These are strange times indeed. I'm someone who doesn't spend much time watching videos, I've just never seen the point. It feels like time wasted. However in the last month I've recommended a movie, told you about some YouTube videos I've been watching, and now I'm recommending that you tune into ABC—that's the Australian Broadcasting Corporation—for a television show, Gardening Australia. Everyone knows about the BBC and good old Gardener's World. But there's a whole other hemisphere to discover!
It all happened for me when a Facebook friend posted photos of Kurt Wilkinson's garden. I clicked through to his Instagram feed (here), and then on a link in his Instagram profile, where he linked to an ABC segment on his garden Yalamurra (here).
That's all it took, I was hooked! Each episode has a segment index so it's easy to skip ahead in the program if you're not interested in an individual piece. Like Gardener's World there's a "Jobs for the Weekend" segment, and like the BBC program these hosts are actual people with some hort knowledge, not just pretty talking heads.
The topics they cover are of every sort. In 2020 Series 31 Episode 04 (here) for example, there's a segment with a gardener, Kathleen, celebrating nearly a century in her garden...
And a segment on Nifty Natives (here) that includes a look at Xanthorrhoea...
And then we watch the host, Clarence Slockee (pictured above) shake the nectar from a grevillea flower into a bowl with water for a tasty "high energy" drink, after cautioning viewers to make sure there aren't any insects present that might bite or sting.
Wow! Did I like that! Talking about summer heat and dryness. (I usually detest videos.) Just hit the spot for me. I like those ladies, they seem more real than those on the British gardening shows all so spiffy. And that bearded guy. What fun. Thanks. And I want to garden until I'm 100 years old to.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it, I'll definitely be tuning in regularly.
DeleteThanks for the tip, Loree! I was vaguely aware of this series but had found episodes hard to get to via YouTube. As my garden is full of plants originating from Australia, this series is probably more useful to me than Gardeners World, which I've been viewing for years.
ReplyDeleteThey make it so easy to watch on their website, I am very impressed.
DeleteIf Sidney Rock Orchid fries and Grevillea energy drink don't give us the travel bug, how about that accent!
ReplyDeleteExactly! I'm in love...
DeleteDefinitely a show for West Coast gardeners who can grow these lovelies. I'm rather envious, alas, "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am West Coast most of what they show here is out of my range, I still love it though.
DeleteOh how exciting! A cure for the GW withdrawals.
ReplyDeleteHa! Yes exactly.
DeleteLike the Masterclass, I'm finding individual scenes on YouTube. I just wish they would post entire episdoes but it is better than nothing. Thanks for the suggestion. It is also nice to find new garden shows.
ReplyDeleteYou can watch the full episode on their website!
DeleteA good source for the West for sure. Thank you! Also, I remember you said you hoped one day to visit Chanticleer. As a stop gap, they publish really beautiful videos weekly of the garden, set to music. Lovely to watch.
ReplyDeleteAh... thank you. I think I have watched some of these in the past, but I didn't realize they were a weekly event.
DeleteThank you - what a great show and episode. I feel better about my soil now! Like his line "You work with what you've got." Very true. Constraints absolutely force creativity.
ReplyDeleteAnd the guy with the beard! hilarious. I laughed out loud when he strolled on screen.
ReplyDeleteHello all from Australia. For those who enjoyed the guy with the beard, check out Costa's Garden Odessy, Costa Georgiadias.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Will do... (and hello Australia, from Portland! Hope to visit someday....)
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