UK TV: The Autistic Gardener series returns

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Does anyone in the UK remember a TV show a couple of years ago where a garden design expert with Asperger's guided a team of autistic spectrum people through the process of helping to design and create gardens?

It was a really good show and their results in transforming people's back gardens were fantastic.

There is now a season 2 just started, and although they have changed the format, it's still a really good one to watch.

Sadly they no longer recruit a team of other autists to work on the gardens -- it's now just the main guy Alan. But what I still like about the show is that it serves two purposes: not only is it a good "gardening show" for people interested in ideas about making their spaces interesting, but Alan drops little bits of info about autism throughout the show, sprinkling it with opportunities to mention that while not all people on the spectrum are alike, "some" have this or that difficulty. He drops these in organically when something happens to come up that may be a sensory issue or a perception difference for some people on the spectrum, or for him specifically.

I think it's great that a mainstream channel is airing a weekly show on "primetime" which gently and quietly helps regular folks understand a little bit more about some aspects of some experiences of autism. That kind of gentle educating can only help. I'm really enjoying the show all-around.

Here's a link:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-autistic-gardener

I watched that. I don't see why they decided to not include more autistics. Maybe they worked badly together or with their clients.

Yes I too am wondering why they basically ditched the team. I had enjoyed the different personalities involved in the projects, and I felt that the team members also made the show even more educational to the public regarding how autism affects different people differently.

personally i didn't "get" the whole windmill thingy in the first episode but i LOVE both of the gardens he created!

i too would have liked to have seen the original team back but, something is better than nothing i guess.

Vicky who is the girl in the screenshots of Series 1 was one of my volunteers at a local charity shop.
I remember when they brought the film crew into the shop though don't think that made the editing floor.
It's so spooky. She knew I was as an Aspie after only 1 day of me managing her!

She's a lovely individual and having watched Series 2 so far, need to go back and watch Series 1 to see what her and the team did there.

Boofle, yes, it's a pity the team isn't back but I'm glad the main guy is getting to do another series; it's such a great thing to have out there on mainstream TV.

I didn't really like those wooden posts in the middle of the most recent garden, but I liked the concept of the Fibonacci spiral that could be imagined spreading from their garden to infinity.

The Spectrum, wow, so you knew one of the people from the first series? I also need to go back and view some of those episodes. I so enjoyed that series and thought the team produced amazing results.

BirdInFlight (may i call you Birdy? ) funnily, i liked the posts but remember those thin metal poles rising up in the first garden? i just sat there scratching my head as to what that was all about? i didn't see any aesthetic appeal whatsoever?
my personal faves are the seats that he does with the open fires. they look so inviting! i mean i love everything he does lol but those wicker seats! love em!

not seen the new one today yet, but, we'll probably catch up later tonight.


spectrum no way, that you know her! that's way cool. had to google the proggie again because i'd forgotten what they looked like lol but i have to say my personal fave was Thomas. really really liked him
would be interested to know what they're all doing now, actually.

Hi boofle, you're most welcome to call me Birdy, lol!

Me too, I haven't seen tonight's episode yet -- I have it on my DVR and will watch after I've finished Chernobyl Diaries, brrr! It's on the Horror channel right now!

I feel the same as you about those metal poles -- one of the guys even said something about how hazardous they were to "health and safety" rules, lol!

heh...hola, birdy!

i saw the latest episode last night and, being honest, i r disappoint i really wanted to love what he did but, alas, i cannot say that i did. some elements were nice but overall? meh...
with the metal poles that were, as you rightly say, noted by the other dude a safety hazard? (lol) one could kinda say, ok, a design idea gone too far but with the latest garden/s? not sure why i felt it wasn't "as good?" ...

did you get to see it yet? what you finks?

not watched the chernobyl diaries tho i think i've seen it in the listings? is it good? i might look it up, tho tbh, i don't watch too much tv. i prefer film n foreign language tv serials, personally.

Hiya boofle -- I saw the final Autistic Gardener episode, and yes, I thought these gardens were only so-so. I thought the metal maze idea joining the two gardens was okay, at least the kids seemed to like it and it will be them who use it.

My former city was featured in this episode! He went to a place I used to go to a lot and really loved, the botanical gardens. It was nice to see my other city on TV!

good! not just me then. hopefully the next one will be back to his usual standards.

i got nosy and was looking into him a bit more? omg. 100k if he is asked to do a garden privately AND he's been married for 26 yrs, or thereabouts, and he was only diagnosed shortly before the first series aired at age 55 ( i think it was)
all the above is from the Daily Wail but, interesting nonetheless, i thought.



*still wants to know what the ones from the 1st series are now doin*


ps. can' remember what city the botanical gardens were in. was it bristol? i forget but WOW at that garden in texas!

I did not know that about Alan Gardner! So he's a late-diagnosed!

And wow, that's a high price ticket he charges for his garden designs. Woah.

The botanical gardens were also in Texas! Used to live in that city; they really are a beautiful spot to go to; I've taken many a lovely walk through them.

That private garden was amazing; there are quite a few millionaires in Austin TX, and some of the houses and gardens are stunning properties. Sandra Bullock owns a home there, tennis player Andy Roddick, lots of very fancy, modern homes and landscaping.

Ooooh, you mean that gorgeous place where he talked about "architectural planting!?!"...my personal type of planting fave, too!
Lucky you to have walked there!

*Didn't realise you were not a native Brit*

Here are some articles, I found.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking ... world.html

This one is great for an example of one of his "show" gardens.

https://theautisticgardener.wordpress.com/about-alan/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/gardeni ... esign.html

This one is a great article in the guardian!

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... eld-autism

And finally...his website. LOL... Where, get this, he can be contacted via his agent! We should ask Alex if he will get in touch and ask Alan here to WP to do a Q&A!
If enough people were interested

http://www.alangardnerdesign.com


I'll be quiet now


Pssst, Birdy, got any pics from those walks you used to take?

Well he does need to take two holidays to America in order to get "inspiration".

Well they weren't "holidays" were they; the show went to film there. I bet he didn't even get to have much time in the locations. He almost certainly did not have to pay for those trips outside the UK; the production company who make the show would have footed the bill for the expense of making those shoots over there.

I don't think he necessarily would have need to "get inspiration" -- they just want to make the show more interesting by showing other locations to the viewer, other ideas that have been implemented "around the world." It adds interest to not just show an example from "down the road."

To boofle, I do have pics of the botanical gardens, but they are all from the early 90s from a film camera, and are prints in my albums, not digital. But I can scan a couple and post them. I started a scanning project but abandoned it, and I need to continue digitizing those old prints, so it's all good. I am native British, I emigrated to the us many years ago, then returned to uk.