Concept and creative process
First shown in 1952, the garden adventures of Bill and Ben the ‘Flower Pot Men’ and their friend Little Weed ran for 20 years and gained a special place in the hearts of the nation's children. The programme was developed by Freda Lingstrom, Assistant Head of BBC Schools Broadcasting, and Maria Bird with whom she had founded Westerham Films to make ‘Andy Pandy’ in 1950, a programme which had established their reputation in the field of children’s programmes. Lingstrom was art school trained and a graphic designer, illustrator and author. Bird composed, sang and played the songs for ‘Andy Pandy’ and did some of the narration. She also did the narration for the first series of ‘The Flower Pot Men, produced by Ben Productions. Lingstrom and Bird created other series for the pre-school age group, which also achieved iconic status in the history of BBC Children’s programmes – notably ‘The Woodentops’, ‘Rag, Tag and Bobtail’ and ‘Picture Book’. The introduction and the end sequence of ‘The Flower Pot Men’ always kept to the same format, creating a bond of familiarity with its young audience.