Channel 5 digs into gardening
It is often said that when Alan Titchmarsh gets his hands dirty on the box, gardening experiences a surge in popularity.
And a decade after the heyday of Ground Force, the same theory appears to ring true.
After ITV announced that Alan is to host its new gardening series, called Love Your Garden, Channel 5 has revealed plans to expand into TV gardening as well.
Channel 5 has appointed garden designer David Domoney to present Garden ER – a run of eight, half-hour programmes starting at 7.30pm on Wednesday 13 July.
David is best-known as resident gardener on GMTV, This Morning, Better Homes, House of Horrors, Plant Doctor and 60 Minute Makeover.
Garden ER will feature total garden makeovers while help and advice will be on offer for viewers’ embarrassing garden gaffes.
A special feature called Pimp My Shed will see David breathe new life into redundant or under-used sheds.
“Channel 5 has not really done gardening before, so it is dipping its toe in the water,” said Garden ER producer Kerry Richardson, a former producer of Gardeners’ World, Around the World in 80 Gardens and The Joy of Gardening.
Kerry said Garden ER will be aimed at “non-gardeners or people with very little gardening knowledge who may feel intimidated by other garden programmes”.
“We are not going for the Gardeners’ World audience,” Kerry added.
“Channel 5 believes David can hold the attention of non-gardeners and inspire them with his passionate can-do attitude. Channel 5’s audience is young and does not incorporate a traditional gardening audience.
“David is never precious about gardening. He believes you don’t need to be an expert to have a great garden – simply imagination, a few tricks of the trade and a sense of adventure.”
