TV Gardener David Domoney shocks Judges at BBC Gardeners' World Live

With the absence of lawns once again at another UK Garden Show, the news story about a friend of mine caught my eye, with some relevance of course to lawns and their care.

David Domoney used a host of reused and recycled materials including a thong for his Bayer Baby Bio garden at this year's Gardeners' World Live reports Horticulture Week Magazine.

David is ITV's This Morning’s gardening guru presenting garden hints, tips and tricks of the trade, including a variety of gardening-related series including the spellbinding “Gardens from around the World” and "Royal Gardens".

Domoney asked of his silver-gilt-winning garden: "Is there anything you can't turn into a garden? Anything that can be used as a planter will be." He delved through the wastetips of Birmingham, scrapyards and car boot sales to find material for his exhibit, which uses only recycled and reused items.

Domoney said the judges were shocked to find design features included the first thong used in an RHS show garden (as a tree tie), as well as washing machines and toilets, which became water features. Shredded tyres were turned into paths and an old car was used as a giant metal plant pot.

He added: "Next year will be easier for sponsorship for show gardens than this year. People have been holding onto their money this year and it has been significantly harder for sponsorship. But there are green shoots appearing now. The horticulture industry is having a buoyant year. The weather is more influential than the credit crunch. If it wasn't for the credit crunch we would have had a very good year. But we've had as good a year as last year but have had to work considerably harder."

He added: "I've been attempting to stretch the boundaries at RHS shows. Not like James May's Chelsea plasticine garden because we had 30 horticulturists involved, though I was surprised to see RHS judges laughing at planted boots, bras and washing machines here at BBC Gardeners' World Live."

Bayer Garden, are behind the Provado insecticide for the control of Leatherjackets and Chafer Beetle Larvae - two troublesome lawn pests.

Domoney will present a gardening catwalk at Hampton Court Flower Show on 7-12 July.

I personally do not find the use of a thong in a garden shocking, after all who would be seen playing cricket on a flatbed lorry loaned to Domoney & Seaton by Notcutts for a publicity stunt many, many years ago...

Image - Domoney Limited