Monty Don facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Monty Don
OBE DL VMH
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Don in 2011
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| Born |
George Montagu Don
8 July 1955 |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | Magdalene College, Cambridge |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1989–present |
| Television | Gardeners' World |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Erskine (1983–present) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives |
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Monty Don (born George Montagu Don on 8 July 1955) is a famous English gardener, TV host, and writer. He is best known as the main presenter of the popular BBC gardening show, Gardeners' World. A person who studies and grows plants is called a horticulturist.
Born in Germany but raised in England, Monty Don studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge. There, he met his future wife, Sarah. Together, they started a successful business selling costume jewellery in the 1980s. However, they lost their business after a big drop in the stock market.
This big change led Don to a new career. In 1989, he started appearing on TV with a gardening segment on the show This Morning. This led to more TV shows and a career as a writer. He has written over 25 books. From 2003, he became the main host of Gardeners' World, a job he still loves today.
Contents
Early Life and School
George Montagu Don was born on 8 July 1955, in Iserlohn, West Germany. His parents were British. His father, Denis, was a soldier stationed in Germany. His mother was named Janet. He was the youngest of five children and has a twin sister named Alison.
His family has some interesting history. On his father's side, he is related to the botanist George Don and the Keiller family, who invented Keiller's marmalade. On his mother's side, he is related to the Wyatt family, who were famous architects.
When Monty was one, his family moved to Hampshire, England. He went to several different schools. He said his parents were very strict. As a child, he loved gardening and farming. After failing his first set of big exams, he worked on a building site and a pig farm while studying at night to retake them.
Determined to go to Cambridge University, he studied hard and passed the entrance exams. He studied English at Magdalene College. During his time at university, he took up boxing and met his future wife, Sarah Erskine.
Career Journey
Jewellery Business
In 1981, Monty and his wife Sarah started a business called Monty Don Jewellery. They designed and sold costume jewellery in London. Their business was a big success. They had a shop in the fancy area of Knightsbridge and sold their jewellery in famous stores like Harrods. Famous people like Boy George, Michael Jackson, and Princess Diana were among their customers.
However, the 1987 stock market crash caused their business to fail. It was a very difficult time for them. Don later said, "We lost everything... we lost our house, our business." This experience pushed him to start a new career in television and writing.
Television Career
Getting Started on TV
By 1989, Monty Don was writing articles about gardening. His own garden was even featured in magazines. This led to an opportunity to be on TV. He got a job presenting a gardening segment on the breakfast show This Morning. This was the start of his successful television career. He later hosted other shows for the BBC and Channel 4, such as Fork to Fork, where he and his wife showed how to grow and cook organic vegetables.
Hosting Gardeners' World
In 2003, Monty Don became the main host of the famous BBC show Gardeners' World. He was the first host of the show who was a self-taught gardener. He took a break from the show from 2008 to 2011 because of illness, but then returned.
When he came back in 2011, he started filming the show from his own garden, called Longmeadow, in Herefordshire. Viewers loved seeing his garden and his pet dogs. His Golden Retriever, Nigel, was a fan favourite until he passed away in 2020. Don now has other dogs, Ned and Patti, who sometimes appear on the show with him.
Creating His Own Shows
Monty Don is also known for creating his own TV series, often about gardens around the world.
- Around the World in 80 Gardens (2008): He travelled the globe to visit 80 amazing gardens.
- Monty Don's Italian Gardens (2011): He explored the beautiful gardens of Italy.
- Monty Don's French Gardens (2013): He visited the grand gardens of France.
- The Secret History of the British Garden (2015): He looked at how British gardens have changed over centuries.
- Monty Don's Paradise Gardens (2018): He travelled to find gardens inspired by the idea of paradise.
- Monty Don's American Gardens (2020): He explored the diverse gardens across the United States.
- Monty Don's Adriatic Gardens (2022): He visited gardens in countries along the Adriatic Sea.
- Monty Don's Spanish Gardens (2024): He explored the unique gardens of Spain.
He has also hosted the BBC's coverage of the famous Chelsea Flower Show since 2014.
Career as a Writer
Don has said that he thinks of himself as a writer first and a TV presenter second. In 1994, he started writing a weekly gardening column for The Observer newspaper, which he did for over 10 years. He has also written for other newspapers and magazines.
He has published many books about gardening. In 2005, he wrote The Jewel Garden, a book about the story of his home and garden at Longmeadow. In 2016, he published a book all about his famous dog, called Nigel: My Family and Other Dogs.
Personal Life
Family and Home
Don married Sarah Erskine in 1983. They have two sons and a daughter. In 1991, they bought a house in Ivington, Herefordshire, and began creating their famous garden, Longmeadow. The house needed a lot of work, so they had to live somewhere else while they fixed it up. They finally moved into their new home at the end of 1992.
His Famous Dogs
Monty Don is a big dog lover. His Golden Retriever, Nigel, became a star on Gardeners' World. Viewers loved seeing him on the show. Sadly, Nigel passed away in May 2020. Don said that Nigel was a special companion who helped him through difficult times.
Don has had many other pets, and they are all buried in his garden at Longmeadow. Today, he has a Golden Retriever named Ned and a Yorkshire Terrier named Patti.
Health and Wellbeing
Throughout his life, Don has faced some health challenges. He has spoken openly about his struggles with sadness, especially during the winter months. He found that gardening helped him feel much better. He said, "gardening heals me better than any medicine."
In 2007, he had a serious stomach infection called peritonitis and needed emergency surgery. A year later, in 2008, he had a minor stroke, which is a blockage of blood to the brain. This was caused by being very tired from travelling and filming. He took a break from work to recover fully.
Awards and Honours
- In 2018, Don was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his work in gardening, broadcasting, and for charity.
- In 2022, he received the Victoria Medal of Honour from the Royal Horticultural Society, which is a top award for gardeners.
- In 2024, he was appointed as a deputy lieutenant of Herefordshire.
