A new TV challenge – with a Fife contender – is being unearthed in this week’s Beechgrove.
The BBC Scotland gardening series is this week pitching veteran gardener and presenter George Anderson against presenting newbie Calum Clunie.
The two will be seen going head-to-head – or flower head to flower head – in the prestigious Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society (affectionately known as ‘the Caley’ ) spring show.
It is one of the biggest competitive flower shows in Scotland, held this year in Saughton Park in Edinburgh.
Fun challenge
The Beechgrove duo this year submitted spring bulbs, including tulips, daffodils and hyacinths to see who would come out top in a fun challenge.
As Fifer Calum says: “It’s no the rumble in the jungle, it’s no the Dundee derby, This is the Battle of the Bulbs.”
Calum, 23, from Leven, is the youngest ever regular presenter on Beechgrove.
The Dundee United season ticket holder joined the team last year after impressing with his own videos sent in 2020, during the first year of the pandemic.
He is a veteran of horticultural shows, when it comes to showcasing vegetables but this is his first time with spring flowering bulbs.
Playing for the ‘home team’ as it were, septuagenarian George has competed in the Caley show for decades.
George – who has been seen doing reports for Beechgrove from his own garden in ‘sunny Joppa’ in Edinburgh – says: “I have been here a few times so I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”
As the programme reveals, both do well but who will come up ‘smelling of roses’ with the most awards?
Where and when to watch
Viewers will have to tune into see. This Beechgrove episode goes out at 8pm on the BBC Scotland channel on Thursday April 21 before being shown again across the UK on Friday night April 22 on BBC Two just ahead of Gardeners’ World.
New BBC Beechgrove star Calum Clunie from Fife thanks his grandparents for his gardening bug roots
