Paul James - You've Got Mail, and on the Sorry State of HGTV

Here's how it happens.  Fans of Paul James "The Gardener Guy" want to reach out to him with their gardening questions, their praise and their concern for his dwindling share of HGTV's viewing hours.  So they do some web-searching and find not his website - there isn't one - but my very own blog, with its many references to him.  Desperate to express themselves, they conclude that it'll suffice and proceed to leave a message for him, currently 23 and accounting.

Now I've complained before that I'm not Paul's answering service and it only encouraged his fans, but that's okay.  Turns out I've learned a lot from them, including these bits:

• Paul's show has been reduced from twice on Saturday and twice on Sunday to once on Saturday, a cutback of 75 percent for the mathematically challenged.  In some parts of the country his show is gone altogether.  "It was the only show I looked forward to besides 'Monk'".

• Gone from HGTV are: "Rebecca's Garden," "Gardener's Diary," "Gardener's Journal," "Urban Outsider," "PPP," and others.

• More than one commenter suggested there's so little G in HGTV it should be renamed HTV.

• To register complaints about garden programming on HGTV, go here.  Good idea.

• And this gem: "I love seeing his beautiful bear (sic) feet and hope he continues to show them off," concluding with the suggestion that Paul must be a foot fetishist.  To my surprise, this commenter was not alone in expressing fondness for Paul's feet.  Okay, I'm cool with that, but how about we not emphasize that particular point in our complaints to HGTV?

And just to remind ourselves what all the fuss is about, how about a review of Paul's show from last weekend?  In only a half hour here's what he covered in his charming and funny way (but with his shoes on, no doubt to the disappointment of many):

• In a meaty segment on SOILS we learn that 6 inches or more of topsoil are needed.  We're shown an easy way to test our soil for its component parts - sand, silt and clay.  Any imbalance should be treated with organic matter - manure, grass clippings, chopped leaves, compost, straw or hay - applied 2 to 4 times a year.  Organic matter "feeds organisms and keeps them active."  And more.

• About FRUITS to grow at home, we're reminded that apples require lots of pruning and spraying.  Instead, Paul's guest Lee Reich recommends American persimmon, hardy kiwi, lingonberry, pawpaw, and a fruit called medlar, described as "disgusting yet delectable".

• We're told all about COLCHICUMS ("naked ladies"), which offer lots of bare naked color in the fall (without foliage) but, we're told, look terrible for six weeks in the summer because their scraggly, dying foliage that cannot be removed.  Not my kind of plant but somebody out there will really enjoy 'em and that's what counts.

The obvious conclusion is that Paul's "Gardening by the Yard" is in a different league altogether from  TV shows featuring frenzied weekend makeovers for cute young marrieds, which means that he's probably doomed and we gardeners are screwed. 

Comments

[Katie]

I'm glad I'm not the only person who concluded a few months ago that they need to drop the G from HGTV. I couldn't care less about real estate....give me good garden shows, which seem to be a dying breed anymore. They've been replaced by two day complete makeover shows. I think it's lost upon people that after they get their backyard completely redone -- it's up to them to keep it alive and thriving. Then where will they go for information??

[Nancy]

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU !!!! I have been steaming over the loss of some of my favorite gardening programs, to the point that I went on Amazon in search of gardening DVD's to buy and watch during the winter. I, for one, am furious at what HGTV has done to Paul James' program. It's loaded with good information, it's funny and entertaining, and it's actually about GARDENING! And I do miss Rebecca's Garden, too. Programs that actually deal with garending and plants, and not somebody's piss poor idea of "landscaping" or "renovation," which seem to be ripping out lovely old mature plants and putting in water guzzling sod with an annual or two for "curb appeal." Puke! I still get to see Gardening By The Yard, however, I have to set the recorder to do it. In Colorado, it's on at 5:30 and 6:00 AM on Sunday mornings. I will certainly go to HGTV's web site and send a message as to their programming content. Don't know if it will do any good, but hey, I'll feel better. HGTV now stands for "Horticulture Gone TV" in my view. P.S. Sorry, but I'm with them. Paul James has some great tootsie and I love seeing them myself!

[Kathy]

I am one of those people who enjoy colchicums. (I have a whole category devoted to them on my blog.) The ugliness of the ripening foliage can be overemphasized. It's no worse than daffodils and is dealt with the same way: you plant the flowers where other things will come up and hide the foliage. When it's mostly yellow you can cut it down with no qualms.

[Trey]

The Sacramento Bee newspaper is constantly criticized for reducing the amount of gardening info in favor for home re-modeling tips. A few people have mentioned they should take the “garden” out of The Home and Garden Section. This is a trend that seems to be growing and I don’t have a clue what the solution is. Gardening takes a back seat to food and home-remodeling shows these days.

I think cable was a huge hit because it focused on niches that the networks were not. Now with the internet and You-Tube the market is ripe for local garden shows that reach a smaller geographic area. After all watching somebody “back east” talk about how to garden often does not resonate with people in other regions.

I found Paul James funny, but his show was a little too goofy for me. As far as Rebecca’s Garden is concerned I hear more from her now via her e-newsletter than I did watching her show. She just sent me a timely note on keeping paper whites from flopping over when trying to force them.

We’ll see but the days of a national gardening celebrity may be over.

[tai haku]

I'm with Nancy on colchicums (save that I actually think they have nicish foliage (certainly nicer than daffs); I think Medlar warrants more use than it gets purely for ornament even if thbe fruit does have to rot to be edible (gorgeous flowers and nice foliage) and I've only moved to north america and encountered HGTV in the last 6 weeks but I haven't seen any G to speak of.

[Rick Anderson]

Susan;

In my humble opinion HGTV has done more to set back gardening and the professions of landscape design and landscape contracting than all other combined entities in the history of mankind.

The conveyance of false information and underpricing of projects is shameful.

Added to dumbing down projects, over simplification, and promotion of no-maintenance landscapes I say good riddance.

Paul's added use of humor was an attempt to keep the non-gardener peeking in to the show, it appears it didn't work. Even though it was one of the few shows in the entire TV landscape to pass along good info. So the only gardening show on HGTV that passed along good info is cut back.

I'd say the way HGTV does things . . . it's not un-expected.

[Carol]

HGTV is a business and their product is really advertising. They have to put on what people will watch, or they are out of business.

I don't know why people no longer want to watch gardening shows. That's all I ever wanted to watch. I agree with others that they "dumbed them down" so much that people got bored!

So what would our collective minds come up with for the perfect gardening show?

[Kathy Jentz]

On relared note, just got a PR frm HGTV announcing their 6 new shows to debut in early 2007 - only on of them is garden related. The rest are mostly behind-the-scenes on the real estate biz, which I actually find interestin - but not sure that interest will last... Anyway, here is the new "garden" show:
>Get Out Way Out
Premieres in March 2007
In each episode, one homeowner's outdoor space will be transformed into an
incredible living area. Host Brandon Johnson and a featured landscape
designer will create an exciting themed environment outdoors that includes
anything from plunge pools, waterfalls, lagoons, rock climbing walls and
fully-functioning kitchens to luxurious patios, gardens and all-weather home
entertainment areas!<
I'll watch a few episodes I'm sure - but can't see that it will keep my interest long -- sounds like a "guy show" to this garden gal.
Personally I've always preferred the gardening shows on PBS to any cable ones - though DIY network has a few garden shows that are watchable.

[Jennifer Darnell]

HGTV needs to change its name to the Real Estate channel. Not only are the gardening shows disappearing (and Paul James was the best one) but the craft shows are going too. I am a quilter (many gardeners are quilters and vice versa) and we have been complaining to HGTV about losing Simply Quilts. I will say the same thing here that I said in that complaint. HGTV needs to remember that those shows appealed to a group of people who have the most disposable income and are likely to spend it on the products advertised on their network. The twenty somethings who HGTV seems to be aiming the "hip hop" home design and sale shows to don't have the extra money to spend on the products that are advertised. HGTV needs to get "real" and get "back to basics"!

[Becky Roberts]

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts on the sad state of programing on HGTV in relation to serious gardeners. Sexy legs aside, The Gardener Guy is one of the most informative shows on TV.

He's not trying to sell anything. He's just trying to give us correct information that will enrich our lives and try to keep our planet safe from a well meaning, but misinformed public.

I was going to e-mail HGTV through your website. (Thank you for the opportunity). But I read HGTV's privacy policy and I'm not convinced that I wouldn't get bombarded with junk mail and e-mail from third parties. Therefore, my effort to let them know my opinion didn't get posted.

Maybe efforts to air "The Gardener Guy" SHOULD be encouraged to be picked up by PBS. They don't entirely rely on commerical funds for their programming. Therefore, their programming is more likely to be good information and less like some of the silly stuff just to sell something.

No, I'm not affiliated with PBS.

To me, a nice landscape doesn't mean going through someones garbage, picking out things from it, spray painting them, then sticking them in a yard and calling it landscaping. That example may be stretching it a bit, but my time is more valuable to me than watching THAT on TV when I could be outside digging a hole for a new favorite plant, on the back porch looking through good gardening literature, etc.

Landscaping to me, means to be good stewards of the space we've been given and try to preserve it for future generations.

Thanks for the opportunity to Rant. I wanted to say more, but I will get off my soap box for now.

[Bernie Fierro]

I want Paul James back on HTV. I'm so sick of room, house and people makeovers I can puke. Where are the garden shows. Did every body die?

[Dave Christiansen]

I sent an email to both HTV (I will not call it HGTV anymore) and to screaming flea productions, though I don't expect any response from either. There are already TOO MANY channels dedicated to house flipping, HTV needs to go back to it roots and have garden shows. I know they have to sell advertising, but they can still do it with the shows people know and love. I will be glad when this whole house flipping craze dies out so that all these crappy shows go off the air. Then hopefully they will kiss Paul's feet and have his show back on in its ORIGINAL time slots along with the other shows that made them what they once (I repeat once) were.

[Jim Passage]

I Also e-mailed HTV and told them how far off they are on there programe guide. I dont know how some of these shows do it? To limit a show that people acutally go out of there way and make time just to watch and replace it with just some crap..makes no sense to me

[Nathan Allan]

I am what you would class as a "cute young married" and I love watching Paul James! Anyway that said you are right about the lack of gardening on HGTV.

Found your site looking for the terra-cotta pot hanger from the 2003 Gadgets and Gizmos episode. If anyway know where to get them or what the brand is let me know! The HGTV site was of no use.

[Kathy Howard]

So glad I found Garden Rant via Renegade Gardener (& recommend renegadegardener.com to Ranters in Canada & Northern US)
It's been at least 2 years since I began complaining to HGTV about the loss of the noon-hour gardening shows - every day - on HGTV. Have lost hope that anything can be done - but I do miss Kathy Renwald & Gardeners' Journal.

[Patti Moreno]

I'm working on a Garden Show, home video series. I posted it on HGTV and got booted right quick. I'd like to make a monthly video blog for this site. If interested send me an email, I have plenty to rant about.

rps@filmshack.com.

Check out a sample:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-882082844236943883&q=Filmshack&hl=en

[Brenda]

I totally agree with the many comments that state HGTV is doing a dis-service to the fans of gardening programs. I have been watching Paul James for at least 3 years. I usually record the show, but in the past have made time to watch the 30 minutes of informative entertainment. Then I was unable to find the show. Now it is not convenient to record or make time to watch. This saddens me. I really enjoyed his show.

[Jo Watts]

Iam very disappointed that you would be so insensitive to your gardeners community. We want Paul James back. We don't watch HGTV as much, anymore. I thought your programs were very good, and fit the need for everyone, all of your viewers. We need more gardening programs. You are not as well rounded as we thought.

[Jeanine]

Why watch HGTV if Paul James is not on. Boycot HGTV until Paul's return fulltime!

[Jeanine]

WE WANT PAUL JAMES BACK ON SUNDAY'S @ NOON. I got bugs on my house plants that wont go away & I took horticulture.

[Clara]

While searching for a way to reach Paul James, I found your blog. I've just sent a scornful comment to HTV, and began it with: "I HAVE LOTS OF MONEY TO SPEND!!!" Then I demanded that they return Gardening by the Yard to the noon hour on Saturdays and Sundays, and that they show a NEW episode at least once a month! I can't be sure it actually went through; there was no confirmation. After I clicked Send, there was a two-minute pause, and then my screen flipped back to the blank form. ?????

Although, in my area, Paul's show comes on at 12 noon on Saturday, I know it doesn't air at that time all over the country. Therefore I considered all of you when I mentioned that time slot. The show is also on here in the dead zone - at 7:30 AM and 8:00 AM on Sunday.

I wish Paul had a blog! Do you suppose our Gardener Guy checks in here occasionally? I want to let him know how much I love his show, and that I'm actively praying that it doesn't get canceled! Also, considering the scary weather presently occuring in his part of the country, I'm praying for his safety, the safety of his family, and the safety of his lovely garden.

[Clara]

Oops! I misspelled "occurring."

[Kathy S.]

I happened to find this while searching for Paul Jame's website. I am so disappointed he does not have one. I thought for sure he would. I love his show and his crazy sense of humor. Hadn't thought about his feet until now when I read how many of you admire them. Now that I think of it, they are rather nice.:) I get up early on the weekends just to watch his show. I have even started watching his cooking show on diynetwork and I hate to cook! But he makes it so fun, I am now wanting to cook. He did the same thing to me with gardening. He just makes everything so interesting. Good Luck to all.

[Andre Gagnon]

Paul has been my gardening Guru from the start. Mainly because he talks to me not at me. I would rather watch Paul chase Maggie around the yard than see the homes of Mega wealthy people. He makes it all fun......the big kid that he is.

[ANN S.]

SO HOW DO I GET PAUL JAMES EMAIL ADDRESS ???