Advantages: Good for relative beginners
Disadvantages: none

...As I am shortly due to move to a new house (which has a garden) and as I am asolutely useless at anything horticultural I decided to buy some gardening magazines and this was amonst them. Gardens Made Easy - does exactly that - makes gardening easy! There are LOADS of descriptive illustrations and sumptuous photos, which means the inexperienced gardener like myself doesn't have to rely fully on the text. The front cover is very glossy and friendly looking. It almost invites you to pick the magazine up from the shelf it is so appealing. THe issue I picked up had 2 lovely competitions in; One to win some garden plans by a designer and the other to win a super timber deck. There's also some free gifts and money saving offers. Apart from the gardening stuff proper, there is a feature on compost containers, one about different ways... Read review

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Advantages: interseting
Disadvantages: can be boring at times

...around by the public such as stately homes and the like. This format is not new it's a tried and tested formula and the thing that puzzles me is the title. I mean curious gardeners dosen't do the show justice as all gardeners are curious by definition! I am enjoying the show although it can get a little boring in parts it depends on the garden they are in. It is not a gardening advice programme as such but the odd tip and hint does emerge when the head gardeners and garden owners talk about their plants etc. The show is nothing special but watchable and I certainly have seen a lot worse over the years. At least it makes a change from Alan Titchmarsh and his decking!... Read review

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Advantages: Charlie Dimmock
Disadvantages: non

...Ground force, in a word, fantastic, the show was the ultimate prime time Saturday night TV, the entertainment value was through the roof, Charlie has absolutely fantastic garden features specialising in water, this was a pleasure to watch as Charlie installed confidence into the gardens of Britain, specialising in the water features that make the gardens the place to be, with a constant memory of Charlie. I have recently bought the special edition ground force DVD, and in once word, again, fantastic, the special features that Charlie integrates into the gardens make it all worth while. Tommy Walsh, the man with a plan, and incidentally a lot of Dimmock, sorry, a lot of decking in the gardens of many Alan Titchmarsh is the flower expert of the show, making it easy for the watchers of the show to understand how the garden world works... Read review

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Advantages: informative
Disadvantages: too much diy

...Alan Titchmarsh the Ilkley born presenter of Gardeners World is beginning to irritate me . He is on the wrong show.He should be on changing rooms or something like that because he's more bothered about DIY than real gardening. There he was last Friday laying a path. OK , but he spent half the last series and the one before that building decking . I thought Tommy Walsh of Ground Force fame was a real builder not Alan. But moving on there has been a subtle change in the new series of Gardeners World . The other presenters on the show such as Chris Beardshaw of The Flying Gardener , Pippa Greenwood and Rachel De Thame are spending more time at Barleywood Alan Titchmarsh's garden doing real garden work . This is just as well as it lets Alan play with his rubber mallett. By real garden work I mean pruning , planting , propogating etc... Read review

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Advantages: funny
Disadvantages: not enough actual planting content

...When I think of Ground Force I think of Alan Titchmarsh with his witty comments and that is one of the things that has made it what it is. I like the concept and some moments are genuinely funny but is it really gardening? Sometimes when Tommy gets going it feels more like a DIY builders guide on how to build decking , pergolas and stuff. Then at the end they stick a few plants in if we are lucky and they call it a gardening show ! The problem is I want to know about plants and on this front the show is a let down. Also the programme strikes me as a little premeditated and I have never once seen them fail to just get the garden done in time. The phone calls to the person whose garden is being renovated seem so phony and set up too . I mean it's real lucky that Alan Titchmarsh just happens to be holding a phone at the time the call... Read review

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Advantages: Good source of information.
Disadvantages: Have to search for information and there are constant attempts to sell you their products.

...will find a plant finder search engine (always useful), a section on garden history, a section on gardening terms, a section on gardens to visit and a section on UK nursery's. In the gardening club, there is a gardening forum, where you can get information from other users of the site on gardening issues. They also have gardening polls, where you can vote and/or view the results on surveys such as what do you think of decking. On the whole, I think that if you are looking for more information on gardening, to supplement another source, and can ignore the constant attempts to sell you something, even on the information pages, then you will find this site a valuable source of extra gardening information.... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to read and understand. Clear photographs and diagrams. Variety of projects.
Disadvantages: None.

...Alan Titchmarsh, Tommy Walsh and Charlie Dimmock have created quite a fan club for themselves with "Ground Force", going around the country turning desolate backyard spaces into masterpieces. This book by Tommy Walsh complements one aspect of the makeovers. Tommy is the cheerful Londoner who does all the building work on the programme. Whether it's a paved walkway or patio, brick wall or a timber deck, Tommy is the guy with the know-how. Now he brings the projects from the tv programme into a book, "Practical Garden Projects", so that those of us not lucky to have the "Ground Force" team come to our house can still utilise the designs and ideas that we've seen on the show. This book is full of marvellous photographs and is in an easy to read style. Tommy begins by giving us a run down of "Builder Basics" and deciphering some... Read review

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Advantages: The best deck ever
Disadvantages: none

...Many people find different decks easier to certain decks. The chris young signature deck is one that many people will preffer. It has a medium concave making it easy to pull of flicks and still pop an easy ollie. The width and length are around the same as a kasper deck. it is made of seven ply and is lighter than the average board. If your looking for a new fairly cheap board then this is the one for you. The deck is blank so you can cover it in what you want. This deck should be available at neophreaks.co.uk soon.... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent services, lovely food & good cabins
Disadvantages: Oldish ship & not good for disable passengers

.... Diamond deck - This deck is home to the bigger cabins on board there are 3 cabins with double beds the rest are twins, all cabins with the cat I status are outside cabins & the middle cabins which are in the middle with 4 berths have a restricted view by the lifeboats, this isn't a nice view but the cabins are roomy & the restricted view still lets some light in. This deck is also home to the on board shop which sells cigarettes, alcohol (which can only be taken when you disembark) perfume, souvenirs & everyday toiletries. Aquamarine deck - This is the deck where you will find the bridge (an area restricted unless you have made arrangements to view) You can also visit the Lido garden bar & buffet area, this is a very nice bar with a beautiful skylight do you can gaze into the stars at night, you can also sample the hot buffet which... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Creative, good exercise, satisfying
Disadvantages: Addictive and can be expensive if you get carried away!

...of the local garden services; they knew he lived in our cul-de-sac but didn't know the number, saw my garden and thought I must be him!! I adore gardening. I find it relaxing, rewarding and enjoyable. I like having the focus of planning ahead and then enjoying the finished product whether it be the fruit and vegs or having a vibrant flower display. Gardening is flexible -------------------------- Ignore gardening make over programmes. To have a nice garden and enjoy it, it does not have to be 50ft x 75ft, have a lawn, decking, gravel, water feature and a fence painted blue. Garden how you want to garden whether that be a modern look or traditional. Hate manicured lawns and topiary? Then look to wild flower meadows for inspiration. Flower gardening, vegetable gardening, no plant gardening!! Yes no plant. If you want your garden... Read review

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