Gardeners' World fans upset over huge shift as they complain minutes into show

The BBC's treasured show Gardeners' World has left its viewers reeling with some claiming the programme is leaning more towards becoming "a lifestyle program."

The episode, which aired on June 20 to coincide with the summer solstice, took viewers to Damson Farm's enchanting setting in the stunning Somerset countryside where Frances Tophill was gardening.

Yet, seasoned watchers promptly alleged that the series had veered dramatically from its original intentions.

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One irate viewer vented on X, once known as Twitter, saying "Percy Thrower would be turning in his grave. He was a great gardener," recalling the esteemed presenter who led the show during the 1970s.

On screen, Frances delved into edible gardens and wildlife-conscious planting and Carol Klein dispensed advice for creating vibrant summer pots.

Meanwhile, Adam Frost visited a gardener customising her garden to withstand recurring flooding. Despite the captivating scenes and moving narratives, a portion of the audience remained discontented.

But the gripes don't stop at the perceived shortage of actual gardening advice – even the birdsong at Monty Don's Longmeadow abode has been caught in crossfire, with dubious viewers levying charges against the BBC for allegedly adding artificial chirps, reports the Express.

Monty himself, however, has assured fans that the mix of bird calls is completely authentic, though sometimes it's more overwhelming than intended.

Monty Don has responded to a common gripe from Gardeners' World viewers on the podcast, saying: "We've had a number of letters along the lines of, 'I watch Gardeners' World and I really enjoy it, but it's spoiled for me by the fact that you impose this bird song which is so unrealistic and so over the top... why don't you just record the natural sounds?' And the answer is, 'I hate to disappoint you, but that is the natural sound'."

One disgruntled fan tweeted their dissatisfaction with the show's direction, commenting: "Not much horticultural guidance on #GardenersWorld these days."

Another viewer expressed their longing for the programme's past focus, tweeting: "#GardenersWorld is becoming a lifestyle program for people with chronic anxiety. I remember when it taught you how to garden. Now anything goes."

Monty also revealed that the birdsong at Longmeadow is sometimes so overwhelming it disrupts production: "It is really loud. And occasionally when we're filming, we delay filming because the bird song is so loud, that even to us it feels a bit odd and unnatural."

Since Monty and his wife Sarah took charge of Longmeadow in 1991, they have turned a two-acre patch of neglect into a verdant sanctuary featured on the series.

The couple's garden stands out as a wildlife refuge amidst neighbouring farmland ravaged by excessive use of chemicals.

"So Longmeadow is like, literally an oasis surrounded by not-so-good," Monty said. "We have great density of blackbirds and song thrushes and blackcaps and all kinds of songbirds."

Gardeners' World is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.