Around the World in 80 Gardens.

[muffinz]

Looks like there is a cool show on tonight. Sorry about the late notice on this. Just realised it was on myself.

Around the World in 80 Gardens.

This spectacular series sees British gardening writer and television presenter, Monty Don, set off on an incredible global journey to visit 80 of the world's most celebrated and stunning gardens, from ancient to modern, large to small, and grand to humble.

In episode one, Monty travels to two very different, but neighbouring countries. Mexico is one of the most plant-rich and artistic cultures on the planet - from the ancient water gardens of Mexico City, to the modernist extremes of Luis Barragan and a surrealist fantasy hidden in the rainforest. Travelling to Cuba, Monty finds that the crumbling colonial grandeur of its urban landscape is now host to a very green revolution.

In episode two Monty's odyssey continues when he visits Australia and New Zealand, and drops in on Rupert Murdoch's 100-year old mother, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, and her garden in Melbourne. And he travels to Alice Springs Desert Park to see their recreation of the local habitat.

The series continues on to the ancient tomb gardens and water palace gardens in India; Amazonian gardens in Brazil; public gardens in the US; zen and ancient gardens in China and Japan; renaissance gardens around the Mediterranean; a school vegetable garden in Johannesburg; parks in northern Europe and finally down to south-east Asia.

Tonights episode is:

Mexico and Cuba

Highlights: the ancient Floating Gardens of Xochimilco, the Ethnobotanical Cactus Garden of Oaxaca, the gardens of Luis Barragan, the surrealist Las Pozas fantasy of Edward James, the organic allotments and market gardens of Havana

In his first journey, Monty travels to two very different but neighbouring countries. Mexico is one of the most plant-rich and artistic cultures on the planet - from the ancient water gardens of Mexico City, to the modernist extremes of Luis Barragan and a surrealist fantasy hidden in the rainforest. Traveling to Cuba, Monty finds that the crumbling colonial grandeur of its urban landscape is now host to a very green revolution.

Gardens:

1. Mexico - The Floating Gardens, Xochimilco, Mexico City

2. Mexico - The Gardens of Luis Barragan: Casa Barragan, Prieto and Galvez

3. Mexico - The Ethnobotanical Garden, Oaxaca

4. Mexico - Las Pozas, Xilitla

5. Cuba - Alberto's Huerto, Havana

6. Cuba - Vivero Organoponico Alamar, Havana

7. Cuba - Maria's Garden, Havana

The Ethnobotanical Cactus Garden of Oaxaca should be awesome.

Again sorry bout the late notice,

Check it out if you can!!!

Edited April 14, 2009 by Alkonost

[muffinz]

For those who didn't watch, you didn't miss much. It wasn't as good as I was hoping. Very little focus on the plants and much more on landscaping and history of the gardens. The Ethnobotanical Cactus Garden of Oaxaca had a nice look to it, lotss of cacti as one would expect, there was a lot of columinar stuff that looked a bit like pachycerus but not as blue, only noticed one Tricho/lookalike, dont get the "ethnobotanical" part except for a few aloes and stuff, perhaps they just mean that all the plants are of Mexican origin. Was hoping to see some lophs, but I guess thats not very likely since the garden is on church grounds.

The Cuban gardens were the hightlight IMO, the heurtos are very good example of localised sustainable living. Urban gardens growing organic produce to be shared or sold withi the community. The Las Pozas garden that millionare Edward James created in some part of the mexican rainforest was also very interesting. Stairs going up leading to stairs going down and other interesting constuctions set in the beauty of the rainforest, would make a wicked getaway spot. I did record the show and if a couple of people are interested I will try and upload it next month when I get uncapped.

Australia and New Zealand next week.

[t st tantra]

sure it wasnt what i really wanted but i found most of it quite interesting and the highlights worthwhile......las pozas was fantastic imho,my highlight.....always been interested in the floating gardens,they were shown quite well........the rows of columular cactii at oaxaca inspired me to try something similar.......

t s t .