Is it time for a gardening blockbuster?

Have you ever heard the phrase 'the trend is your friend'? - With the emphasis turning to the sanctity of family life and, as the importance of improving one's immediate environment gathers pace, I get the feeling that a film or TV series that features gardening at the heart of the story might just go down well at the box office.

Help me think back over recent years. I can recall a few screenplays that have brought the 'feel good factor' into our lives. One in particular, Down to Earth , with Pauline Quirke and Warren Clarke, was part of the stimulus for my change or life.

I can think of others such as 'Goodnight Mr Tom' with John Thaw; it's not really about gardening but it is definitely nostalgic, romantic and lightly paced with a touch of drama.

The Darling Buds of May had a similar effect. Although a comedy, the setting of the Kent countryside and its carefree element, made it unmissable.

I would love to see a series that mixes a little of The Victorian Kitchen Garden, upstairs downstairs and Goodnight Mr Tom to produce a drama or film that is centred around an old Victorian (walled?) garden.

Instead of the 'big house' and its well-heeled masters being the theme, why not have the garden as the main character with supporting roles for all those involved in its daily care.

Comments

[Jill Foxley]

Why not a re run of The Herbs. I can't remember if there was much gardening in it but Parsley the Lion was a great character.

[Philip Voice]

Who would play the lead Jill:-0))

[Helen Gazeley]

Good idea. All we need to do is put together a treatment and try it out on the BBC.

Meanwhile, helping you to think back...

There was "Greenfingers" with Clive Owen, about the prisoners who take their garden to Chelsea. That was a lovely, gentle film.

Never liked "Being There" but wasn't Peter Sellers a gardener in that?

There's "The Spanish Gardener" with Dirk Bogarde looking particularly gorgeous.

Then there's "The Secret Garden" with Margaret O'Brien and Dean Stockwell back in 1950, and of course they make the most extraordinarily good walled garden. It was also a good TV series when I was kid in the 70s.

"Tom's Midnight Garden" was more fun, though, as far as I remember.

Hmm, that's all I can think of at the moment

[Philip Voice]

You have worked hard Helen:-0))

So we agree it could work then ;-0))