There's no doubt that television provides gardeners with inspiration, sound advice and good ideas, that's why we're all looking forward to new programmes and the return of old favourites in 2021. However, during the current government restrictions don't be surprised to see repeats filling gaps in a depleted schedule and other programmes adopting a different format.
Written by Martyn Loach - Editor in Chief
Published on Tuesday, 13th of February, 2018.
As the year progresses, this blog will be regularly updated with dates and times for your TV gardening programmes plus any information we have on features and personalities.
Every Friday evening on BBC2, Monty Don, his two dogs and familiar experts such as Adam Frost, Joe Swift and Carol Klein guide you through the gardening year. Short videos from amateur gardeners add to the popularity of this hardy perennial that is enjoying its 54th series, and each programme is repeated on the following Sunday morning.
Celebrating the best of Scottish horticulture, Beechgrove is shown on Thursday evenings north of the border and then repeated on Sunday mornings on BBC2 for the rest of us. Practical advice is always to the fore with plenty of successful growing and a few failures. Broadcast from Aberdeen and covering as many gardening topics as possible, the programme also visits inspirational gardens and in 'Problem Corners' the presenters give hands-on advice to viewers with problem patches.
ITV on Tuesday evenings and Sunday mornings, Alan Titchmarsh and his team transform the gardens of people with a deserving back story, just as he did with the late lamented Ground Force.
In another Sunday morning BBC2 offering, Chris Bavin interviews local enthusiasts have been regularly winning Britain in Bloom gold medals. They show him the new ideas they have to come up with each year, impressive projects that involve the whole community giving a hand.
Working on a restricted budget, gardening's one-time pin-up girl Charlie Dimmock and the gold medal winning Rich brothers compete for the householder's thumbs-up before going ahead with one of two designs that are presented. Shown at various times and days on BBC1 and 2 and regularly repeated.
The BBC has a contract with the RHS to cover all their shows until 2021. Unfortunately, the Malvern Spring Festival had to be cancelled but the Hampton Court Garden Festival went ahead on 5-11 July and after last year's online event, the Chelsea Flower Show is returning in a new format much later in the year than usual, it will take place between 21-26 September.
This event from the NEC in Birmingham has now been re-scheduled for 26 - 29 August and will feature show gardens, floral marquee and a plant village together with live appearances from the Gardeners' World experts.
