Open Gardens Blossoms With Twofour

Following the success last year of the ten part series Open Gardens, BBC Daytime Controller Jay Hunt has commissioned Twofour to produce 30 new half hours for 2007.
The inspirational series is presented by popular plantswoman Carol Klein and Joe Swift. Both follow gardeners up and down the country as they prepare their corners of paradise for a much-coveted and hard-fought place in the National Garden Scheme's legendary Yellow Book.
Each programme features two gardens - one as it prepares to open its gates to the public for the first time in 2007, the second, a hopeful, as it strives to pass the strict criteria needed to be one of the new "Open Gardens" of 2008.
Klein, one of Europe's foremost plantswomen, brings her down-to-earth, practical advice and infectious enthusiasm for plants and people to the series. Her own garden has been in the Yellow Book, and is opening this year, so she knows from personal experience what the National Garden Scheme's judges, and garden visitors, will be expecting. Swift is an expert on gardening and garden design who has been a friend and supporter of the NGS for years.
Open Gardens is produced by Guy Templeton. The executive producer is Melanie Leach. The executive producer for BBC Daytime is Lindsay Bradbury. Filming will take place from mid February until September.
NGS Gardens Open for Charity has been championing fine, mostly private British gardens since the 1920s, recognising the creativity, passion, commitment and generosity of their owners, who by sharing their gardens with the public raise significant amounts of money for charity.
(DS/SP)