In the past, I have mentioned my issues with HGTV, the Home & Gardening cable channel. Actually, I’ve complained, whined and beseeched the Heavens to smite the programmers at the network about their lack of garden shows. Others have noticed as well: here and here and here.
However… this year has been a little different. The always lovely and informative Erica Glasener (“A Gardener’s Diary“) is still on the air on Thursday mornings. The interesting Matt James’ Urban Outsiders can be seen on Friday mornings. And Paul James has new Gardening By the Yard shows on Saturday mornings. In January!
This is a little different.
In the past, HGTV usually took off the gardening shows about the same time the last leaf fell from the oak tree. The network became H_TV because there were no “gardening” shows until early Spring.
But now — HGTV seems to be paying some attention to gardening. Maybe they think it’s a “green” thing — all of this chatter on the news about the need to be “green”. Maybe someone thinks that gardening is “green”. (It usually is but it’s a secret.)
But it’s another example of 2 steps forward, a half-step back. If one goes to the HGTV web page, and looks for the link for “gardening”… uhhh, no. It’s “landscaping”. Pay attention, class — landscaping is not gardening. Decks, patios and such are not gardening. Ah well…
The HGTV web site does have more information about the shows, some articles about the episodes and even some clips from some shows. This is better. Not great — but better. Of course, HGTV still has far to go to compete with the BBC gardening web site or it’s exquisite Gardener’s World site. You can even watch videos on these sites.
Of course, if you do watch those BBC videos, you need to watch a couple of times to listen closely to what they are saying. Those sites make you want to learn their language so you can understand what the heck they are talking about…
It’s called landscaping because the Gen X-ers think gardening is too hard, and requires lots of time and work. Landscaping on the other hand, sounds better to them. This is why you see a shift from the “G” word to landscaping.
Think about it…when you think of a professional gardener, you envision a dirty guy with overalls who works like a dog. You hire them to dig holes, plant, and weed.
A landscaper on the other hand, is usually well dressed, clean, and well spoken. You hire them to make things look awesome, and then to take care of it. They usually charge a lot, so it must be worth it, right?
I know those are general statements, but I am trying to make a point. Landscaping just sounds better to this generation. They have been conditioned by television to call it landscaping. Landscaping also means beautifying your home and increasing it’s value. Gardening means planting crops, usually to harvest and eat; also known as WORK.
This generation and the ones to follow want instant satisfaction, not hard work!
By: mrmisty on January 5, 2009
at 7:12 PM
I suppose that’s true. I think that one of the contributors on Garden Rant also noted the poor connotation of the word “gardener”. I hadn’t thought about it much as I consider it a badge of honor.
But then I’m far from a Gen-Xer. More like a Gen-LVIII-er.
By: Garden Keeper on January 5, 2009
at 11:15 PM
Depending on who you consult, I am Gen-X, Gen-Y, or a Millenial, and I love the hard work of my garden. It keeps me fit and well fed without needing to pay for a gym membership or for still pricey organics.
When it comes to garden programming, I’ve been using NetFlix and getting everything they have available:
Rebecca’s Garden
People’s, Places, and Plants
Jerry Baker series.
They seem to be continually adding and removing material. And no commercials.
By: Scott on January 16, 2009
at 10:02 PM
hgtv is not a gardening station and people need to be very careful about listening to them. Other than Erica Glasener and Paul James. They have nothing applicable to any other state than Florida. Their landscape people are dangerous for the novice to listen to and they should be held accountable on a horticultural level. Their home repairs are equally wrong. Don’t you wonder what people do when their room fix ups fall apart and their plants die right away?
Don’t you wonder who the irresponsible people are who really control HGTV?
I wish I could find more info about Paul James as he does a great job! Ericas shows are so old that the gardeners involved are embarassed to have the repeats shown.
By: E Davis on February 6, 2009
at 5:23 PM
Thank you for linking to the BBC sites – I wrongly assumed that we couldn’t watch those shows online, since BBC blocks users outside the UK from viewing some of its TV shows. That’s great.
The fact that the HGTV actually does not use the word “gardening” is hilarious. “Landscaping” fits what their terrible, “house value”-oriented shows are about – mostly garden tchotckes and overblown EP Henry constructions. I do like watching Diary and Outsiders.
Americans don’t use the word “garden” like people do in other parts of the world, which is a shame. We generally use it to mean a garden bed – an area of planted flowers or vegetables. We don’t say, “The kids are playing in the garden,” like people do in England, we say they’re playing in the “yard.” This has the side effect of encouraging people to envision a turf-covered “yard,” rather than a healthy and varied “garden.” And then we say “landscaping” to describe the work often performed by landscaping companies. They plant shrubs around new homes and office buildings, so people call that “landscaping.”
HGTV is in a wonderful position to educate people and help turn around this mind set. I wish they’d try!
By: Erin on March 18, 2009
at 8:45 AM
[...] Last January, I noted that “gardening” was no longer a topic on the HGTV website. It is now “landscaping”. Let’s all say this together: Landscaping is not gardening. [...]
By: April 13 - The Reckoning for HGTV « A Garden Exempt from Public Haunt on March 30, 2009
at 9:42 PM
Since the economy is in the dump and the prices of ALL grocery items have risen, my husband & I decided to plant our own garden. Our 9yr old daughter even helps us to work the garden. We planted about a 1/4 acre. Since watching Paul James on H-TV, he has given us Terrific ideas on the proper tools you need to make your gardening duties much easier. We are ALL organic and have found that the specific tools that Paul recommends really make gardening fun and NOT a chore. Our 9 yr old is motivated to help.. It is amazing what little time it takes to keep up the garden. The only hard work involved was the initial preparing of the soil and all the planting.
If H-TV were smart, they would put on MORE garden shows instead of the shows that cause folks to spend MONEY THEY DONT HAVE on Houses that they cant affod to buy!!!
I read above that H-TV has cancelled Paul James’ show. If that is true, I will launch a campaign against H-TV like they have never known before.. I have a VERY large group of friends and go to a VERY large church (members exceed 19K people) and we are all trying to be trying to be as careful as we can with the resources that have been given to us.. Gardens are very affordable, Landscaping projects are NOT at all affordable!!! The only time landscaping projects can be affordable is when you do it yourself and include your garden as your landscaping. Every family I know now, has some kind of garden.
You know, one of the ONLY things I like about France & that culture is thier committment to growing fresh produce, for ALL seasons.. This is my goal with my garden. I hope I can get the info I need from Paul James to be a successful All Season Gardener..
I would encourage each and every person that cares about gardening to write a letter to H-TV & let them kinow how much you care about the gardening shows & what exactly you are going to do if they continue to stop the gardening shows. Ex, completely stop watching HGTV and tune into another channel. If enough of us write in, we will get thier attention.
Remember to go Organic!!! It cuts down on the WORK it takes for your gardens to be extremely sucessful !!!!
Happy Organic Gardening!!!
By: Mrs Family Gardener on April 8, 2009
at 10:31 AM