Joe Swift, beloved presenter on BBC’s Gardeners’ World, recently shared a heartfelt goodbye as the show’s main series for 2024 came to a close. Reflecting on the past year’s gardening conditions, Swift described it as both “sad” to see this season end and “memorable” due to the weather’s unusual patterns.
In his Radio Times column, Joe explained that this year’s gardening season in Britain has been markedly “warm, very dry and sunnier than most years,” a trend that he believes will likely become the new norm. While such conditions might seem ideal, they actually pose unique challenges, making it tricky for gardeners to predict how to best prepare their gardens.
“This unpredictability puts ‘resilient gardening’ right at the forefront,” Joe wrote. He emphasized the importance of choosing plants capable of thriving under more extreme weather conditions – particularly those that don’t require excessive watering or pampering.
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Among his plant recommendations are ornamental grasses, hardy geraniums, and tough viburnums — species known for their endurance. He reassured gardening enthusiasts that sustainable choices don’t mean dull landscapes; rather, they encourage more thoughtful and exciting plant selections.
Joe also spoke about the role gardeners play as caretakers of their plots: “Gardeners are custodians of patches of land for a snapshot in time. I, for one, want to garden mine sustainably – and try to leave it more healthy and biodiverse than I found it.”
Meanwhile, Monty Don, the show’s main presenter, recently addressed speculation about his future on Gardeners’ World. In 2023, Monty hinted at possibly stepping back from the series ahead of his 70th birthday, causing concern among fans. However, he confirmed that he has agreed to continue for at least two more years from January 2025 and remains enthusiastic about his role.
As the gardening community looks forward to the upcoming winter specials and next year’s series, viewers can catch Gardeners’ World on BBC Two Fridays at 8 pm, with presenters including Frances Tophill and Nick Bailey joining the team.