The Magic Garden (1972–1984) User Reviews

See ya, see ya, hope ya had a good good time.....hope ya had a good good morning too,yeah...hope we get to see ya again!

[mamamiasweetpeaches · 9/10 · 30 January 2004]

OhMyGAWD!!! THE MAGIC GARDEN is perhaps one of my most vivid '70s childhood memories. Two hippie chicks with ponytails, Carole and Paula would swing on swings, tell jokes they picked off the chuckle patch, dress up with costumes they found in a giant chest called The Storybox, and argue with a pesky pink squirrel named Sherlock that lived in one of their trees. They also could strum a mean acoustic guitar and sing a pretty melody. This was a great childhood show. Very 70s feeling. But that's the problem: They don't MAKE shows like this anymore. Pity that. You could tell these two girls really had hearts of gold and loved kids, they were really sweet. MAGIC GARDEN is one of those shows that if they came out with a box set people WOULD buy it, because its such a MELLOW walk down Memory Lane.

None of my friends know this show

[islpondgirl · 10/10 · 24 May 2006]

It's hard for me to explain this show to my grown friends. I have a bunch of Shasta Daisy's in the back yard which I lovingly call my "Chuckle Patch." My friends laugh at me and look at me like I have 2 heads. It would be great to see this series on DVD for us folks who remember it fondly with our other childhood memories, or to show our friends that there really WAS a chuckle patch! Where kids TV today is compiled of violent cartoons, characters who do magic, or a talking sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea, The Magic Garden was real in the respect that it taught us good values.

I will hold fond memories of Carole and Paula, and the Chuckle Patch.

The only show to define an era.

[emilletich · 10/10 · 23 March 2006]

One of the best memories of my childhood. Should be on DVD. It captured everything we grew up with in the seventies - peace, mellowness, flower power and great acoustic music. The two hosts, Carol and Paula, were the definitive peacenik hippies, with long hair, peasant blouses and bell bottoms(they looked like a Katherine Ross(ala "The Graduate") and Ali McGraw(ala "Love Story"),respectively.)

They made us happy with jokes from the daisy "chucklepatch", gave us lessons on being nice through conversations with the crotchedy garden squirrel, and entertained us with music from their guitar. They were the best, and Carol was also the original Sandy in the original production of "Grease"(cool).

This show should be in a time capsule from the era that would also include, "The Yellow Submarine", "Arrow to the Sun", and Marlo Thomas', "Free to Be...You & Me.", also, "Sunshine", and "The Point."

And last, but not least, that theme song, "See ya, See ya, Hope you had a good, good time, ah ha, Glad we got to say good mornin' to ya , Hope we get get to see ya again, See ya, See ya, Glad that you could stay awhile, ah ha, hope we get see ya again, see ya, see ya.

Wow...Almost Forgot About This Show !!!

[homeopt · 29 May 2004]

Used to watch this each day after elementary school (mid 70's). Used to come on WPIX (ch. 11) around 2:30 pm or so. Wow, what I would do to see this show again. It's such a slice of its time. I can't even fathom a show like this existing today, without being taken over by advertisers or trying to be all hip and cool.

I have to admit, I used to have a big crush on one of the hosts (the cute one). And I loved singing along with them.

If the ladies ever read this note,

THANK YOU !!!

Ahhh, the memories !!!!

Come to the Magic Garden!

[Sylviastel · 10/10 · 16 June 2008]

When I was five years old, it was my favorite television show. I remembered it was on channel 11 at 2PM everyday. The show's premise was simple with Carole and Janis as the hostesses of this children's television show. They sang songs and read stories to us as children. It was done in a studio with only 54 episodes which was re-broadcasted over and over. I remember Sherlock, the puppet, in the tree. The show taught us how to count, add, subtract, and the alphabet. For thirty minutes a day now, I learned something new with Paula and Janis. I remember those days as pleasant memories and now I hope the children of today can learn to love simpler things like hearing stories, inexpensive props, riding the swings, and talking to puppets. The set was ideal and simple but it was Carole and Janis who made it worth while while. I miss my childhood and those days where the most important thing was watching the Magic Garden. Life seemed so much simpler and better. Now, I hope the kids today enjoy the show.

I loved the Magic Garden, and I can't wait to see it again!

[lulu925 · 10/10 · 11 January 2007]

This was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. It had it all--music, stories, a talking squirrel, and chuckling daisies. I wanted to be one of those hippie chicks singing and swinging on a swing. I'm 35 and I grew up in South Jersey, but we got three New York channels with our cable hook-up, and I think it was on Channel 11. They just don't make shows like this anymore (I know that makes me sound really old), and it blows my mind that I grew up with only 9 channels on our TV, but I could always find something cool to watch. I've only talked to one other person who actually heard of and watched this show. She's three years younger than me, and she grew up in North Jersey. I would love to see this series on DVD, so I could show it to my 5 year old daughter, and she could see what silly (but great) stuff her mom used to watch! I just found a VHS tape of a few episodes, and a music CD from the show on ebay, and I bought them right up, even though they were a little pricey. I can't wait to get them to re-live the great memories!

Brings back such great memories

[DeadnotSleeping · 10/10 · 17 March 2009]

I grew up in New York and this show came on when I was four-years-old. I had half-day kindergarten and this was on WPIX Channel 11 in the afternoon. I just loved the music and stories and remember humming them around the house when playing.

I just saw part of an episode on YouTube and for a moment I could remember how it felt watching those shows as a small child. I, of course, stopped watching when I got in 1st grade because it was on before school got out (no VCR's or DVR's back then). I grew up, not realizing that the show was still on until I was in 11th grade!

I also had no idea that there are DVD's and wish my nieces and nephews were young enough to enjoy this show, but now they're all past the demographic, or I'd buy all of them DVD sets. This was so much better than a lot of the kid shows today.

Talented and kind

[tjottina · 10/10 · 17 December 2022]

This show was such a staple of my childhood. Paula and Carole's creativity, kindness and gentleness still resonates with me today, even though I haven't seen the show in 50+ yrs. And they both have such beautiful voices. Their songs were fun, their interaction with a pink squirrel (yes, pink) named Sherlock was just right amount of silly and seriously silly, and the story box was creative and inspiring. Also, their laughter was contagious. Growing up in the greater NYC area, it was a must see. Even as I got "too old" to watch, it was a go to on a bad pre teen day. Thanks to YouTube and their Facebook page, I'm a 55 y/o who can listen to them now live, or watch the original show.

what a trip down memory lane

[tweeti45 · 25 July 2006]

I had started a thread on another message board about vintage children's TV. I had mentioned The Magic Garden and one person replied that he too had watched it. I grew up in NY so I was fortunate to watch this show, and fondly remember watching this along with Romper Room.

Pritty much what you read in the reviews is what the show is about, it's good vintage children's TV, right along side the Great Space Coaster and 321 contact. All shows that I grew up on and wish was still around for when I have kids.

Maybe some day those of us who appreciate these old shows will get lucky and be able to purchase them on DVD. After all the original Land Of The Lost came out recently, and I only hope the others follow suit.

I would buy this show out of the sheer enjoyment of getting to re watch a big chunk of my childhood..

I'm surprised that there's a listing here.

[nozcr · 14 August 2005]

I also grew up with this show in the early 1970's.

It was very good, given the production limitations of Children's Shows in the Seventies.

Funny piece of trivia: The actress who played Carol was a TV Commercial Actress who frequently appeared in TV Commercials for many kinds of products. She just had that 1970's face. I think she was in one for Mop & Glo. It used to confuse me when I would see this show in the afternoon, and then see Carol doing the floor at night.

The New Zoo Revue was released on DVD, much to my surprise. Perhaps one of these days some episodes of this show will be released.