Gardeners’ World & Alan Titchmarsh Gardening Club 2025

I think it's a Scottish programme

@Tinkerton ,, what side of Watford gap is Sutton Coldfield

Not met a southerner that says Dahn sarf.

 

I always think "Up North" is anywhere North of Birmingham.
When we lived in Cleveland and Cheshire and came south to visit friends and relatives, as soon as we reached the south side of Brum I felt "Down South".

I swear the temperature rose a few degrees as well .

 

To me @shiney is up north, anything north of London is a strange world of dragons and beasts, they even have odd animals as well.

 

Born in Cheshire and always answered the question Where are you from, by saying from North West England. Years later I discoverd that Cheshire was not considered to be "in the north"
It was also said that Call Centres who employed people with a Scots accent were considered to be the most trustworthy by callers.

 

Call centres, dont mention call centres.

They seem to always be Geordies of Indians, either way I dont have a clue what they are on about, I usually end up just saying yes.
Maybe that's what is supposed to happen.

 

Cheshire is in North West England, part of Northern England. I’m intrigued to know who considers it not to be in the north @Philippa - Mrs Bucket (Bouquet) perhaps?

Northern England - Wikipedia

 

I spent part of my childhood in Cornwall; anywhere the wrong side of the Tamar was referred to as "Up Country".

 

I hate call centres where they use Scots. I can't understand anything they say.

I once had a client from up north, who said he had an air frame. I said what's an air frame? He said "you know, letter air". He meant "A" frame ladder. Another northerner on the phone asked me what my settee was? He had to spell it - CITY. Now Asians are easy to understand - especially the ones with Brummie accents.

Now there was a chap at HMRC's NI centre, who had such a lovely voice - rather sexy I might say. I got him two years running. Well worth the wait and getting past the "tell me in a few words what you are ringing about".

 

@Plantminded I don't actually remember why Cheshire was not classed as NW England but I rather think it was going back a few decades. I moved away from there in the late 60's and have since lived in in most regions of England. It could have been someone from Cumbria or Northumberland who looked upon Cheshire as not the "true" north. It's just one of those things you always remember. Hopefully most people have by now learned to read a map/atlas Rather like the modern thing of ignoring county boundaries - Stockport is now apparently in Greater Manchester but it always used to be in Cheshire. Not quite sure where the likes of Hazel Grove or Marple are these days. Todmorden ( West Yorkshire ) nipped over to Lancashire years ago and so it goes on.
As for call centres it's the luck of the draw I think. I do struggle with some of the Indian and East European speakers but a lot of it comes down to the fact that practically everyone speaks at the speed of light now - even the native English speakers. I accept that as you get older, your hearing does tend to be affected but everyone seems to gabble - rarely pause to take a breath or add any virtual punctuation.

 

I have no problem understanding most dialects or accents, but that's not to say I like them all. Liverpool accents grate on my nerves. And Essex ones.

Cheshire IS in NW Engand, but was always considered - where I came from - as 'Posh' North, therefore well outside the industrial working-class areas such as Bradford, Salford, Oldham, etc. No industrial heritage, save for salt and silk, Cheshire was mainly agricultural. They made cheese. I suppose they still do. House prices there are higher than many other areas of the north, outwith the national parks such as the Yorkshire Dales or the Lake District.

 

Do you think there could possibly be a bit of confusion between geography and perceived wealth?
I often get the impression that Northerners think every one down south is rolling in money, they tend to confuse London with the south.
Apparently we get all the investment, its not true, I see on the TV some areas up north and they have stuff we never get down here.

Even when it comes to weather forecasts, nothing exists south of London.

 

It HAS wandered a bit 'off piste', hasn't it, this thread? For my part in that I apologise

 

I enjoyed this week's GW as I've been to GW Live several times (including the very first one). I can safely say it's changed a bit !

I don't know what other viewers thought. One thing I did feel was that there seemed to be more coverage of the show gardens and floral marquee than has happened in some previous episodes over the years. Possibly a bit too much of Nick's show garden, but as he's a presenter I suppose that's to be expected.

 

I've just watched it @AnniD, having a break before going out into th eheat again. My new border is distinctly orange and purple at the south end. Who knew I was making a show garden?

I never really enjoy the GW show programme but this year's coverage was an improvement on the usual fare, tho I did FF the orchids and pelargoniums as I don't like the former and the offerings of the latter round here are very basic so I don't bother.

As for geography, where people are from is immaterial. Behaviours such as kindess, empathy, tolerance of differences - or the lack of them - are far more important. When it comes to plants and gardens geography does, obviously, dictate soils, climate, exposure and thus what can be grown.