May The 'Ground Force' Be With You Quiz

Answer: Percy Thrower

Alan Titchmarsh, Charlie Dimmock and Tommy Walsh form the 'Ground Force' Team, with Will Shanahan billed as Tommy's hardworking assistant.

Percy Thrower used to host 'Gardener's World' on BBC TV and was also the gardener for 'Blue Peter' in the 1970's and 1980's. He assisted them to make the sunken garden. Bless him, he apparently created controversy by being the first TV gardener in the UK to endorse a garden fertiliser in an ITV commercial, whilst also working for BBC2 in the 1976. As a result, he was sacked for going against the non-commercial work ethic of the BBC.

Answer: Alan Titchmarsh

Alan is mercilessly teased by the Team for his persistent time keeping and his 'gentle' teasing of his colleagues. His witty commentary serves to keep the programme moving smoothly.
Alan is a well known TV gardener, having worked on programmes such as: 'Gardener's World'.

He has written about 30 gardening books and has also written fiction too. He even has a waxwork model in 'Madame Tussauds' in London and allegedly held in his stomach when he was called in to model for it!

Answer: Charlie Dimmock

Charlie was working at a water gardening nursery and built a pond for a Meridian TV series 'Grass Roots' when TV producer John Thornicroft discovered her. Five years later, when he was putting together 'Ground Force', he made her part of the team.

Answer: Tommy Walsh

Tommy left school to work with his father in the hard landscaping business. He met the Executive Producer of 'Ground Force' while he was contracted to work on her house. She was impressed by his knowledge and invited him to screen test with another 'unknown' at that time: Charlie Dimmock.

They both joined the 'Ground Force' team. Will had worked alongside Tommy prior to his involvement with this programme. When Tommy was offered this contract, he brought Will along with him to the Team.

Answer: 1997

The programme was originally created with Alan Titchmarsh as an umpire perched upon a high seat (Wimbledon-style) overseeing two neighbours renovating one another's gardens. The show didn't pick up until Alan got off his seat and started to help the participants.

This caused the Producer to re-think the direction and theme of 'Ground Force'. So the theme was set that Alan would work alongside two other gardeners to transform a garden in 48 hours with a budget of about £1000. One member of the house would be unaware of the project and would be surprised upon their return to the home two days later.

As stated earlier, Charlie and Tommy were discovered by Producers of the programme, who had seen their earlier works and had been impressed enough by what they had seen to add them to the Team. Tommy had worked with Will prior to their appearance in these programmes and introduced him to the Team as well.

The rest, as they say, is history...

Answer: The Black Dyke Band

The 'Black Dyke Band' was formed around 1833 and was originally called the 'Queenshead Band' after the village of it's origin in Yorkshire. Their name changed in the 1850's.
The band has travelled the world and made many recordings with famous characters.

They have made many recordings with the Prime Minister Ted Heath conducting, played with Paul McCartney and Wings, Tori Amos and the Beautiful South to name but a few.

Answer: Nelson Mandela

Charlie Dimmock says that she remembers Nelson Mandela saying 'Gee Whiz' as he looked round his newly made over garden. He apparently told Charlie that he thought she looked like a 'Spice Girl'.
Robert Mugabe is the existing President of Zimbabwe and Kenneth Kaunda was the Founding President of Zambia. Desmond Tutu is the Nobel Peace Prize winning South African Archbishop famous for his campaign against Apartheid in South Africa.

Answer: Alan Titchmarsh

Alan apparently has many other projects in the offing: 'How To Be a Gardener Part Two' and promotion of his autobiography 'Trowel and Error' being just two of these projects.

Answer: 2 days

Alan, Charlie, Tommy and Will transform a garden in 48 hours with a budget of about £1000. One member of the house is unaware of the project and is surprised upon their return to the home two days later.

Answer: True

The story goes that 'Ground Force' viewers had written in to the programme, suggesting that the Team go to New York in the wake of 9/11 as a gesture to the people of New York. As a result, the Team travelled there and transformed a piece of ground in the Lower East Side of the city, close to 'Ground Zero'.

They also hoped to reward Bette Midler for her involvement with the 'New York Restoration Project' and thus transformed a plot of land owned by her. The 'New York Restoration Project' has apparently transformed many plots of land in New York into parks and public spaces.