Each year, the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, affectionately known as The Caley, recognises the achievements and contributions of those who work in Scottish horticulture.
And at this year’s award ceremony held on March 21st – their first live Award Ceremony since 2020 – saw the Lifetime Achievement Award go to former Beechgrove Garden series producer Gwyneth Hardy, who has been at the helm of Beechgrove Garden for three decades. The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented at the discretion of the Committee for a significant contribution to Scottish horticulture.
Gwyneth has been awarded one of Scotland’s highest horticultural honours, with a spokesperson for the committee noting:
“For the last 30 years Gwyneth Hardy has overseen, directed and produced The Beechgrove Garden in all its various guises and full credit for the success of the programme is down to her dedication, vision and unstinting hard work during its decades of change.
“A keen gardener herself, her first task was always to ensure that the advice given by the professional horticultural presenters was clear, accurate and coherently delivered. She encouraged a down to earth approach where the presenters literally got their hands in the soil, getting dirty while at the same time providing a constant stream of honest advice and ‘take home tips’ for the viewers. Gwyneth gathered around her a strong team of gardening experts who learned to present, back room staff, camera and technical crew who produced a popular gardening programme in an accurate, non-technical and often humorous fashion.”
The Beechgrove Garden is situated on 3 acres of Scottish hillside, 7 miles west of Aberdeen. It’s not easy growing across the site, but that makes us a good benchmark. If a plant can grow there, it can grow in most places.
The show returns this coming week, celebrating its 45th anniversary. Carole Baxter, George Anderson and Diana Yates are introducing the first show in the new series from the fabulous Beechgrove Garden just outside Aberdeen. It’s an anniversary year and the show will be featuring all the best advice, tips and ideas that have made it such a well-loved Scottish institution since it started in 1978.
Gwyneth, who stepped down from the series last year, said:
“I’m hugely humbled to have received this honour, especially as I’m in the best of company which includes my friend and former Beechgrove Garden presenter, the redoubtable Jim McColl. Gardeners are notoriously generous people and The Caley and its members have always supported Beechgrove with their expert advice and wisdom and this award is the ultimate in generosity and I am immensely grateful.
“It is extraordinary to have received this and my thanks goes to the team of people who have worked with me over the years on what was a life enhancing experience working on Beechgrove..”
On the first show of the new series, the team will be assessing the state of the garden after a long cold winter and launching into the many jobs that need done at this time of year, including tips on seed sowing and planting your own garlic supply. Across the series the expert gardeners will be testing out windowsill tomato growing, home grown salads and vegetables as well as the traditional Beechgrove Garden Tattie trials.
All summer the show will have advice and instruction for gardeners of all kinds-something for the beginner and the expert. Responding to viewer interest , this year there will also be a focus on some particular gardening areas-there will be a monthly “Back to Basics” guide where the team give a masterclass on the key skills needed to be a great gardener, useful if you are a total beginner or just want to brush up on your own technique
Kirsty Wilson will be presenting a regular houseplant feature looking at care, selection and some “on trend” planting styles for indoor growers, there’s also a focus on gardening for wildlife: how do you cultivate a garden that looks great but also gives the environment a helping hand. In the first show, Calum Clunie sends the first of his reports from his allotment in Leven and Brian Cunningham is updating us on his own garden at Old Scone. Later in the series Lizzie Schofield will be working on a typical “New Build” garden to show what can be done with a small undeveloped space
Beechgrove Garden, Thursday 6th April, BBC Scotland, 8pm and on Friday 7th April, BBC Two, 7.30pm
