Ground Force - Definition

Ground Force is a BBC "lifestyle" or "makeover" television programme in which a team of gardeners descend on an individual's garden and remake it for the cameras, within two days, against the clock, while that individual is lured away on some pretext. Ground Force started in 1997.

Alan Titchmarsh hosted the programme between 1997 and 2002, with his colleagues, Charlie Dimmock (who gained much press attention for often working with a shirt, but no bra) and Tommy Walsh. In one episode, they worked on Nelson Mandela's garden.

The team also worked on a number of other special projects, including:

• a garden in memory of TV presenter Jill Dando
• the New York Restoration Project garden near Ground Zero in New York
• an Old Servicemens' Home garden in Jamaica
• a Children's Home garden in New Delhi, India

After Titchmarsh's departure, the other two continued as presenters. They also filmed new, five- minute segments to be appended onto repeats of earlier episodes, revisiting the gardens concerned, to surprise the owners and see how the gardens had developed.

See also

• Backyard Blitz