The Eden Project will be the backdrop for BBC Two’s broadcast of Gardener of the Decade on Friday December 12.
Five previous winners of BBC Gardener of the Year compete for the title over two days.
The contestants, Sue Beesley, Katherine Crouch, Diana Guy, Edwin Rye and Bob Tridgett, battle it out in the great Eden outdoors in tests involving border maintenance, propagation, pests and diseases, whip and tongue grafting, and tropical plant identification.
The hour-long programme climaxes with a final three going head to head by designing individual mixed borders, all for the coveted title Gardener of the Decade. The show was recorded over two fine days in September by the BBC Gardeners’ World team. Gardeners’ World presenters Joe Swift and Rachel de Thame oversaw the competition over the two days and were joined in the later stages by Toby Buckland, the new lead presenter of Gardeners’ World. Leading members of the Eden Project “green team”, Kevin Austin, Catherine Cutler, Adrian Lovatt, John Nichol, Tim Pettitt, Darren Topps and Roger Wasley acted as judges in the various rounds. Adrian has since left to head up the gardening team at Powis Castle and Gardens in Mid Wales.
Don Murray, Eden’s leading curator, said: “It was a big team effort to host the BBC crew, their leading gardening presenters and five talented contestants over a pretty intense few days.
“There was a terrific spirit among the competitors. They really put their brains – and backs – into going for the title."
Sarah Moors, the BBC’s executive producer of gardening and factual formats, said: “The competition was fiercely contested and the programme is full of jeopardy and competitive horticulture. All the competitors were rigorously judged by RHS and Eden Project standards which was vital to the fairness of the whole competition. The programme promises to be a thrilling watch.”
BBC Gardener of the Decade is on BBC Two on Friday December 12 at 8pm. Don't miss it!
