Monty Don's garden.

I have to be honest and admit I rarely watch gardening programs on TV. However I did catch a bit of Gardeners World the other night. Monty has never been a favourite of mine, then again, neither has any other TV gardener. Having said that, I have been reading up on Monty, and he's workd hard despite many setbacks in life. For which he has my admiration and respect.

In the program, he transplanted some Kniphofia in a mixed bed/border. Wow! Often the soil in such a bed/border, you'd expect to be quite firm and solid. The texture here might suggest, the hole could have easily been taken out with bare hands. No stones, lumps etc but all fine compost.

The composting area was next visited. Great if you have the space. Three or four sections where the compost was processed, finally exactly the same as his planting area. He mentioned that compost can be mown. This IMO is a great idea if you haven't a suitable shredder.

Taking a sly peek at GW Forum. One member mentioned this episode and the composting part and IMO took the 'P'. Especially the mowing bit.

Isn't this part of our journey through gardening. We are continually learning more and more. I remember a piece I wrote, perhaps on GW about composting. It was based upon what I had learned etc. Now even 'Doc' has learned something new. So Michael me lad, old lad. Back to basics. Live and learn. Enjoy your gardening folks.

 

To be honest Monty Don's garden, to me, looks a complete jumble.

He seems to be sticking plants in all kinds of strange places.
But then I'm no gardener, but I think I know what a garden should look like.

Who "Doc" is I dont have a clue?

 

So there are three of them

 

Yes, Monty does do that I guess. He does think about colour associations though ....sometimes...and I like that. Besides I think he will move them again.

 

Hi Pete. That age old saying comes to mind. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I find, looking at Monty's garden, much of a mish-mash. Individuals taste usually dictates the expectation of the final article. Low level planting in straight lines, appeal to many. Other designs meet others satisfaction.
For instance, so often, space permitting. A border will so often be planted up, small plants at the front and taller ones to the back. Mention perhaps including the odd shrub or small tree, and that really confuses folk. Why not raise the back of the border and plant mixed specimens. Sorry Pete, back to Monty's garden.

Whether what is filmed for GW I don't know. To me. Yes I tend to agree with you to some extent. From what I see. The garden lacks perspective, no depth of field. It resembles a maze of what might be termed,'raised beds'.

However I take my hat off to the guy, he IMO has done well and at the end of the day. The BBC is putting bread and butter on his table.

"Doc" Sorry. That's a tag I've picked up. Explain some day.

 

I see you point @JWK and @Mike Allen, I know its all about doing it so it works on the TV, but I think in general it looks a complete mess.
Some things he raves about just dont, IMO , pay their way.
And I know we all have different opinions, but it's not like he has a more formal area of garden, that I've seen.
Being that it is supposed to be a TV garden.

Couldn't one of his rooms just take on a more controlled look?

 

I would love to see plantsmen .....like Adrian Bloom.....present a few garden programmes. Very, very few.....rarely in fact.....do we see programmes about plants.
Chelsea is great, ditto Hampton Court and others but my real interest is in folks talking about what they grow and how.

 

Couldn't agree more Verdun. Gardening is IMO a very special interest, career, hobby. Regardless of what level ones knowlege might be, there is always something new to learn.

Wow! that's a great looking plant. You go away asking yourself. How did he grow that?

 

I read somewhere the other week that MD has a team of gardeners that does everything for him whilst he is away travelling round the world doing gardening programmes/Chelsea etc (that is why he always has a permanent sun tan)so each little segment he does in the garden/potting shed is the only actual gardening that the production team lets him loose on for filming or so I read. That was one reason why Alan gave up the show as he was fed up with the intrusion over many years into his garden and never felt it was his own although I am sure he didn’t mind all the money he got paid for it

I used to love the late Geoff Hamilton because he was THE gardener when we got our first garden in 1980 and had the pleasure of meeting him once.When he passed away and Alan took over I didn’t think a lot to him but gradually he grew on me as he was very hands on and didn’t mind getting his hands dirty and actually did DIY on his programme so I was sad when he moved on to do better things

I also liked Chris Beardshaw and liked his gentle manner and he has always been the housewives favourite and there was a lot of support for him when he was cheated out of a Gold medal at Chelsea the other year

Since MD has come along I watch the programme but not with the same enthusiasm as I did when the others were presenting it and Mr Kandy sticks his head in his computer when MD is on as he isn’t Montys number one fan and gets fed up with him talking about his jewel garden which is a throwback to when he had his own jewellery business that failed and so became a bancrupt so he has done well to get where he is now due to his hard work and also because he has Nigel and Nelly plus another couple of dogs that we never get to see by his side and I think Nigel has his own fan club

I won’t comment on the presenters I don’t like as I know others think they are brilliant

 

Monty came back to GW after his illness, on condition, that the filming took place at his garden. A good ploy if you can get a team of gardeners keeping it looking good while you're off travelling. Carole Klein applied for the top job but was overlooked - shame

Special skills are required to be a good presenter and I think Monty meets the brief. He is a shy, cultured man and doesn't do "tv personality" which I find appealing.
Joe Swift comes from a "showbiz" family and has the necessary confidence to present well but he is a designer not a gardener and seldom is seen getting his hands dirty.
Adam Frost knows his stuff, having worked with Geoff Hamilton and he would be a good replacement for Monty. Just a thought, his garden is coming on so maybe he could be a contender for the top job.

 

I recently read Monty's book about Nigel the dog, which also gives quite a few details about the filming - yes Monty's garden and even his house has been designed or at least developed to accommodate this, with a room/outside area which can be used to accommodate the film crew and keep them separate from the rest of the household, plus the need to provide filming opportunities each week in the garden itself.

I'm sorry if Carol Klein got overlooked - I think she would have been an excellent choice. A good plantswoman, nice voice - a friend says it's like listening to a stream burbling. But alas I suspect the BBC still thinks the lead presenter needs to be a man, for wider audience appeal.

Another TV/ radio personality whose enthusiasm and knowledge I always rate is Bob Flowerdew. He'd be a bit niche for GW lead though - I don't think the nation is yet ready for gardens filled with old freezers repurposed as root veg stores, etc.!