Mr MacGregor

Rating:
Summary: A gardening roman a clef
Review: Titchmarsh is a familiar figure in English gardeningcircles---he is a presenter on Gardeners' World and (I think) GroundForce. This story centers around a young gardener, Rob MacGregor, who is a true son of the soil. His father is a Scottish-born nurseryman and he was trained to the profession from boyhood, culminating in a university degree in horticulture. In addition, he is handsome and a devil with women. When he gets his own tv show, he runs afoul of make-believe gardeners who talk the talk but don't walk the walk. That is, they are television personalities first and foremost, who only dabble---as dillettantes---in gardening. Rob makes two enemies, Bertie Lightfoot and Guy D'Arcy, and there is a lot of behind-the-scenes jealousy that the reader knows just has to be real. But the story isn't that grabbing. It's competently written, but not that interesting. Rob's involvement with two women promises hot stuff, but that doesn't really happen, either. For weekend gardeners who want a look at the lives and doings of gardening pros, on and off the job.