h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I watched a fantastic program last night on BBC 2 called 'How Britain Got The Gardening Bug' .

It was about how gardening has changed since the Second World War. I enjoy most history associated things, especially gardening ways and techniques .

Most children are not brought up with gardening now, probably because their parents live a hectic lifestyle. Years ago that was completely different, and many more people used gardening as a hobby and a way to unwind from a busy week at work. Of course, there are still parents that are interested and many more are taking on allotments to get their children to help grow healthy vegetables and a few cut flowers .

An interesting part of the program was where they filmed this street back in the 80's where everybody was out mowing their front lawns on a Saturday morning. It made me to see the different types of old style lawn mower, and the many adverts promoting them.

It is on iPlayer until the 12th May. Here is the link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jkrkp/How_Britain_Got_the_Gardening_Bug/

Unfortunately I missed about half an hour of it, but hope to watch it before it is taken down.

Nigel

Oh thanks for the reminder, I missed the first bit too, but what I saw was good. I'll try and catch it again on iPlayer too. I liked the end bit when Laurence Llewellyn Byron said we will probably all have to get back to old fashioned horticulture.

I never saw the attraction for Alan Titchmarsh, but I loved Geoff Hamilton and Monty Don. I remember catching sight of Percy Thrower once and feeling quite awe inspired, my children were with me at the time and I remember their funny looks now when they saw their mum all

That's a date Nigel, I missed that one

Websailor

I'm going to try to watch that tomorrow day time but think I won't be able to being outside of britain.

lanzababy - My favourite was Geoff Hamilton and Monty Don too. I once seen Monty Don when he came into the garden centre where I used to work, he was with his camera crew filming various plants which he used in Berryfields a while later . I was surprised at how tall he was!

Alan Titchmarsh had also been in to film when he was choosing plants for one of the Ground Force gardens they were doing. I briefly spoke to him as he was rushing here and there! I never got to speak to Monty Don as I had lots of customers to advise, I could of done with him to come round and help at the time .

Moonraker - What a shame that you don't think you can get the program. Let me know if you manage to pick it up though. I once tried to download a program and put it on DVD for a friend in Australia. I had no luck, as there is something built into the program to avoid copyright issues.

Websailor - We will watch the rest tomorrow .

Nigel

Definitely

Websailor

I tried but couldn't get it

BBC won't let you watch it unless you're in UK. We don't pay licence fees like they do, AGM. Shame

It is a shame. Personally, I pay my licence and wouldn't mind external viewers watching it. I would have thought it might have improved the beeb's chances of selling programmes abroad.

Websailor

I do pay for my BBC world servicewhich I get via satellite with a whole bunch of other channels.

Did anyone else see that invention on QVC that a bloke made for trimming hedges and the like?
Its actually a spinning disc, which makes it a lot lighter to hold and work with,
It mulches all the cuttings as well, which makes the holding bag, which catches all the clippings hold a lot more. The bad lays on the ground, and is connected to the trimmer via a plastic flexible tube
Its priced around £100, but well worth it if you do have a lot of hedges and the like to keep trimmed

Hi, Smudger,

Don't watch QVC, but that sounds interesting. I could do with something like that for all my conifers.

Websailor

Hi WS, It was Mk2 who saw it and shouted me through to see it, she is always channel hopping on her TV in the bedroom. It looked very easy to use when he demonstrated it, nice and light to use.

We got a battery powered hoover (no cables) form there recently, its great for me as it can go into an L shape, for hoovering under beds and furniture, which is ideal for me with my back problem
Smudger.