Flaming Nora

I grew up watching Gardeners' World. I still watch it now and as an enthusiastic gardener, learn a lot from it. But this new series with Toby whatshisname and Alys Fowler is leaving me cold. Toby turns gardening into a competition to be won and Alys' tone is patronising to anyone who isn't Toby. The good bits of Gardeners' World now are the allotments and garden design with Joe Swift and the pinching out, cutting back and enjoying having soil between your fingers with the wonderful Carol Klein. But head presenter Toby and sidekick Alys leave this viewer cold.

Regular readers of this blog will know I like gardening and that’s why I think this woman is a star . Never mind giving her half an hour once a week on telly, we want Christine knighted (well, I do). With the exception of the delectable Monty Don, women gardeners are so much better to watch on TV than their male counterparts. Women gardeners don’t mind getting their hands dirty, nails snapped, knees muddy. Women of the soil like Christine, Carol Klein and that posh woman who gardens in her skirt and old shoes, I salute you, although I’m still reserving judgement for Charlie Dimmock.