Critical Opinion
As the primary gardening programme on BBC Television, the programme attracts vocal opinion on the merits of the presenters and the content of each episode. The 2009 season introduced several new features, many of which were not well received. Criticism was especially harsh regarding the high cost of certain features such as the hard landscaping and raised-beds and what was widely regarded as the dumbed-down and derivative content. The 'Cool Wall' which mimicked Top Gear, a competition for training places which aped The Apprentice, children from CBeebies and content such as a feature on Garden gnomes annoyed many viewers. Much of the widespread criticism was also directed at the fact that the show no longer came from a real garden.
The 2010 show saw public approval change, after alterations to the show's production. The show's length was returned to the original 30 minutes and several features of the 2009 series (such as the '30 minute fix') were axed. The show concentrated more on gardening content, re-introducing 'Jobs for the weekend' and focusing on plant species.
In March 2011, Monty Don returned as the main presenter of the programme.
Read more about this topic: Gardeners' World
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