Does anyone else think Simon Harrison-Knibbs...("Don't call me Knibbsy")..is the cutest gardener around?
Please come and sort out my patio Simon! The banter between him and Ryan most amusing. Like the way they look embarrassed at being filmed most of the time! I have a bottle of of Tequila waiting boys!

Dairmuid is the one for me

I like Chris Beardshaw myself but that said I wouldnt kick Simon or his mate Ryan out of my Rose Bed... :D

Diarmuid was always my favourite, but got a bit too poseury....mixing with ll Bowen I suppose. Still a cutie though.
Doesn't Dan Pearson look like a poet? Keats maybe....
Chris Beardshaw looks like someone I used to work with who was a dilly, so can't give him creedence...
No one likes Alan Titchmarsh these days do they?

No, Simon's for me, especially when drinking that vodka on "Gothic Balcony". (Which I have seen 10 tens.....hmm.
Any other offers?

vodka on a gothic balcony - now that does sound the biz.Black vodka - of course

Hi Jill........it was green vodka.. Haven't you seen that one? With that awful woman with the hair and trousers flirting with 'em?
Pah! (As the French would say.)
Showing off now.....I met Carol Klein once at Coughton Flower show. She was so nice, and I talked gushingly about rubbish.
Anyone met any celebo gardeners?
Anyone who has met, is living with, or has slept with Simon....don't wanna know!

Green vodka? never heard of it! How strange! I would drink anything with Dairmuid! In my opinion, any man who loves nature is ok by me :D I just love the way they are loving and tender with the plants. Wonder if they are like that with the ladies????????

It would be a pint of guinness with our gorgeous Irish friend no doubt? I agree totally with you Jill about men and plants. I find this incredibly attractive in a man. The enthusiasm for nature itself. Oh I'm rambling on. Did you see Gardenning unplugged today? Good one, haven't seen before. Simon's hair all wappy! Ryan has got great biceps. Wonder if they ever dig into this? Hmm. Embarrassing!
Did nice things with Carex! Think I may well have a better look at grasses. The lawn is usually enough for me. Do you just hate EDGING?
p.s My husband hates gardening- but will do as he is told re labouring. Hence the Simon crush.

Yes, I watch this one, Simon does remind me of my friends brother-in-law, same sort of accent as well... I think they are both rather posh under the surface...

I know at least one professional gardener who's own garden is a tip... plus it took him getting married to sort out dress sense as well (used to wear odd socks and not wash) - so it doesnt come naturally (well it doesnt in men usually now does it)...

I have also met Carol Klein and she was really nice to me... so she must be used to complete strangers coming up and wanting to talk to her...

I also met Geoff Hamilton at Hampton Court in its early days... possibly the 2nd year... and he was absolutely charming - but then again he did have an eye for the women...

I saw Chris Beardshaw from afar at Gardeners World live but didnt get to speak to him... great shame... as I would have liked to have got an idea about what he was really like in the flesh... and what flesh :D

Hi!
Back to my favourite subject..... :D

Wish you could post a pic of the Simon look a like on here......does he do gardening too? I bet Simon is really posh as he talks like my privileged nephew who is also from the wilds of Dorset but went to Sherborne school. (I am a poor relation!)
Wish I liked Chris, but as I said, too much like my ex work colleague who was a complete dummy. Isn't it funny when that happens?
Was Geoffy one for the ladies? Didn't know that, but he was keen on cottage gardening and that's always my favourite.
I don't suppose professional gardeners have time for their own gardens do they??? Even Alan has people "in" to cope with Barleywood as so busy. They are too busy off making pots o' money!
Another topic. If it is green vodka with Simon and guiness with diarmuid, then waht would it be with Chris? (Hmm... will have to think about that.....)
I have a friend in Cornwall who has offered to slug it out with any contenders for Ryan too. Well, have to have something nice to think about whilst picking the horrible slugs off your brassicas!!!!!!!

I think Chris would be a real ale sort of a man...

I have made Sloe Gin and Sloe Vodka - I think I should invite Mr SHK around dont you... its almost fit to be drunk now...

The Simon I know is very POSH... he got given a farmhouse and pots of money to do it up as a wedding present from his increadibly wealthy parents... after they had sold a large farm in Dunmow in Essex for close on 10 million... (yes, that sort of rich)...

I know them through my friend Piers as Chris is his sister's husband... they are very much part of the Essex young farmers sect... Hunt Balls, shooting parties and the like... believe me it is a different world... I dont know how many acres they farm but it is several hundred and they mainly farm deer... they did have a lots of pigs but they got rid of them as soon as there was the slightest wiff of foot and mouth disease...

I am looking forward to sampling the Sloe Vodka and Gin at Christmas... hic... :D

Shame we can't all have a try!!! He was all wet this week....(no comments ladies...)and SO cute. Perhaps a hot toddy might be handy. That dog will have to stay at home though!

Do you know as a teenage...(a while ago!) I was in love with Geoffrey Smith! (Have I always been strange?) But I do like normal people too. (George Clooney....fancy a bit of double digging?) :D

You do mix with the hoi poloi A. Wish I knew a few millionaires. Sigh.

Bob Flowerdew???????????????

Bob Flowerdew,Simon, Ryan, Diarmid what acombo in my garden. What a garden.

Gilly,

I couldnt possibly go out with a man who has longer hair than I do... the temptation to get the sissors out would be too much :D

and Zenbabe, with all those ego's the garden there wouldnt be much room for them to work...

Still it would be better than doing the garden on my own :(

Angie

Bob Flowerdew. Kinda guy who knots his own sandals. Not my type! He does need a haircut Angie!

Has set up a boules pitch in his garden evidently. Would think he would be an organic parsley wine type of chap. Don't you?

Yeah, I know I am sad, but sent the boys upstairs and Philip did some painting.. (walls not canvas!) and I did two tons of ironing to back to back episodes on Gardens Unplugged. Pitiful or what! Simon and Ryan overload alert!

thank goodness it isnt just me that has a 'thing'for tv gardeners....Feel like i have come out of the closet,or is that potting shed??Thanks gilly for enlightening me!
knibsy does nothing for me but Ryan is another matter i would love him to come and give my garden a whole knew dimension.Especially bearing green vodka.

Well done Emma! You see, you are not the only one .....you have come home .......!!!! :D

Thought of you Angie when I saw Chris last night. V.Good.
Anyone else see it?
I couldn't go up in that helicopter, even for Chris. Isn't he enthusiastic? A very attractive trait. I never liked kniphofias until he went on and on about them!
Do you think his jeans are to gardening what Michael Wood's were in the eighties to history?
See, I am lowering the tone again.
Not much else to do, sitiing waiting for the snow to thaw!
No Gardening Unplugged on a present. Depressed. Didn't they do one called the Green Room? Pre crush, of course, for me.

Yes, a smilling Angie having seen Chris in the new series of Flying Doctors...

Did anyone else think it was miles better than before... showing you the reasoning behind a particular style in certain areas...

I have been up in a helicopter and would love to again... provided the pilot didnt do any of that hedge hopping stuff... otherwise it would be :( ... ( I will say no more)...

As for Knophofia's - there are several smaller versions which are lovely and dainty such as Percy's Prinde and Little Miss... and not all are red... Little Miss is yellow - not that I got to see much of the flower as the cat decided he liked it and chewed it off...

When I get around to re-designing the garden I will definately think of grasses and rudbekkia's but I will have to get some compost and grit dug in to lighten the heavy clay...

Angie

Flying doctors!! Shall call it that from now on!
Perhaps I will try the mimi kniphofias ina container ....My patio is going exotic this year. Plus toms of course!!! Need it to be Spring. Sigh. :D

Best tip from Flying Chris.
Tip of 2002.
Line terracotta pots with black plastic, first making a hole for drainage. Then they don't dry out! Shall be repotting my choccy cosmos with that in mind. Always deep in dehydration, that particular plant. Wonder why? Had to water three times a day in sun!!!

Akingsho
I saw my first snowdrop on the 5 january in my garden. If you want to see thousands of snowdrops go to Hodsock Priory in Blyth Nottinghamshire it is the best.

Gilly, try adding those water holding crystals to the compost this year as well... and putting a mulch over the surface of the compost to keep it moister and the sun off it...

I have one in the shed, when do I start watering it again?...