An Audience with Monty Don

A friend and I  went to An Audience with Monty Don at Malvern Theatre yesterday (01/11/24).  My sister had managed to book tickets over a year ago as a Christmas present.  It was an excellent event and worth the wait.  Monty Don (for those overseas) is the BBC’s  Gardeners' World presenter and a writer – on both gardening and travel.  Monty has been the lead presenter of GW since 2003 and since 2011 the programme has come from his own garden, Longmeadow, in Herefordshire – which is a short 25 miles (40km) distance drive away from Malvern, so a good venue to test the reception with a local audience. 

During the talk Monty Don shared “his passion for gardens and the unique role they play in human inspiration and wellbeing”. 

As my friend said, Monty’s approach was “engaging” with a balance of fun and levity as well as serious observations.  It was not a lecture on gardening per se but more about life, love and the universe! As the website says “a timely and thought-provoking celebration of the ever-surprising and comforting presence of nature”.  The Malvern talk was the first in a run of 24 shows (see Talks & Events).

It was also an opportunity to promote the new book Spanish Gardens by Monty Don and Derry Moore which is published next week by Ebury Publishing on November 7th 2024.
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“For over a decade, Monty has travelled the world, using gardens and green spaces to get under the skin of our most beloved cities and countries. Many of his destinations were well-known to him. For his latest journey, though, he explored Spain as a relative newcomer - and he kept a detailed record of his travels.

Starting in Madrid and working his way north through the verdant gardens of Galicia, the Basque country and Barcelona, Monty then heads south to the rugged tropical climes of Mallorca, Alicante, Andalucia, Malaga, and Seville. It's a chance for him to explore how Spain has evolved from the darker days after the civil war to its successful transition to democracy over fifty years ago, tracing those changes through its gardens - from the more conventional gardens created after the war to the rich and inventive approaches of contemporary designers.  Accompanied by Derry Moore's stunning photography, Spanish Gardens is a remarkable and personal journey through one of the most popular country destinations on earth”.

The BBC Gardener’s World audience  is also very much taken by the dogs that accompany Monty and his team on the programme – particularly a [now deceased] golden retriever called Nigel.  Every time his name was mentioned the audience ooh-ed and ahh-ed with enthusiasm. See: Longmeadow Dogs

Talking about the various Longmeadow dogs - Nigel, Nellie, Ned and Pattie – was an easy segue to comment upon next year’s Chelsea Flower Show – which will feature the first garden at the RHS show to be designed by Monty Don, along with award winning gardener, plantsman, nursery owner and new GW presenter, Jamie Butterworth and supported by BBC Radio 2’s Jo Whiley.

On the RHS website, Clare Matterson, RHS Director General is quoted saying:

“Along with RHS Ambassador and fellow plantsman Jamie Butterworth, whose dog, Hector won lots of fans at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival last year, Monty will create a garden both for dogs– with a lawn for rolling and playing, but also, about dogs – with an area exploring some of the less dog-friendly plants to avoid.  Her Majesty the Queen’s adopted Jack Russell Terriers, Beth and Bluebell, will also feature in the garden, their names inscribed on the garden path, along with beloved pets of RHS Ambassadors and Radio 2 presenters”.
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RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from 20-24 May 2025

​The RHS and Radio 2 Dog Garden, William Nathan, Form Plants Ltd