Byline: Tina Dawson
IT is a quintessentially Scottish TV show loved by greenfingered viewers all over the country.
But now it seems The Beechgrove Garden is overtaking an English rival and attracting more attention south of the Border too.
English viewers of Gardeners' World are ditching the show for its couthy Caledonian opponent because of its more down-to-earth approach.
The Beechgrove Garden has seen a 17 per cent rise in audience numbers since it became available to download on the BBC iPlayer, with seasoned presenter Jim McColl finding a growing audience down south - especially in northern England.
It is said his advice is 'more appropriate and more practical to more of the country' than that given by Monty Don on Gardeners' World.
Critics say the long-running BBC2 show is also 'too grand, pompous and far removed' from the average amateur gardener, with its viewing figures dropping from five million at its height in the 1990s to two million last year.
As a result earlier this year the BBC axed presenter Toby Buckland for Monty Don in a bid to halt the decline.
Gwyneth Hardy, a producer for The Beechgrove Garden, said they were now attracting English and Welsh viewers thanks to the iPlayer and Sky TV, which broadcasts BBC1 Scotland.
She said: 'We get masses of correspondence from people disaffected with Gardeners' World, saying "Where have you been all my life?" Our pre-Growing in popularity: Jim McColl, above, while Monty Don, below, is losing viewers senters recognise that gardening isn't an exact science and are happy to share their problems as well as their triumphs.
'We don't take ourselves too seriously, we have a bit of fun and aren't too pompous or prescriptive.
'The Beechgrove Garden is on a 2.5 acre site but it is divided up into normal-sized back gardens. We appeal to inexperienced and new gardeners tuning in for the first time.
'People watch Gardeners' World now for different reasons than before. When Alan Titchmarsh was on it, they looked at it and thought "I could do that". It now appeals to the high-end of gardeners - not the people with a small terrace garden.' She added: 'We are also more geographically appropriate.
We have a site in Aberdeenshire.
If you can grow plants here, you can grow them anywhere.
'Monty Don gardens in the South-East of England so when he tells you to split your irises, ours probably haven't even flowered yet.' Jim McColl, 74, explained: 'The climate in Northumberland, Cumbria and Yorkshire is similar to ours.' Forums on the internet are also abuzz with English gardeners who are new fans. One wrote: 'Gardeners' World could learn a lot from the likes of McColl about sensible, practical and affordable gardening.' Another added: 'The Gardeners' World garden is so far removed from most people's gardens. It's far too grand.' Gardening - Page 77
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