Sissinghurst garden farm news

As guessed, the rumpus was a publicity stunt exercise in TV dramatics. The BBC and the National Trust knew when they were planning the TV series on Sissinghurst that  Adam Nicholson and Sarah Raven’s ideas were going to be accepted.  So in Episode 8 of the longest-running docudrama in the first 5,000 years of garden history, we saw some of the farm land being used to grow vegetables and Sly Steve in the kitchen admitting that Sarah’s Moroccan Lamb had been popular with the guests. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jclx2/Sissinghurst_Episode_8/ Adam shoehorned in a final attempt to make Sissinghurst into the World’s Lesbian Capital or, at least, the World’s Sexiest Garden (with the line “Harold Nicholson loved Morocco more than any place on earth. He often had an affair there”). Adam Nicholson also remarked that “Writing is the family business. Butchers chop up pigs. We write books.” Nicely put, but was he laying a foundation for a new family business: TV? Watch this space.

PS Why does the National Trust want publicity for Sissinghurst? To attract more visitors and to have more money to spend. But to conserve the garden’s character it needs less publicity and fewer visitors.

2 thoughts on “Sissinghurst garden farm news

  1. Marian

    In fact it needs less real visitors but more virtual, video-watching, book buying visitors. Both Sarah and Adam Nicholson have books to sell,and what Sarah Raven lacks in horticultural areas she makes up for in being a great cook! Her vegetable cook book is truly wonderful. However, as we know the temptation is to bury bad news, and I am sad that amongst all the talk of farming and vinegar sachets no one has mentioned the tragic demise of the Poplar Walk down to the lakes. The National Trust is very careful to preserve, but I rather wish it had in this case preserved the Poplar Avenue and re-routed us punters through the perfectly viable new Nut Walk.
    Tom I have sent you photos of this, or I am happy to upload them.

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  2. Pete

    i would suggest that Raven got some acceptance when she compromised a bit.

    the farm was always going to happen as it was a logical thing to do. there didn’t seem to be any real opposition.

    I really must visit it. Its virtually the only NT prop in the area I HAVEN’T been to which is odd!

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