Guest Post: Dinner with The Garden Monkey


I'm so delighted The Garden Monkey (GM) has not only agreed to do a guest post for me today, but it's also part of my Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? meme. GM needs no introduction from me, so without further ado...

I tend to think that inviting guest to a dinner party is like putting together a cocktail. Get the mix wrong and it’s terrible. Get them right and it will be both refreshing and intoxicating.

So who would I invite to a dinner party?

Firstly, I would invite Geoff Hamilton and Christopher Lloyd, partly because I revere them both, but also to see how well they got on. Christo makes some fairly chippy comments about St. Geoff in the book, “Dear Friend and Gardener“, calling him, egocentric, nervous of competition and lacking in humour.

I'd also invite William Robinson because he didn't seem to get on with anyone - I do like a party to have a bit of fizz.

Aware that this guest list is so far entirely made up of deceased males, I'd balance that up with Germaine Greer, who always has interesting things to say on many subjects, not least of all gardening. And I’d also invite Anna Pavord who’s also interesting, but less confrontational, and would be a good companion should I be forced to hide in the kitchen if things got a bit heated.

Into this mix I would stir a very liberal helping of champagne, stand back and admire.

It might also be sensible to have a small first aid kit on hand.


Some handy advice as well as a thoughtful guest list, showing why we still need you around the blogosphere GM. May I join you in a glass or two of champagne to celebrate your albeit temporary return?

Thanks :)
XXX

Comments

  1. Hermes7 February 2009 at 09:51

    Good choices. Perhaps it should be divided into past and present. For me:

    Past
    Jane Loudon
    Gertrude Jekyll
    Graham Thomas
    Christopher Lloyd

    Present
    Monty Don
    Bob Flowerdew
    Alan Titchmarsh
    Robin Lane Fox

    Reserve list
    Beth Chatto
    John Brookes
    Russell Page
    Joy Larkcom
    Frank Kingdon Ward

    ReplyDelete
  2. VP7 February 2009 at 10:09

    Hi Hermes - I see from Pictures Just Pictures that it's your birthday today - Happy Birthday!

    I like your use of both past and present lists. Graham Stuart Thomas was almost on mine too because I keep on coming across his letters and designs when I'm at the NT. There's some very good choices there - Joy Larckom's written the best vegetable growing book ever!

    Thanks for joining in!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mr. McGregor's Daughter7 February 2009 at 13:11

    GM - I thought about inviting William Robinson to party, but I've decided on having a pleasant party with charming people instead. I'm sure your party would be much more interesting.

    Hermes - I nearly invited Gertrude Jekyll, as I love her books. Russell Page was also a runner up for my list.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anna9 February 2009 at 16:21

    An excellent choice of guests GM. I have a book of poems for gardeners edited by Germaine Greer which I refer to often. I hope that you did not spend a lot of time under the table ducking the flying breadrolls :)

    ReplyDelete

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