HGTV landscape shows

I am a garden retailer, not a landscaper. However, I do like to watch the shows, though I tend to laugh through them. As a rule, none of the landscapes featured are remotely applicable to the Southwestern desert. So the plants, planting techniques, and most of the materials are not applicable for New Mexico viewers.

I agree that the budgets (often unstated) are far out of the range of any of my customers. The sizes of the homes and lots are not representative the postage stamp size gardens with which my customers are landscaping.

The shows with instant gardens are fun to watch, but would not survive a week in our desert sun and wind. I fear these shows that treat a garden landscape like a weekend home decorating project give people unrealistic expectations about landscaping and gardening. In this economy, the idea of outdoor projects that are fun, but ephemeral does not seem productive.

I do enjoy the creativity of the shows, but am appalled at the shallowness of them.

Jackye