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The week started on Sunday with a very pleasant train journey down to Cornwall with a small bottle of red wine and a good novel to pass the time. And that's been the only bit of peace and quiet I've had this week!

And then Gardener of the Decade happened. Cables, cameras, Rachel, Joe, contestants, tools and plants all mingled together and somehow, amongst the mayhem of various competition rounds, we managed to make a programme and have a lot of fun in the glorious setting of the Eden Project. Previous winners of Gardener of the Year gardened furiously through gruelling tasks; they propagated, named pest and diseases and literally dug for victory over two whole days - only one of them was eventually crowned 'Gardener of the Decade'. The results will be on screen later in the year.

Then, for me, it was straight into a car on Wednesday night heading for Stratford and Berryfields to be on location for 7 am to meet the crew and to make two episodes of Gardeners' World Top Tips, a new daytime programme aimed at beginners to gardening. Carol was on form as her programmes are about a subject she loves, growing food. And it was so like Carol to arrive on set with a bucket full of potatoes that she'd grown at home and wanted to harvest on screen! So we rattled through growing tomatoes, potatoes, climbing French beans, lettuce, onions and even a few courgettes and, along with a few magic moments from Carol, managed to complete the programmes before it got dark!

Luckily for me, I'm in the office today but cranking myself up for the making of another six programmes next week with Rachel and Joe.

Anyone for a bit of bulb planting?