Peter Thoday

This wonderful series goes behind the high redbrick walls of Chilton Foliat in Berkshire, where Harry Dodson carefully recreates a traditional Victorian kitchen garden. Using traditional tools Harry painstakingly transformed the weed-choked ground into a gardener's and cook's delight solving many horticultural mysteries along the way and showing how gardeners dealt with pests and how they grew exotic fruits and vegetables for the household all year round.

Horticulture lecturer Peter Thoday and Harry Dodson present this series demonstrating how simple and exotic flowers were cultivated in the Victorian era. Re-enactments are used to explain how the head gardener would supply the lady of the house with the blooms she required, in addition to decorating the dining and mansion rooms and sometimes conservatories with suitable flowers. Harry also recreates the displays which would have been used for decorating Victorian weddings, musicals and funerals.

Peter Thoday and Harry Dodson present this acclaimed BBC2 series focusing on the working relationship between the cook of a Victorian country house and the head gardener. A variety of foods from the past are examined as the programme recreates authentic breakfasts, afternoon teas, picnic lunches and dinner parties.