total tv - diarmuid gavin

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Da :15 Bg ~:entl. The Chelsea Flower Show opens this week and maverick TV gardener Diarmuid Gavin finally finds out if his Fifties-inspired garden will get a medal In for a dig: Diarmuid and Laurence Llewelyn- Bowen had a mouthy but matey repartee on Home Front In The Garden D iannuid Gavin, the enfant terrible of garden design, made a surprise announcement at last year's Chelsea Flower Show: in 2004 he was going to build a garden at Chelsea. Since then, the world of gardening has watched and waited. Over the past four weeks, viewers have been tuning in to Diarmuid's Big Adventure to follow the maverick designer's ups and downs as he creates his ambitious and controversial garden. And this week, as The RHS Chelsea Flower Show opens, we can find out whether his Fifties-inspired design, with its sweeping curves and brightly coloured metal spheres, has scooped a gold medal. But, when it comes to the crunch, is Diannuid that bothered? 'Contrary to what you may have heard, I'm not holding out for the gold. I mean, it would be lovely, but it doesn't really matter to me... Everybody thinks it matters to me, but, no, absolutely not. I'm hoping that peoplewill standin i the gardenand smile!' ' Diannuid, 40, is married to Justine, also a gardener, who prefers to stay out of the limelight while her husband has become one of the UK's leading garden designers. His combination of talent, rugged good looks and chann has also made him a TV favourite on shows such as HomeFront In TheGarden. But this isn't the first time that he has entered a garden at Chelsea. In fact, in 1995,he won a bronze medal. At the time, he was an unknown from Dublin with an ailing gardening business. But, after his success,he was interviewed by Alan TItchmarsh, which led to his TV break. Will Diannuid's 'Lollipop' garden impress this year's judges even more? Even he admits it's not very 'Chelsea'. 'Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to displease the judges with my entry, because that would be silly. But, to be honest, they are not the kind of people I make gardens for. I don't want to p*** people off, or shock. It's just a bit of fun: So does Diannuid think The Chelsea Flower Show needs to move with the times? 'Well, it is a bit stuffy. But the fact that they are allowing me in to do what I do means it is changing. But even without me it is still the best flower show in the world, and that has to be respected! I also hope that it will become more multicultural in the future, as it's hard to see a face in the crowd that isn't white: This week, Diannuid seems to be taking over our televisions, and he's a little embarrassed about it. 'It's so OTT!' Not only will we see him presenting at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, but his new show Art Of The Garden also starts this week, and ties in with the exhibition at the Tate celebrating the bicentenary of the Royal Horticultural Society. 'In Art Of The Garden I talk about the icons of gardening,' says Diannuid. 'It's fascinating, and I am privileged to be associated with it: The series focuses on 18th-century gardener Capability Brown's achievements at Blenheim Palace, where he created a sweeping landscape complete with artificial lake.It alsoexploresthe work of Gertrude Jekyll,oftendescribedasthe first garden designer. 'She is the godmother of the modem garden,' saysDiannuid. 'I find it reallyinterestingthat someone in the 1900s could havebeenso radical!' Like Gertrude, Diannuid has tried to break the mould in the world of garden design. 'I alwaysthought of traditionalgardensas boring when I was a kid. I think for a long time popular culture wasn't allowed into a garden.But a lot of my gardenshave a surreal quality and have been influenced by anything from pop videos to Star Trek: And his Chelsea garden? 'For the last two or three years now I have liked Fifties design. It's an obsession that I hope this garden will put to rest once and for all. But the kids that have seen it love it, and adults love it, too. To be honest, I'm just trying to create a bit of joy: Aspen Weatherbum :

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spheres,hasscoopedagold medal. But,whenitcomestothe crunch,isDiannuid thatbothered? 'Contrary towhat youmayhave heard,I'mnotholding outforthe gold.Imean,itwould belovely, butitdoesn'treallymatterto me... Everybody thinks itmatters tome,but,no,absolutely not.I'm surrealqualityandhavebeeninfluencedby anythingfrompopvideostoStarTrek: AndhisChelseagarden?'Forthelasttwo orthreeyearsnowIhavelikedFiftiesdesign. It'sanobsessionthatIhopethisgardenwill puttorestonceandforall.Butthekidsthat The Garden '

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Total TV - Diarmuid Gavin

Da :15 Bg ~:entl.

The Chelsea Flower Show opens this week and maverick TV gardenerDiarmuid Gavinfinally finds out if his Fifties-inspiredgarden will get a medal

In for a dig:DiarmuidandLaurenceLlewelyn-Bowen hada mouthybut mateyreparteeon HomeFront InThe Garden

Diannuid Gavin, the enfant terribleof garden design, made asurprise announcement at lastyear's ChelseaFlower Show: in2004he was going to build agarden at Chelsea.Since then, the

world of gardening has watched and waited.Over the past four weeks, viewers have

been tuning in to Diarmuid's Big Adventure tofollow the maverick designer's ups anddowns as he creates his ambitious andcontroversial garden.

And this week, as The RHS ChelseaFlower Show opens, we can find out whetherhis Fifties-inspired design, with its sweepingcurves and brightly coloured metal

spheres, has scooped a gold medal.But, when it comes to the

crunch, is Diannuid that bothered?'Contrary to what you may haveheard, I'm not holding out for thegold. I mean, it would be lovely,but it doesn't really matter tome... Everybody thinks it mattersto me, but, no, absolutely not. I'mhoping that peoplewill standin i

the gardenand smile!' 'Diannuid, 40, is married to

Justine, also a gardener, whoprefers to stay out of the limelightwhile her husband has become

one of the UK's leading gardendesigners. His combination oftalent, rugged good looks andchann has also made him a TVfavourite on shows such asHomeFront In TheGarden.

But this isn't the first time thathe has entered a garden atChelsea. In fact, in 1995,he won a bronzemedal. At the time, he was an unknown fromDublin with an ailing gardening business.But, after his success,he was interviewed byAlan TItchmarsh, which led to his TV break.

Will Diannuid's 'Lollipop' gardenimpress this year's judges even more?Even he admits it's not very 'Chelsea'.'Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying todisplease the judges with my entry,because that would be silly. But, to behonest, they are not the kind of peopleI make gardens for. I don't want to p***people off, or shock. It's just a bit of fun:

So does Diannuid think The ChelseaFlower Show needs to move with the

times? 'Well, it is a bit stuffy. But the factthat they are allowing me in to do whatI do means it is changing. But evenwithout me it is still the best flower showin the world, and that has to be respected!I also hope that it will become moremulticultural in the future, as it's hard toseea face in the crowd that isn't white:

This week, Diannuid seemsto be takingover our televisions, and he's a littleembarrassed about it. 'It's so OTT!' Notonly will we seehim presenting at TheRHS Chelsea Flower Show, but his newshow Art Of TheGardenalso starts thisweek, and ties in with the exhibition at the

Tate celebrating the bicentenary of the RoyalHorticultural Society.

'In Art Of The Garden I talk about the iconsof gardening,' says Diannuid. 'It's fascinating,and I am privileged to be associated with it:The series focuses on 18th-centurygardener Capability Brown's achievementsat Blenheim Palace, where he created asweeping landscape complete with artificiallake.It alsoexplorestheworkof GertrudeJekyll,oftendescribedasthefirstgardendesigner. 'She is the godmother of themodem garden,'saysDiannuid. 'I find itreallyinterestingthat someonein the 1900scouldhavebeenso radical!'

Like Gertrude, Diannuid has tried to breakthe mould in theworldof gardendesign.'I alwaysthoughtof traditionalgardensasboringwhen I was a kid. I think for a longtime popular culture wasn't allowed into agarden.Buta lotof my gardenshave asurreal quality and have been influenced byanything from pop videos to Star Trek:

And his Chelsea garden? 'For the last twoor three years now I have liked Fifties design.It's an obsession that I hope this garden willput to rest once and for all. But the kids thathave seen it love it, and adults love it, too. Tobe honest, I'm just trying to create a bit of joy:

Aspen Weatherbum :

Page 2: Total TV - Diarmuid Gavin