Camels are bringing the Christ back into Christmas say Joseph’s Amazing Camels, who are supplying Trelawney garden centre with three dromedaries (one hump-from North Africa/Middle East). It’s down to recession-back to basics trad xmas etc. Meanwhile, please see latest Telegraph blog.
Latest fan-blogger 'The Fat Gardener' mentioned blog in a recent posting as one of his favourites. Also
Recent Rogue Traders interview with BBC landscaping expert Mitch Westwood produced some comment.
1. The Federal Trade Commission has a stern warning for UK garden retail industry businesses secretly using bloggers and others in social media to endorse products and services: we're coming after you
In a move that has generated a backlash as big as the blogosphere itself, the agency put the word out on the street that beginning December 1, it will be looking to haul into court the most flagrant users of cloaked endorsers.
Indeed, even a blogger who accepts something a simple as a free sample from a company will be considered a violator, and the company, culpable, unless that relationship is made clear.
"Social media is here to stay, and we have enough respect for advertising on the Internet and the important role of the blogosphere as a marketplace for public opinion to hold it to the same standard we apply to advertising in any other medium," says Mary K. Engle, director, FTC Division of Advertising Practices.
2. Nigel Slater in Observer-A recent trip to one of the Royal Horticultural Shows at Vincent Square brought platefuls of pears etc…. What is this show? Is it the Royal Horticultural Society show? Slater should know what its called-he writes regularly for RHS mag The Garden.
3. Alice Bowe in The Times. ‘Lazy gardener tips’- number four: Build raised beds. Also-“digging can do more harm than good”…later “dig over soil in the autumn”.
4. Nicky Haslam (Observer) How do you know when something or someone is common? It’s nothing to do with some Nancy Mitford-esque horror of someone putting their knife on the plate. It’s those little clichés that make you cringe, like someone saying: “My garden’s got its own microclimate.”
5. Stephen Fry: When asked by a careers officer if what he wanted to do. “I want to be a careers officer.” Reminds me of the people who say their careers officer mocked them for wanting to be a gardener/told them they were only fit to be a gardener-ie most gardeners.
6. Twitter update- Amy Winehouse: watch my babygyal Dionne Bromfield on the Alan Titchmarsh Show 3pm-4pm on ITV. Then buy the album again!x
7. Lookalikes: Les Dennis and Mark Thatcher. Went to No.10 garden this year. Nicer than when Mark was there. Les has no conenction with gardening other than being led up the garden path in Extras.
8. Former ITV Studios executives Mark Wells and Glen Middelham have secured the first commission from their old employer for their new indie Rain, teaming up with Spun Gold to produce a country walks series with Alan Titchmarsh.
The 3 x 60-minute Alan Titchmarsh Walks Of Fame is a primetime series set to debut on ITV1 next spring, and was commissioned by Diana Howie and director of factual and daytime Alison Sharman.
Each episode will see Titchmarsh meet with a well-known celebrity, who nominates a 5-mile walk somewhere in Britain that has personal significance for them.
Titchmarsh will then accompany the celebrity on that walk, asking questions about their career and life along the way.
I reported on Titchmarsh’s possible return to BBC Gardener’s World this week and note twitters, bloggers etc have picked up on the story. Thanks for using it, esp those who said where they got it from.
Eg: Guardian “passnotes” 9 Nov, which reported my story adding amusingly “: Do say: "You can present anything you like, Mr Titchmarsh, as long as you do it on the BBC." Don't say: "Welcome back, 'Suralan'. What happened to your beard?"
9. Most stupid things I’ve done this year-professionally: Most of them I have never heard the last of or never heard from again: Left Wyevale long service event early to catch a plane-Wyevale haven’t talked to me since. Published Chelsea Flower Show presenters’ wages and compared them to 2008. Wrote down Gardener’s World producers’ nickname. Called an industry blogger a clown. Wrote indiscreetly about my allotment in “Liz Jones fashion” according to Telegraph gardening editor. Told Evening Standard their production staff are idle. Wrote about the fun people had at awards evenings-some people said that stuff should stay within four walls and are on non-speakers. Wrote a piece saying RHS needed cash in bank in case Chelsea hit by terrorists. Wrote a piece saying one trade association was losing influence.
10. This week-Government working on peat. They have a meeting on Weds 11 Nov at RHS Horticulture Halls. The industry say we can go to report. Defra say we can’t. Umm. Defra likely to push peat reduction targets onto consumer and away from grower. Off to Southern Growers this week and to Soil Association annual conference-looking forward to chair Monty Don’s speech.
