Above: Percy Thrower in Gardeners' World. Video: Gardener's World look back over 50 years in June 2017.
Gardeners' World started on 5 January 1968. It was described as "a weekly series for gardeners, advanced and beginners, throughout the British Isles". It picked up where its forerunner - Gardening Club - left off, and also featured that programme’s much loved presenter, the knowledgeable and down-to-earth Percy Thrower.
But Gardeners' World was in colour on BBC Two, allowing for some glorious pictures of flowers and gardens. The show thrived on a mixture of practical gardening tips and outside broadcasts on featured gardens, history and design. It attracted viewers who wanted a relaxing end to the week as much as those who wanted inspiration for their weekend gardening.
The first episode of Gardeners' World came from the Oxford University Botanic Gardens, but over the years the programme has had many presenters who have featured their own gardens. These have included Thrower, Geoff Hamilton, Alan Titchmarsh, Arthur Billitt and current presenter Monty Don. The roster of today’s presenters is completed by Carol Klein, Joe Swift, Rachel de Thame, Flo Headlam, Alan Power, Nick Bailey and Mark Lane.
The success of Gardeners' World led to the establishment of the Gardeners' World Live show and BBC Gardeners' World magazine. It inspired other gardening shows such as Ground Force and Home Front in the Garden. Gardeners' World celebrated its 50th anniversary through 2017 and with a special programme broadcast from Gardeners' World Live.
Gardening on the BBC
In The Garden: the first TV gardening programme
21 November 1936
Gardener's Question Time
9 April 1947
Gardeners' World
5 January 1968
January anniversaries
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
1 January 1970
The Brains Trust
1 January 1941
The Archers
1 January 1951
Z Cars
2 January 1962
Trumpton
3 January 1967
Open University
3 January 1971
Camberwick Green
3 January 1966
Final edition of The Listener published
3 January 1991Gardeners' World
5 January 1968
A Question of Sport
5 January 1970
Forces Programme
7 January 1940
Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit
10 January 1990
First in-vision television weather forecaster
11 January 1954
The League of Gentlemen
11 January 1999
Goodness Gracious Me
12 January 1998
Listen with Mother
16 January 1950
Life On Earth
16 January 1979
First episode of BBC Breakfast Time
17 January 1983
Blankety Blank
18 January 1979
The Week's Good Cause
24 January 1926
Under Milk Wood
25 January 1954
Television Dancing Club
27 January 1948
Desert Island Discs
29 January 1942
Newsnight
30 January 1980
The State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill
30 January 1965
Alas Smith and Jones
31 January 1984
