What did you miss?
Monty Don has revealed that his beloved dog Ned will be reunited with his mum at Chelsea Flower Show.
The horticulturist and broadcaster is creating a special garden for dogs at this year’s event, complete with pathways through the plants and balls for the dogs to play with.
As he appeared on The One Show, Don shared that there was also going to be a special surprise for his Golden Retriever Ned, who often appears on his television series Gardeners’ World, as he would get to see his mother and sister again.
What, how and why?
Don was on the BBC show on Thursday, 15 May and told hosts Alex Jones and Roman Kemp how he had come up with a garden where dogs could play. “It’s got to have life and just be lived and that’s what it is,” he said.
“I think the simplicity is in the idea. It’s that it’s a garden with people who love gardens and who love dogs. That’s the story and there is nothing else to it.”
However, the TV star admitted: “Making it is about the most complex thing I have ever done in my life!”
He added that there would be a treat for his own dog, explaining: “Ned’s mother and sister, who he has never seen since I took him away at eight weeks, are also going to be there.”
“Oh, what a moment!” Kemp exclaimed. “Now that’s the moment!” Jones agreed.
What else did Monty Don say on The One Show?
Jones also asked Don why it had taken so long for him to design a garden at Chelsea and he joked: “Because I stayed sensible for so many years. When I said I would never do it, I really meant it, because you are on a hiding to nothing really.
Read more: Monty Don
“But it was only because the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) asked me whether I would be interested in doing a garden featuring dogs and I quite like dogs, I love dogs, I always have.
Monty Don on The One Show. (BBC screengrab)
“And I did see in Spain a garden where someone had brilliantly made a garden for dogs… I was fascinated by that… and it was going to Battersea Dogs Home so I thought that was really interesting. I slept on it for a few days and I just thought, you always regret what you don’t do.”
“I love a project, I love gardens, I love a challenge,” Don added. “I have to say, I have hardly ever been so tired in my life as I am now!”
The One Show airs at 7pm on BBC One on weekdays.
Chelsea Flower Show takes place from May 20 to 24 this year.