Does Netflix Have Garden Shows?

ByScarlett Evans

Netflix is one of the world’s largest streaming entertainment services, offering TV shows, movies, documentaries, and more, available to watch in over 190 countries. With over 220 million subscribers globally, Netflix has firmly established itself as the leader of video on demand services.

One genre that some viewers enjoy watching from streaming services is gardening shows. These programs offer advice on gardening and landscaping techniques, showcase beautiful gardens and plants, and provide inspiration for DIY projects. Given the popularity of gardening as a hobby, an important question arises – does Netflix have gardening shows available in its streaming library?

Definition of a Gardening Show

A gardening show is a TV program that focuses on gardening, landscaping, planting, and other outdoor beautification techniques. These shows aim to educate and inspire viewers to start their own gardens or improve existing ones.

Typical gardening show topics include growing flowers, vegetables, herbs, fruits, and other plants. They showcase proper planting techniques, tools and equipment, maintenance, disease and pest control. Design and hardscaping like building raised beds, trellises, pathways, ponds, and other garden features are also covered.

Gardening shows highlight the entire process from planning and preparation to the final reveal of the completed garden. They provide tips on soil health, composting, irrigation, and other best practices tailored to various climates and settings from small urban plots to expansive rural acreage.

The goal is to instill confidence in viewers to get their hands dirty and show the satisfaction and joy that comes from growing and nurturing plants successfully. Gardening shows turn what many perceive as chore into an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Why Viewers Enjoy Gardening Shows

Gardening shows have become incredibly popular because they provide a relaxing and therapeutic viewing experience for audiences. The calming scenes of beautiful gardens and soothing narration allow viewers to unwind and de-stress. As noted in an article from The New Yorker, gardening shows like “Big Dreams, Small Spaces” have a “cozily addictive” quality similar to “The Great British Baking Show”, making them the perfect programs to relax with after a long day.

In addition to being calming, gardening shows also inspire viewers to try improving their own outdoor spaces after seeing the gorgeous transformations on their screens. Seeing the “before and after” shots of neglected yards turned into gorgeous gardens gives audiences practical motivation and ideas they can apply to their own landscaping projects. The shows empower everyday people to become gardeners through positive encouragement.

Gardening programs are also highly educational, teaching viewers specific skills and techniques they can implement in their own gardens. From learning proper planting methods to creative design ideas, fans of gardening shows gain valuable DIY knowledge. The instructional aspects of gardening shows allow audiences to elevate their horticulture abilities. As noted in an article from The Sydney Morning Herald, “generous dollops of practical gardening advice” make these shows so informative for aspiring green thumbs.

Examples of Popular Gardening Shows

Gardening shows have seen a surge in popularity in recent years. Some of the most well-known gardening shows that have cultivated large audiences include:

Martha Stewart’s Gardening School – This instructional series hosted by lifestyle guru Martha Stewart provides gardening tutorials for both beginners and experts. Episodes showcase creative and practical gardening skills.

Big Dreams, Small Spaces – Presented by Monty Don, this British gardening show helps transform cramped outdoor spaces into beautiful gardens. The emphasis is on clever designs and planting techniques for small gardens.

GardenSMART – This PBS television program offers expert gardening advice and inspiration, with an emphasis on making gardens low maintenance. It features tours of private and public gardens across North America.

Tommy’s Garden – British gardener and presenter Tommy Walsh helps homeowners design, build and plant their own dream gardens in this instructional series. It focuses on achieving professional results on a budget.

Gardening Shows Formerly on Netflix

Netflix previously streamed several popular gardening shows that are no longer available on the platform, including:

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show – This annual event showcased the best in garden design and horticulture from the Royal Horticultural Society in London. It aired on Netflix from 2016 to 2018 [1].

Monty Don’s American Gardens – This series followed British gardening expert Monty Don as he toured spectacular gardens across America. It was on Netflix briefly in 2018 [2].

Big Dreams, Small Spaces – Garden designer Monty Don helped people transform their outdoor spaces. This BBC show streamed on Netflix in 2018 and 2019.

an image of the chelsea flower show, previously streamed on netflix

Love Your Garden – Alan Titchmarsh hosted this gardening makeover show on Netflix from 2016 to 2018.

Chelsea Flower Show – A companion to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show focused on highlights and behind-the-scenes features. It was on Netflix in 2016 and 2017.

Gardening Shows Currently on Netflix

Netflix’s current gardening show offerings are fairly limited compared to other streaming services. As of early 2023, there are only a couple gardening-focused shows available on Netflix:

A few other shows like Stay Here and Dream Home Makeover sometimes feature gardening or landscaping elements, but are not solely focused on gardening. So the selection of true gardening shows on Netflix is quite limited compared to the past.

Gardening Shows on Other Streamers

Other major streaming platforms like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+ also offer a variety of gardening shows for viewers interested in horticulture and landscaping:

Hulu has shows like Gardening Australia, which provides tips on growing and maintaining gardens across different Australian climates and terrains. It features expert presenters visiting gardens around the country (Southern Living).

Amazon Prime Video offers popular gardening shows like The Great Garden Challenge, where contestants compete to design and plant outstanding gardens, and Monty Don’s American Gardens, a travel series exploring iconic gardens across the United States.

Apple TV+ subscribers can watch Home, which goes inside the world’s most innovative homes and their unique gardens. It provides inspiration for transforming outdoor spaces (Amazon).

There are many high quality, entertaining gardening programs available on major streaming platforms beyond just Netflix. Viewers looking for gardening content have several solid options to choose from.

Reasons Netflix May Lack Gardening Shows

There are a few potential reasons why Netflix’s catalog seems to lack gardening shows compared to other streaming platforms:

One major reason is likely the high licensing costs. As reported by The Guardian, Netflix spends billions per year licensing popular TV shows and movies from other studios. Gardening shows have a more niche appeal compared to mass market, mainstream hits. Netflix may find the license fees too high compared to the limited audience gardening shows would attract.

This ties into gardening shows being a niche interest. As discussed on Reddit, gardening shows attract a smaller but devoted following compared to genres like crime dramas or reality TV. Netflix seems focused on funding original shows with mass appeal, versus licensing niche, special interest programming.

Lastly, in recent years Netflix has been investing heavily in its original content. As reported by The Guardian, Netflix may be moving away from expensive, licensed shows in favor of owning more of its programming. This streaming-first, original content strategy could leave less room for licensing specialized shows like gardening programs.

Options for Gardening Show Fans

Viewers who want to watch gardening shows have several options beyond Netflix.

One option is to request shows on Netflix. Though Netflix may not have an extensive gardening show library currently, users can request titles via the Netflix request page (https://help.netflix.com/en/titlerequest). If enough people request a gardening show, Netflix may consider licensing it. This is one way fans can try to influence Netflix’s offerings.

Fans can also check out gardening shows on other streaming services like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and more. For example, popular gardening shows like The Big Flower Fight and Instant Dream Home are currently available on Netflix competitors (https://www.happysprout.com/inspiration/garden-shows-streaming/). Exploring other streamers opens up more gardening show options.

Finally, gardening enthusiasts can check their local library’s DVD collection. Many libraries loan out gardening DVDs for free. This allows fans to enjoy gardening shows without paying for a streaming service subscription. Though limited by what’s available, libraries provide another avenue for accessing gardening content.

Conclusion

In summary, Netflix has historically offered few gardening shows, especially compared to other major streaming platforms like Hulu and Amazon Prime. Their past gardening content, such as Big Dreams, Small Spaces, tended to have broad appeal instead of being targeted specifically toward gardeners. While Netflix is less likely to acquire niche gardening programs, they may still offer gardening-related shows in the future. For dedicated gardening enthusiasts seeking TV content tailored to their hobby, Netflix may not be the ideal streaming service. Yet with its wide range of documentary and lifestyle offerings, some of Netflix’s general home, food, and travel shows can still appeal to those interested in gardening topics.

Overall, Netflix lacks a robust selection of traditional gardening programs. But by expanding one’s search to include related homesteading, nature, and food content, Netflix subscribers interested in gardening can still find some relevant shows to enjoy. As with any streaming service, Netflix’s catalog changes frequently. Check back every gardening season to see if Netflix has acquired any new gardening shows or specials.

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