Geoff Hamilton - Television and Barnsdale

Television and Barnsdale

Hamilton got his first break into television in 1970 presenting Gardening Diary for Anglia TV which led to guest appearances on BBC1's Gardeners' World. From 1979 until his death, he was the show's regular, and longest-serving presenter, and, in 1985, was responsible for moving the show's venue to his own garden at Barnsdale, Rutland. He was also the creator of several other BBC television gardening series such as The Cottage Garden, The Paradise Garden and The Ornamental Kitchen Garden. Hamilton wrote or co-wrote a number of books to accompany his television series (see below).

His practical hands-on experience, down-to-earth, cost-saving approach to gardening, his desire to share his failures as well as successes with the audience, combined with a gentle humour were some of the keys to his success and popularity. He was a committed and informed early advocate of the organic approach to gardening, helping to dispel the rather widely held belief that organic gardening was slightly odd and 'cranky.'

Readers of Amateur Gardening magazine nominated Hamilton as Gardener of the Millennium. It has remained a puzzle to many in the gardening world that despite his achievements and popularity, he received neither award nor recognition from the Royal Horticultural Society. He was, however, awarded an honorary Master of Science Degree by Anglia Polytechnic University in 1994.