The Victory Garden (TV series)
The Victory Garden is an American public television program about gardening and other outdoor activities, produced by station WGBH in Boston, Massachusetts and distributed nationally by PBS.
The Victory Garden, America’s oldest and still most popular gardening program, was first conceived in 1975 in response to the tough economy of the early 70’s and an increased interest in self-sufficiency after the Arab Oil embargo. The show’s creator, Russell Morash, (also the creator of This Old House) thought that it was high time that people got back to practicalities in their own backyards, and in fact, the title itself was chosen to harken back to the homespun Victory Gardens of World War I and II. Accordingly, each of the early programs showed viewers how to get the most from their own plot of land, both in terms of floral beauty and vegetable bounty.
The very first Victory Garden host was James Underwood Crockett. Although Jim had no television experience, he was no stranger to the garden either: a past director of the American Horticultural Society, Jim had spent 34 years advising gardeners and commercial growers on vegetable and flower gardening, not to mention being the author of 15 books, including several of the early Victory Garden volumes. His friendly, down-to-earth, you-can-do-it style quickly made the show one of the most popular programs on public television, and made Jim an icon of American gardening.
During the 1979-80 gardening season Bob Thompson arrived on the scene, first as a short-term replacement for the ailing Crockett, and then as full-time host after Crockett’s death from cancer. But Bob rose to the sad occasion, and brought with him the same affable spirit that Victory Garden fans had come to expect from the show. Bob was not only a seasoned gardener with some 20 years of radio experience under his belt, but he was also a professional nurseryman.
With Bob at the helm, The Victory Garden began to broaden its scope. In addition to the regular demonstrations of planting, potting, pruning, and pest control, the series began to make room for more guests and travel features. These excursions led them to some far-flung botanical sites including: the once-a-decade Floriade in Holland; Claude Monet’s garden in Giverny, France; and the Garden of The Royal Horticultural Society at Wisley, England.
When Bob retired from the series, biologist Roger Swain was passed the baton. Known as the “man in the red suspenders,” Roger had a remarkable ability for clear teaching and for providing inspiration to others. Roger also brought great insight to the series. He had a broad background as a biologist, gardener, and well-known author. When he wasn’t hosting The Victory Garden, writing or giving talks, Roger was busy tending his own farm gardens and orchard in Southern New Hampshire
After Roger’s retirement 2002, Michael Weishan became the host of The Victory Garden. At that time, the decision was made by WGBH and executive producer, Laurie Donnelly, to return the series to its roots, embracing some of the practical knowledge and projects so favored by Jim Crockett, as well as the wonderful tours and exotic gardens prominent in the later programs. To round out the series, Michael was joined by Sissy Biggers as lifestyle co-host, Paul Epsom as garden correspondent, and gardener Kip Anderson (who has been carefully tending Victory Garden locations for over 20 years).
With five seasons of The Victory Garden under his trowel, Michael Weishan chose to return to life off-camera, focusing on writing and speaking engagements. A thoughtful search led the producers to Jamie Durie, international award-winning landscape designer, horticulturist, best-selling author, and Australian television personality. Since joining the series as host in 2007 Durie has infused Victory Garden segments with his own international, environmental influence and clean, modern design sensibility. With so many Americans aspiring to eat healthier meals and exhibiting a greater interest in where their food comes from, the series also added Michel Nischan, chef, gardener, and avid proponent of sustainable farming, to its cast in 2007. With the on-going presence of the familiar faces and sage advice of Kip Anderson, Paul Epsom, and lifestyle co-host Sissy Biggers, The Victory Garden continues to provide simple, easy lessons to help today’s busy gardeners make the most of their time outdoors — each and every weekend.
Trivia
- There have been four main Victory Gardens over the show's history; the first beside WGBH's Allston, Massachusetts, studios; the second at Lexington Gardens Nursery in Lexington, MA; the third was at the home of producer Russell Morash somewhere in the Boston area. The fourth garden was also located west of Boston.
- Callaway Gardens near Pine Mountain, Georgia was home to the Victory Garden South.
- The series has won 3 Emmys, most recently for Outstanding Achievement in Single Camera Photography (Film or Electronic), awarded to director of photography Joel Coblenz.
- The Victory Garden received a Broadcast Media Award from The James Beard Foundation in June 2008. The series was honored in the Television Food Segment category for its "Homegrown" segments featuring Chef Michel Nischan during his first season as the series' Resident Chef.
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