Tales from Fat Tulip's Garden was a children's TV program in the mid-1980s, starring Tony Robinson. It was produced by Debbie Gates for Central Independent Television and aired on British TV network ITV from 1985 to 1987, in a 4:00pm timeslot, with each episode lasting about 10 minutes. Robinson would tell children's stories directly to camera in an English garden setting, and would put on all the voices himself. The show was written by Debbie Gates and Robinson and carried by Robinson's unique and engaging storytelling style, which was semi-improvised. Robinson hoped to provoke the imagination and produce a sense of immediacy in contrast to the shortcomings he saw in children's television at the time. The majority of the programme was filmed in the house and garden of Little Monkhams, a property in Woodford in the Redbridge Borough of London. Further scenes were filmed in the part of Epping Forest facing the house
Tales From Fat Tulip's Garden (Season 2)
A blackberry fool (Episode 1)
Air date: 1987-06-04
Runtime: 10 min
Overview: Thin Tim has collected a pyramid of blackberries to make jam and orders Fat Tulip not to touch them. But when Fred the Baddy arrives and squashes all the blackberries, he and Fat Tulip have to go out to pick some more
Smelly socks (Episode 2)
Air date: 1987-06-11
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: Fat Tulip loves the new pair of glow in the dark socks that he got from Inspector Challoner so much, that he refuses to take them off, even when Thin Tim begs him to do so because of the smell.
The long march (Episode 3)
Air date: 1987-06-18
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: Ernie and Sylv were going mole riding to practice for the mole jumping competition. But Mary Toad had taken over the stables and replaced all the moles with hedgehogs. Meanwhile, Thin Tim leads Fat Tulip on a long march camping trip.
A fizzy tadpole (Episode 4)
Air date: 1987-06-25
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: Sylv and Ernie are looking after their baby cousin Bunting the tadpole. But Peter, Paul and Mary drink all of Bunting's water out of her pram. Fat Tulip isn't allowed to turn on his garden hose by order of Inspector Challoner
Lumpy catflap Jack (Episode 5)
Air date: 1987-07-02
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: The mice are forced to break off their Summer Fair in the cellar when a lumpy cat arrives. Fat Tulip also wants to use the cellar to take a nap because Thin Tim is decorating his bedroom
The hairy strawberry (Episode 6)
Air date: 1987-07-09
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: Ernie and Sylvie Frog are trying to teach Leon the Spider how to spin a web. Inspector Challoner is staking out in Fat Tulip's house, waiting to catch Fred the Baddy
The great Yorkshire pudding robbery (Episode 7)
Air date: 1987-07-16
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: Peter, Paul and Mary want the other animals to get them all the parts to build a go-cart. They promise to bake a cake for Bunting the Tadpole's one week birthday so they can steal the wheels off of Bunting's pram
Gravy in the swimming pool (Episode 8)
Air date: 1987-07-23
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: Fat Tulip has decided to learn how to swim. Unfortunately for him, that day 27 prisoners led by Fred the Baddy have broken out of their cells to visit the local swimming pool as well
The suitcase that spoke (Episode 9)
Air date: 1987-07-30
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: On the first day of their a seaside holiday, Inspector Challoner and Fat Tulip get themselves stuck in the mud. To the rescue come Dorian the Dog and Fred the Baddie, who stowed away in a yellow suitcase
An extremely long bootlace (Episode 10)
Air date: 1987-08-06
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: Fred the Baddie hides Inspector Challoner's uniform somewhere around the beach. The Inspector and Fat Tulip enter a fishing competition to win a money prize. Fat Tulip doesn't have a fishing rod, but uses the world's longest worm, whom he calls 'Bootlace'
Big trouble (Episode 11)
Air date: 1987-08-13
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: During their seaside holiday, Fat Tulip and Inspector Challenor find themselves looking after Dunwoody's key to the pier. But when the little white shell Fat Tulip put it in disappears, they could both end up in big trouble
Rotten milk (Episode 12)
Air date: 1987-08-20
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: Fred the Baddie has escaped again and is heading for Fat Tulip as usual. Along the way he steals Dunwoody's Milk Float during a traffic jam. But Thin Tim and Fat Tulip have set up a Fred the Baddie trap for his arrival
The blanket from outer space (Episode 13)
Air date: 1987-08-27
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: Lewis Collins the Tortoise is training himself to defend the garden from Aliens from Outer Space. Inspector Challoner has lost his favourite yellow blanket, on which he had written, amongst other important things, a list of people to invite to the Policeman's Ball
Fat Tulip's fat Christmas (Episode 14)
Air date: 1987-12-25
Runtime: 11 min
Overview: Thin Tim won't allow any visitors for Christmas except his Auntie Mabel. Peter, Paul and Mary toad invite the other animals to a party so they can nick all their grub
Seasons
Episodes 14
Episodes 14