Jim McColl was a Gardener and TV Presenter for over 40 years on Beechgrove Garden before retiring in 2019.
Jim was born in 1936 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire and has gardening in his Genes and Jim sadly passed away on 22 October 2024 aged 89 years old.
His Father was a gardener, his Sister became a Market Gardener, one brother was a farmer and the other one a Forester.
His Grandfather who was a Steam engine driver from Glasgow to Carlisle and had an allotment where Jim spent a lot of time.
Jim spent the school holidays on the farm and nearly became a farmer but chose Horticulture.
He trained at The West of Scotland College near Ayr and later was to work there himself.
Jim first television appearance was on Tomorrow's World when working on a project for Glen Garioch Distillery Aberdeenshire in a article about waste energy and heating greenhouses for Tomatoes.
Jim then appeared on our screens in the first episode of The Beechgrove Garden on 14 April 1978 with his co-presenter George Barron.
The show had a huge following as they took the derelict plot and week by week turned it into a garden behind the studios.
Jim and George on screen relationship is immortalised by the comedy duo of Scotch and Wry and their Beechgrove parody
Jim saw lots of changes of presenters but his reassuring words 'Welcome to Beechgrove Garden' and his catchphrase 'Every day's a school day' has been a mainstay for Scottish Gardeners every week.
in 1986 Jim was joined but the first female Gardening Presenter in the UK Carole Baxter.
Jim was awarded an MBE in 1996.
In 2015 the BBC made a Documentary to celebrate Jim McColl 80th Birthday.
Jim retired in 2019 after more than 40 years on the programme and at the time his co-presenters were Carole Baxter, George Anderson and Chris Beardshaw.
He was starting to struggle physically with the role and had developed a problem with his hands effecting his dexterity.
Jim McColl had several co-presenters on Beechgrove in his 40 years George Barron, Dick Gardiner, Carole Baxter, Walter Gilmour, Bill Torrance, Sid Robertson, Jim McKirby, Lesley Watson, Carol Spray, George Anderson, Chris Beardshaw, Brian Cunningham and Kirsty Wilson.
The show then had a revamp and was renamed Beechgrove and Brian Cunningham and Kirsty Wilson helped bring new elements to the programme with their positions at Scone Palace and The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh featuring.
Jim had 2 children, a Son and Daughter.
Before he sadly passed away Jim had moved to a new home in Oldmeldrum with a more manageable garden.
Jim McColl is still remembered fondly for his years on Beechgrove Gardens, teaching us new things about gardening, as in the words of Jim 'every day's a school day'.
Jim McColl Television Programmes
1988
The Beechgrove Garden
With Carole Baxter
Jim McColl
1936 - 2024
'Every day's a School day, but everybody can become a Gardener'
