St. Kevin, We Need You!

Flogged up to the NEC at Birmingham today to see Grand Designs Live. I can't tell you what it was like to go to a venue simultaneously hosting three shows (I could have gone to GDL, something to do with horses and the Wedding Show on the same day) - OMG as my daughter would say. The garden design area was much more hot tub than horticulture, but it was a valuable day and gave me much food for thought.I don't want to sound like too much of a suck, but Kevin McCloud is a very nice, personable bloke who is passionate, intelligent, and knowledgable about his subject (like Hugh F-W). Grand Designs has deservedly done him well, now attracts a huge following, and has opened a whole new world for people like me (like River Cottage). Ten years ago I wanted to live in an old rectory. Now I want to build my own eco house. Why in God's name can't someone do for cool, chic, functional eco friendly gardens and landscapes what Kevin has done for cool, chic, functional modern architecture? I'm sure there's a gardening McCloud out there - several names come to mind - we just need to persuade a commissioning editor somewhere to back the right show. Is Matthew Wilson's Landscape Man a good start?I was mulling this over while stuck in a traffic jam on the M5 somewhere north of the Cheltenham exit on the way home and listening to Gardeners' Question Time. Someone asked the panel what they would do if they had a spare acre of land. I know it's just a bit of fun, but I for one was interested and thought I might get an inspiring idea. One of the panellists said she would plant a field of Pumpkins. PUMPKINS!!! Says it all, really.

"Plus it doesn't matter if we all know plants are better value. I'd make the point of this to the customer but if they want trough grown at the extra cost that's their choice I'd just do it"

"I've done 5ft Thorne troughs. Very easy to plant just got a mini digger dug the trench then drop them in couldn't be easier however £250 per m does seem expensive. "

Thought I'd sign up to this forum. And I hope I'm allowed to post stuff for sale on here as this will be a one off? I have for sale a tiny pro robot, it's not the new edition but it's the bigger one of the two. If anyone is interested then please…

Comments

Kieran Ray October 11, 2010 at 10:44pm

I know what I would do,and its not plant pumpkins!

In fact I would build a series of smaller gardens that are all linked together, each sub garden having its very own unique identity.

Kieran Ouzel Landscapes