The Flying Gardener is a BBC Four gardening series in which horticulturalist and landscape designer Chris Beardshaw travels around Britain by helicopter in search of inspirational gardens and innovative gardening ideas. The programme combines spectacular aerial views with practical gardening advice, exploring gardens and landscapes while examining how their surroundings influence the plants and designs found there.
A distinctive feature of the series is its unusual method of travel. Beardshaw flies between different regions in a helicopter, giving viewers a bird’s-eye view of the British countryside before landing to explore gardens and meet the people who care for them. The aerial journeys provide a striking introduction to each location while allowing the programme to showcase Britain’s varied landscapes.
Once on the ground, Beardshaw visits gardens that demonstrate particularly effective approaches to planting and design. He explores subjects ranging from woodland and shady gardens to vertical gardening, climbing plants, winter planting and gardens adapted to challenging environments. Episodes have taken him to locations including Scotland, the Cotswolds, Hampshire, Cornwall, Devon and the Lake District.
The programme also has a practical element, with Beardshaw helping amateur gardeners who are struggling to develop their own outdoor spaces. He assesses their gardens, discusses their ambitions and finds inspirational examples nearby that can provide ideas for their own projects. He then helps them put those ideas into practice, demonstrating how thoughtful planting and design can transform an underused or difficult garden.
The host, Chris Beardshaw, is a British horticulturalist, landscape architect, author and television presenter with extensive experience in garden design and horticulture. His combination of horticultural expertise and landscape-design knowledge allows him to explain both the practical and aesthetic aspects of gardening, while his relaxed and enthusiastic style makes him an approachable guide for viewers.
