Book sequel on BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World presenter Geoff Hamilton written by son Nick, owner of Barnsdale Gardens in Rutland

The rise of a skilled local horticulturalist to become the well-loved face of TV gardening is charted in a new book by his son.

Nick Hamilton, owner of Barnsdale Gardens, in Rutland, is to publish the second book in a trilogy later this year about his dad, the much-loved BBC Gardeners' World presenter, Geoff Hamilton.

'The Right Jeans' is the follow-up to 'The Right Genes', both about the Barnsdale visionary’s life.

The second book picks up where the first left off - Geoff’s debut on BBC 2’s Gardeners’ World in 1979 - and explores his rise to become main presenter during his 17 years on the flagship show.

“I was once told by someone who worked on Gardeners’ World, going back some years now, that the BBC were still scratching around for that magic Geoff Hamilton formula,” said Nick.

“I said there was no formula. He was just who he was, and that’s the whole point.

“He had a connection with viewers and it’s something that can’t be taught - you either have it or you don’t.

“People would stop him in the street in Oakham and Stamford, wherever he went locally, and he would always talk to them because they wanted to talk to him about his favourite subject - gardening.

“He was seen as one of us, a normal gardener. That’s how he saw himself.”

Geoff’s relatability, combined with expertise in his field, proved a hit with viewers which producers were quick to spot.

By the time of his death in 1996, Geoff was verging on national treasure status - a tag, unlike his trademark jeans, he may not have felt so comfortable wearing.

“I don’t compare my dad with David Attenborough, but you turn on David Attenborough and you’re immediately captivated,” Nick added.

“You feel like he’s actually talking to you personally through the screen, and it’s the same thing that my dad did.

“Over the years since he passed away I’ve spoken to tens of thousands of people who felt that they knew him.

“They’d never met him, but when he died, for them it felt like losing a member of the family because over the years he created that relationship.”

Despite fame, Geoff did not seek celebrity and did his best to avoid it.

“BBC Radio Times always used to have a party in London at their offices where anyone who had been on the front cover was invited,” Nick recalled.

“You were expected to go, but he hated all of that celebrity thing.

“His whole objective at this party was to get in there and get out of there as quickly as possible.

“It was full of all those celebrity types who took celebrity seriously and that’s not what he was about. He was just a normal bloke doing a job that he loved.

“So he drove all the way to London and his objective was 20 minutes. It was madness really.”

Nick believes his dad saw himself more as an educator then a TV presenter.

“He always viewed himself as a gardener whose job it was to educate, which is why for him the TV was important,” he said.

“At its peak Gardeners’ World was gaining four-and-a-half million viewers.

“The whole thing was that he improved the lives of millions of people through gardening and that was his mission in life.

“If he said on Friday night that leylandii is causing a massive problem, and asked everyone with a leylandii hedge to hire a chainsaw and chop it down, you can guarantee that 90 per cent of the people would do it without questioning.

“They believed wholeheartedly in what he told them was the right thing to do.”

The Right Jeans is published on November 25 and will be available from the Barnsdale Gardens online store.

Nick has recently started work on the final book on Barnsdale’s evolution after Geoff’s death.

“Writing has been a great experience,” he said.

“The first book brought back lots of memories that you file away, so it’s a really cathartic thing to do.

“I’ve found myself welling up occasionally - it’s quite emotional. It’s about your dad who is no longer with you, but it’s really enjoyable.”

Do you remember meeting Geoff Hamilton? Share your memories in the comments below.