That Sunken Garden Feeling

I had this idealistic notion about where the Blue Peter garden was located.

Bear in mind that when it was first featured in the long running BBC childrens programme in 1974 I was only 11 years old, still believed in Father Christmas, the bogey man and that something nasty would happen to me if I did not say my prayers every night this was not really surprising.

It's designer, the gardener, Percy Thrower was well known to me even at that young age from his frequent appearances on black and white TV and yet somehow by magic making me visualise the subtle textures and shades of flowers and foliage.

My maternal and paternal grandparents were keen gardeners themselves and so on frequent visits the latest recommendations by Percy Thrower for planting, tending, pruning and harvest were overheard in revered tones down their respective garden paths.

I was therefore a bit shocked and deflated to later find out that the Blue Peter garden was in fact wedged in at the back of the Wood Lane BBC studios in deepest, darkest Hammersmith in West London. In retrospect if the garden had been anywhere away from the broadcast studio, for example in the idyllic surroundings that I had imagined, the Blue Peter presenters could not have got there and back as quick as they obviously did during the twice weekly shows.

The immediate surroundings for the garden were a bit mixed.

It was adjacent to the public open space of Hammersmith Park which had a large open air childrens playground and municipal tennis courts. The nearest housing was called Batman Close which I assume came from the term for a military officers aide rather than the Gotham City caped crusader. The presence of a large Territorial Army Centre, just beyond the recreational areas may have accounted for this unusual street name.

That part of London also had a few landmarks and these included the oval of White City Dog Track and the Loftus Road ground of Queens Park Rangers.

For all of the built up environment the broadcasts from the Blue Peter Garden were an integral feature of that significant part of British Culture.

As a child I always got a nice, warm and safe feeling from watching the programme from its pets to making things out of washing up bottles and sticky back plastic (this was no where to be found where I lived at the time in Lincolnshire) and of course the annual appeal for milk bottle tops, old newspapers or to hold a bring and buy sale. It was always exciting keeping track of the lights on the totaliser as the target got nearer and nearer, typically at Christmas.

You can therefore appreciate the reaction of the viewing public to the news from presenter Janet Ellis on the 21st November 1983 broadcast that over the preceeding weekend person or persons unknown had vandalised the garden.

Percy Thrower, the original creator of the garden, was seen amongst the fuel oil filled pond in the sunken garden, broken ornaments and trampled floral beds in a totally bemused mood.

Simon Groom and the oil filled pond

He was of the opinion that the perpetrators had some kind of mental illness (it was a time when you could say that sort of thing without being villified in the media).

At the age of 70 at the time and from that era when the only thing close to vandalism was well, world wars, this attack on all he held dear was obviously devastating. I speculate that this jolt to his belief system contributed to his illness and heart surgery in 1987. He died a year later.

Many felt the same horror and dismay about this gross trespass and insane act.

Even more sobering was that the images of wanton destruction caused that feeling of innocence across a whole Blue Peter generation to evaporate instantly.

The impact of the vandalism is still felt today, some 34 years on. Whilst no one, to my knowledge was ever caught and charged the rumours about who they were are never far away from topics of conversation.

Just over this weekend the retired footballer Les Ferdinand repeated his denial of any involvement as part of a local gang of 17 year old youths which included a classmate, Dennis Wise. He said that he continues to be quizzed about this even though he had mentioned "helping a few people over a high wall" as a joke.

A lot of other names have cropped up in the now age-old conspiracy theories including one of the hip-hop collective "So Solid Crew" although given that this had up to thirty members at any one time basic statistics may support it anyway.

Those who single handedly or collectively brought about an irreversible change in the feeling of security and community in the country over that weekend in November 1983 know who they are.

We may not know the true identities until one of those death bed confession moments which may be still some years away given that those responsible are now only in their fifties or younger.

Some unsolved crimes over the passage of time adopt a sort of pardonable or folk-lore type quality when considered by successive generations and prevailing morality.

This may be the notable exception.