Monty is Back!

Yes, that’s right Monty Don is set to return to Gardeners' World next year!  I have to say that I am pleased but at the same time I feel for Toby Buckland, I didn’t really like the changes to the format of the show in Toby's first year but I have grown to like him.  

I know there are plenty of experienced gardeners out there who feel the show has been ‘dumbed down’ and the message boards are saying the same.  However, if you think about it the BBC gave Toby the new job and, I would imagine, along with it a brief of what they wanted from him, including the feel of the show and their new targeted audience.  So I can’t help but feel that Toby is getting the raw end of the deal here as many reports are saying he and Alice have been 'dumped'.  In business in general the employer would have to take some responsibility for the employee not performing to the standards that they set.  I would have more respect for the BBC if they just said “we got it wrong” instead of seemingly brushing Toby and his career aside to make way for Monty's return.

I entered a Garden Design Competition last month and last week have received the fantastic news that I have got through the first stage!

It is the Chris Beardshaw Mentoring Scholarship Programme sponsored by Bradstone and in conjunction with The Three Counties Show Ground.

To enter I had to design a small show garden for the 2011 Malvern Spring Gardening Show (May 12 -15 2011).

The brief was that it had to reflect the theme of the Atom which celebrates UNESCO's International Year of Chemistry which happens to be in 2011. So I busied myself and tried to come up with something a little different which was pretty hard as an atom is an atom and there are very few things you can do with it!

Now I have to complete another set of application forms for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) judging panel to decide whether my design is good enough to be constructed for the Malvern Spring Show.  If I am lucky enough to get through the second stage I will get a small bursary to help with the materials and plants but I will have to try and find a sponsor(s) to enable me to build the best show garden I can.

Well it is that time of year again - I started back to college two weeks ago (just one day a week) and already we have been given some assignments and dates for plant identification exams! As it is our second year there is no easing us in gently at all, we have been involved in advanced surveying skills which just builds on what we learnt last year, learning more and more plants - you can never learn enough, advanced graphic skills and we have been shown different software packages to help when designing.

It's all great, I really do enjoy it although it is fast moving and very varied plus it is lovely to see friends on the course too!

I am pleased to say that I have been accepted at a Student Member with The Society of Garden Designers!  It's great news for me, and of course Blue Daisy, but it means that I can attend events and trade shows supported by the Society along with opportunities to become involved in various initiatives.  There are competitions to enter, a monthly magazine with lots of inspirational photos and ideas, and it's a good networking source too.

The only down side is that I can't put their logo on my website, stationery or on designs that I have done which is a shame. They feel it may cause some confusion because I am a Student Member as opposed to a Registered Member.  Shame no one thought about having the word Student or Member under their logo so we can all benefit!  Anyway to become a Registered Member I'm going to have to jump through numerous hoops and there will be panels to impress so when I have completed my studies I will apply to become a fully fledged member and will, of course, keep you informed!

For all those who felt inspired by Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall winning his first ever ribbon at his local fruit and flower show now's your chance to give it a go yourself!

The Earlsdon Flower Show is on September 4th this year and anyone can enter any of the 70+ classes that are available.  And don't worry if you're not a flower grower either - if you bake a mean cake or make your own jams and/or chutney there are classes for you to enter and there's also a brilliant class for the kids - who can make the best animal out of fruit and/or vegetables? Don't feel like you have to enter though either, you can just turn up and have a fun couple of hours!

The show is at St Barbara's church hall on the corner of Rochester Road and Beechwood Avenue and entry is free.  Viewing starts at 2.30pm and prizes and trophies will be presented at 4.30pm.  If you want to know what the classes are they're here: