Sir, - On behalf of my association, I wish to protest publicly at RTE's decision not to continue for the time being with a home-produced gardening programme.
We were interested to read in the Sunday Times recently that the gardening programme Ground Force attracts some 11 million viewers. Irish interest in gardening is also increasing. Our own home-produced gardening programme has always enjoyed extremely healthy viewing figures, even on occasion being on a par with Fair City and Coronation Street.
It seems ironic and short-sighted that at a time when RTE is worried about its own viewing numbers, it should decide to "shoot itself in the foot" with an axe. Along with thousands of others in this country, we hope the situation is of short duration. - Yours, etc.,
Peter Stam, MGLDA, Chairman, Garden & Landscape Designers Association, Mount Merrion, Co Dublin.