The Garden Media Guild TV & Radio Broadcast Awards 2010

The Garden Media Guild Awards celebrate the best in garden writing - including books, newspapers and magazines - photography, broadcasting - TV and radio - and new media - including gardening websites and gardening blogs. They are the garden media 'Oscars'.

 

Broadcast Awards

 

TV Broadcast Awards

Sponsored by the Horticultural Trades Association

 

Garden Programme TV Broadcast of the Year

Winner: The Landscape Man presented by Matthew Wilson, produced by Redhouse TV for Channel 4.

Judges' comments: Strong field and very hard to choose between – all were packed with information. The Landscape Man was a wonderful film, with a strong narrative that was about gardening and so much more besides - redemption, one man's passion, following a dream, disappointment and the nature of love – his wife’s belief and support of his dream was extraordinary. Matthew Wilson was a sensitive presenter - and his concern for how close the family was to disaster felt very genuine. The passion of the main contributor and his very real need to build his own garden to assuage the pain of the garden he had lost made compelling viewing.

Finalists:

Gardeners' World special: James Wong & The Malaysian Garden directed by Kevin Jarvis and presented by James Wong, by BBC2.

Gardeners' World special: Women and Gardening directed by Patti Kraus and presented by Carol Klein for BBC2.

Highgrove: Alan meets Prince Charles produced and directed by Charlie Clay, by Spun Gold TV for BBC 2.

The Edible Garden produced by Juliet Glaves and presented by Alys Fowler for BBC2.

 

Garden Feature TV Broadcast of the Year

Winner: Jimmy’s Food Factory, Supermarket waste food into glasshouse heat presented by Jimmy Doherty by BBC Scotland.

Judges' comments: This programme raises fundamental questions about food production in this country. The bright intro and graphics, familiar music and Jimmy's relaxed but no-nonsense presenting style make it perfect for its target audience and a difficult subject palatable for even the youngest viewers. Jimmy is the 'everyman' viewer, expressing the horror and suprise we feel as he plucks a banana from the 'waste' banana mountain and finds it perfectly good enough to eat – but discarded presumably because it doesn't fit the food 'good looks' criteria. With a fresh buzzy feel and a good pace, this is a great mix of the entertaining, campaigning and educating, with a strong environmental theme, reinforcing the connection between what we grow and what we eat.

Finalists:

Country Wise: The Beth Chatto Gardens presented by Rachel De Thame for ITV1.

Gardeners' World: Arabella Lennox Boyd’s garden produced by Liz Rumbold and directed by Richard Pearson for BBC2.

Gardeners' World: Pumpkin Man produced by Rosemary Edwards and directed by Caroline Feldon for BBC Birmingham.

Natural World – Plant Pioneers produced by Lucy Meadows for BBC Bristol for BBC2.

 

Radio Broadcast Awards

Sponsored by Paskett PR

 

National Radio Broadcast of the Year

Winner: John Cushnie Tribute produced by Howard Shannon and Lucy Dichmont for BBC Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time.

Judges' comments: The judges felt this special edition of Gardeners’ Question Time was a programme full of warmth and humour. Over the years, John Cushnie's passion and knowledge about gardening must have proved an inspiration to countless gardeners and the programme was a suitable tribute to the man and his work.

Finalists:

Gardening Special by Sheila McClennon (presenter), Rebecca Myatt (producer), Isabel Sargent (producer) and Robyn Rea (editor) for BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour.

So you want to be a scientist - homing snail experiment by Michelle Martin (producer) and Ruth Brooks (experiment scientist) for BBC Radio 4 Material World.

Terry Walton's allotment on the Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2.

The New Diggers presented by Alice Roberts for BBC Radio 4 Costing the Earth.

 

Local Radio Broadcast of the Year

Winner: Gardening Plus presented by Ken Crowther on BBC Essex.

Judges' comments: The judges felt Ken has an infectious approach to gardening, inspiring and challenging his listeners to develop their skills. The entry demonstrated Ken is equally at home in the studio discussing rhubarb with young gardeners, or out and about in the community.

Finalists:

Gardening Hour presented by Rory McAllister and Colin Evans on BBC Radio Berkshire.

Grow It, Cook It, Eat It presented by Rebecca Pow and Emma Britton on BBC Somerset.

Spring Watch Special presented by Georgina Windsor on BBC Solent.

The Greenhouse presented by Gill Gauntlett on BBC Three Counties Radio.