Thursday, July 29, 2021

Five Minutes of Fame


Remember how I was just saying I hadn't seen many butterflies this year? Well, this peacock came around yesterday morning, checking out our butterfly bush. A welcome visitor!

And that wasn't the only excitement around here. Dave and I were officially notified that our garden video will air on the next episode of "Gardener's World," on BBC Two, tomorrow night! So those of you in the UK can tune in at 7 p.m. and see our little segment about "re-wilding" our garden by mowing less and allowing more weeds to grow. We're both in the video and Olga makes a brief appearance, too. (At least, she was in the footage we submitted -- the BBC routinely re-edits viewer videos so I'm not sure what will actually air.)

The only way I know of seeing the show in the USA is to watch it on Britbox, which is a subscription service. Some episodes do turn up on YouTube, so you might catch it there -- look for Episode 19 of the current season. I'll record it myself but I don't know if I can post it, since I think whatever airs becomes the property of the BBC. I'll look into it.

Thank goodness I filmed the video before the great teasel collapse of 2021! Yesterday I went to Homebase and bought some long bamboo plant supports, which I jammed into the ground around the teasels in order to tie them upright. I WILL DOMINATE THESE PLANTS! Originally I had them tied to each other, which I think is what precipitated the collapse -- a weakness in one plant brought all three of them down. Now they're supported individually, which seems more stable.

And yesterday, they endured...


...yet another downpour, and this time they didn't budge. They're upright as I write this. Again, in a high wind, all bets are off, but at least this fix seems longer-lasting. They're a bit droopy but I think they'll grow more upright over time. They've been traumatized!

OK, enough about the bloody teasels. I'm sick of writing about them and I'm sure you're sick of reading about them.

I also walked to work yesterday and made a visit to the library. I wanted to bring some of my finished books back and check up on the construction occurring there over the summer. The place is still a mess, but we've got two or three more weeks before we go back to work so the facilities people can still whip it into shape.

38 comments:

Michael said...

I cannot wait to see your video. I checked youtube and when I type in episode 19, 2021, I get a different episode. I will check youtube in a few days and see if it is there.

Mary said...

The teasels thank you. :)

Great news about Gardener's World. Will have to see if I can find it on YT in the future.

Bob said...

Ver cool about your garden video. I'll look for it!

Ms. Moon said...

"Whip it into shape."
Why do I feel as if someone needs to whip me into shape?

Frances said...

I shall be looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow night. ( Mustn't forget it is on earlier than usual!)

Steve Reed said...

Since it hasn't aired yet, it wouldn't be on YouTube now. Yeah, check back in a few days or next week. :)

Ellen D. said...

You are determined when it comes to your teasels! Hope they stand strong and bloom away!
Please tape the show and sneak it to us!

Sharon said...

I enjoyed that little spot of rain and the garden was looking very good while soaking it up. I wish I was there to see the garden segment on TV. I can't wait to hear about it.

Anonymous said...

I hope you can post the video on YouTube. I'd love to see it. Really good work getting that teasel to stay upright.

Edna B said...

Congratulations on having your garden video viewed on TV. I'll try to see if I can find it on TV. I don't get Brit Box. Your teasels are looking good. Nice work! You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.

Elizabeth said...

You can probably only imagine how that video is music to the ears of a very dried-out southern Californian. So beautiful!

Allison said...

Good work with the teasels. That was a lovely sounding rain, very soothing. It's barely sprinkling here, basically all it's doing is steaming us with the humidity.

Kelly said...

I hope we'll be able to see it on YouTube. Worst case, perhaps you can post the video you submitted to them. It might not be the same as their edited version, therefore bypassing their ownership of it. Maybe? (I don't know the legalities of stuff like that)

Good shot of the butterfly! They seldom stay still long enough for me to photograph.

Penelope said...

Congratulations on becoming a gardening star. Well deserved after all your hard work and rescues of ailing plants. I do hope you have informed Mrs. Kravitz and hope she is pea green with envy. Also, have you let the property owners know?

Steve Reed said...

Yes on both counts! Mrs. Kravitz did indeed ask for guidance on how to get similar recognition for her garden. I told her to make a video!

Steve Reed said...

Re. the video -- I thought of that, but like you, I'm not sure about the rules! Maybe I can post it solely for blog readers to access through a link. Stay tuned!

Steve Reed said...

Well, at least there's still some dampness in the air! Good for the plants -- but maybe not the rockslides. :/

Steve Reed said...

It's actually music to my ears too -- but I'm sure it's ten times better to those of you who live in dry climates!

Steve Reed said...

Maybe it's on BBC America? Not sure.

Steve Reed said...

I'll try to come up with some way to share it!

Steve Reed said...

They're still standing tonight! Woo hoo!

Steve Reed said...

I'll try to share it somehow.

Steve Reed said...

You're in much better shape than our library, trust me!

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, I don't know why it's so early this week. The BBC woman who called me said the same thing!

Steve Reed said...

I will do my best! :)

Steve Reed said...

The garden is LOVING all this rain!

Janie Junebug said...

Fortunately, I have BritBox. Olga had better be included!

Love,
Janie

e said...

I hope Olga will make an appearance!

jenny_o said...

Lovely! I hope you do find a way to share it with those of us who can't watch it otherwise.

You are a determined gardener and your teasels are lucky. Everything looks really healthy in your garden and very attractive. Glad you had some butterflies show up. It made me smile when you said you WILL dominate those plants ... perhaps it's really the other way around!

Moving with Mitchell said...

The butterfly is gorgeous. Very exciting about your tv appearance. Soon you’ll have your own gardening show! I hope I can catch it here… maybe YouTube if nowhere else.

Anonymous said...

I know I wrote a comment on this post yesterday. I wonder what happened to it. I've since looked at our Britbox and it seems Gardener's World is not available here.

ellen abbott said...

how exciting! we were on HGTV decades ago. they did a segment on our etched glass. I have a plumeria in a pot that keeps falling over. if it falls over one more time I'm moving it and tying it to a fence section.

Steve Reed said...

Hopefully they left her in!

Steve Reed said...

Fingers crossed! She's in the footage we submitted!

Steve Reed said...

Ha! That's a good point -- they ARE kind of dominating me.

Steve Reed said...

Oh, Lord, I don't know if I could crank out a show every week -- though I do kind of have a gardening blog! LOL

Steve Reed said...

Oh no! That's strange. But come to think of it I'm not sure I've seen any viewer-submitted videos from Australia or New Zealand.

Steve Reed said...

I didn't know that! That's pretty cool. Did you record and save the segment?