.

francesbean

[teakdesk]

Was that Jack Hargreaves ?




.

[seasprout]

Kah22, you ought to get hold of "The Big Dig", television series that I believe is now on DVD. The series was repeated about 4 times and I watched it every time and could probably watch it again. Proper growers, no airs and graces, very, very good.

Just to let you know that The Big Dig was never made into a DVD, i asked the BBC about it. Very disappointing.

[francesbean]

YES ! Thanks teakdesk that's him - I wanted him to be my grandad!

francesbean

[Florence Fennel]

Just to let you know that The Big Dig was never made into a DVD, i asked the BBC about it. Very disappointing.

I've just remembered Seasprout, it must have been a grape on here who recorded it all on to disks! Senior moment. However, I don't think it was on a BBC channel?

[arpoet]

Do a Youtube seach on Jack Hargreaves and get gems like this : YouTube - Out of Town - Jack Hargreaves
roger

[Nicos]

You know- it's been bugging me since that piccie of Jack Hargreaves...and then the penny dropped!

....he used to present How? too didn't he??...fab man!

[bearded bloke]

I can even remember the theme tune - shame you can't hum on the net.

lyrics from the film score for "Charley Moon" sung by Max Bygraves ..........

Say what you will,
The countryside is still
The only place where I could settle down
Troubles there are so much rarer
Out of town
Spring starts to spring
The cuckoo starts to sing
A song to take the edge off winter's frown
And spring cleaning has a meaning
Out of town
Up there the sun is a big yellow duster
Polishing the blue, blue sky
With white fluffy clouds in a cluster
Hanging on a breeze to dry
Trees everywhere
With blossoms in their hair
And Mother Nature wears her newest gown
What I'd give once more to live
Right out of town.

Brilliant program watching it was as important as Sunday School when I was a lad,skipping the record intro it sounded like .......

YouTube - MAX BYGRAVES - 'Out Of Town' - 1956 78rpm