Gardeners’ World was hit with complaints as fans expressed their frustration over the latest episode. Friday (August 7) night’s instalment of the BBC programme featured Frances Tophill as she returned to Damson Farm in Bath to spend the day with the owner and Dame Mary Berry.
Returning to the city where she grew up and went to school, Mary, 91, told Frances throughout the episode how the landscapes and countryside around the city kickstarted her lifelong love of gardening and the great outdoors. Fans were treated to practical gardening tips from the duo, with Frances also sharing her expertise on creating a wild corner that is both beautiful and beneficial for wildlife, as well as collecting seeds for future displays.
However, some viewers felt the show featured “patronising” moments, while others pointed to what they described as a decline in standards.
One fumed: “Utter patronising garbage again. Channel 4 take note. New gardening show required. #gardenersworld.”
A second echoed: “Utterly patronising presenter alert.. If in doubt, draft in Mary B! Unwatchable #gardenersworld.”
Another responded: “Dull isn’t it.”
A fourth added: “#gardenersworld It’s getting sh****er by the week.”
Another wrote: “Anyone else tired of being lectured by #GardenersWorld? Wildlife. I know about it already. Careful with water. Yup, I’m there. Peat free? Got it.”
This was certainly not the view held by all fans, as one wrote after the episode had concluded: “Doesn’t Mary look fabulous. Really enjoyed tonight’s programme. Great bunch of presenters. No preaching just proper gardening and interesting clips.”
Another agreed: “Another lovely programme tonight team #GardenersWorld Frances is so good at keeping everything going and we had the very elegant Dame Mary Berry to entertain us, that food at the end looked delicious. Keep gardening and see you next time.”
A keen and passionate gardener, Mary recently appeared on the Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange podcast, where she discussed evergreens and lawns.
She said: “Evergreens, a yew is, we put hedges in a yew. And obviously you should buy evergreens like a yew. I suppose about two foot high and wait.
“Well I’ll be in heaven then so we had to buy them fairly big, I suppose they were about four foot because we needed them to get to the top of the tennis court netting.”
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