I got an email yesterday from a PR company trying to get me to promote their client's new garden at Chelsea this year.
I won't reveal the content of the email or name names as that's not fair.
The email ended with "I wondered if this would be of interest at all and if you might be able to blog or tweet about the announcement?"
I don't follow any celebrity gardeners because I think most of them are up their own backsides and more interested in promoting their celebrity status rather than the landscaping industry.
A couple of years or so ago, I covered the celeb in question when he wasn't very well known. He was an emerging talent so I published a news item about him. I thought, well done, good to see young talent emerging.
He was obviously watching out for coverage and telephoned in a bit of a panic at 6.30am the following day to ask where I had got the quote from because he didn't remember giving it. From your PR agency I replied. Oh, really! was the retort. He had no idea and it was obvious to me the quote had been made up for publicity's sake.
After this we exchanged a few emails and he even joined our network. Then we agreed that he'd do a few guest blogs for Landscape Juice. Wow I thought..he's keen.
I also continued to blog about his boss's success and ran their PR too. But the promised blogs never came and he eventually left our network.
I never heard a further murmer, and I wasn't particularly bothered either, until yesterday when the cheeky blighter sent me (Oh OK, his PR) his latest news.
All a bit one sided me thinks. These celebs only seem intent on promoting themselves and their fame; I don't think they really give a toss about the industry they're in, or at least that's how it seems to me.
Do you think the landscape industry is two (or more) tier? Can celebrities really refer to themselves as one of us?
You have a point but there are a few who do fight for the industry such as Alan Titchmarsh who will stick his neck out to support campaigns and Chris Beardshaw who continues to do a lot in education and training. Sponsors putting up tens and hundreds of thousands of pounds for show gardens will also try and maximise the impact of their spend and thats just good marketing.
Yes there is a celibritocracy of gardeners and designers with publicists just like in other professions but please don't tar every celebrity with the same brush.
Posted by: Andrew Fisher Tomlin | Feb 06, 2013 at 11:53 AM
In USA the celebrity gardeners are part of the failure of the many 'flower shows'.
What had been great garden lectures became, meet-the-celebrity. No one learned anything. People quit coming.
Over the top garden displays were at fault too. Most paying attendees were 'regular' people.
Most USA gardeners are women yet the celebrity gardeners endorsed by business are men.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
Posted by: tara dillard | Feb 06, 2013 at 01:57 PM
Chris beardshaw seems to be one of them his work at chelsea last year was amazing, there must be others not sure who though! Agree with you Phil, I dislike the whole PR and designer thing having been right in the middle of it all a couple of times at shows. I personally will have nothing to do with PR agents, and designers who think they are 'all that' I let them get on with it, do my job, let the garden do the talking!!!!!
Love doing shows but a lot of garden divas :-((
Posted by: Hardlandscaper | Feb 13, 2013 at 08:31 PM