As Monty is definately not coming back, it seems a new man has been put in place! His name is Toby Buckland according to the Gardeners’ World website.
The page describes his background as:
Having trained and worked as a rose and pinks nurseryman and gardener before qualifying in landscape management at Greenwich University.
His Ethical Garden at this year’s Gardeners’ World Live won him Gold and Best In Show.
Toby has presented and guest presented for many gardening shows, including Gardeners’ World Live, Home Front In The Garden, Real Wrecks for the BBC, RHS Garden Challenge and Weed It & Reap for UKTV Style.
After initially panicking that there was no mention of veg, produce or food in the article, i did a little more research and found this. Seems i shouldn’t have worried.
August 14th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Seems he’s also tried out square foot gardening. Good for him. Maybe they’ll official unveil him on tomorrow’s programme. My recorder is all set!
August 14th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
He’s written about his lottie in Kitchen Gardener for the past 2-3 years and before that he did the same in Garden Answers. So if anything is veggie credentials are stronger than his floral ones!
August 15th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Think this is a typical safe choice for the BBC. Monty struggled to fill the shoes of Alan, mainly I think because Alan is still in the public eye and has a wide range of garden merchandise bearing his name. I would have prefered Joe swift because he understands the problems and needs of the small garden gardener, his new Urban Garden Handbook is published today, and so perhaps we might have got a more balanced programme.
August 17th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
SQ - That’s good to know, as is your comment VP! I’m so much more happier now, although a little worried i haven’t heard of him before!
Frank - Joe’s good, i agree, but you think anchorman material? He needs to make his raised beds a little smaller and more accessible first!
August 19th, 2008 at 9:26 am
I think Joe has the same ‘guy next door’ qualities that Alan had, which would make him a good front man. He has an excellent understanding of the use of plant material and its relationship to good garden design. Not a great vegie though I must concede!
September 13th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Toby seemed to know his stuff on his first outing on Gardeners World. Glad Monty wasn’t replaced by Joe Swift, Rachel De Thame or Alan Titchmarsh - they focus on ‘fashion’ rather than ‘real’ gardening and are the worst Gardeners World gardeners ever!
Nice work Toby!
September 13th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
I completely agree, he didn’t do bad at all did he! He doesn’t really look the part i learnt stuff, so i was happy! Cheers for the comment. Vegmonkey.