Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don, who turned 70 on July 8, has decided that he will put a stop to a major part of his career after November this year
Monty plans to slow down a little in the coming years(Image: Colin McPherson, Corbis via Getty Images)
Monty Don, the beloved presenter of Gardeners’ World who recently celebrated his 70th birthday, has made some decisions about his future. The well-travelled gardener, known for his adventures to China, Morocco and Cuba in Around the World in 80 Gardens, plans to stay closer to home in the future.
“In April I started filming a new travel series going from the source of the Rhine to the sea,” Monty told The Garden Magazine, “visiting gardens in Italy, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Germany, Holland and France.”
He continued: “I’ve got a couple of gardens that I’m working on for charity and have more talks to do. That will take me through until November. I’ve decided I won’t do any more tours after that.”
Last year, Monty stated he had no immediate plans to leave Gardeners’ World, saying: “I’m now 68, I was going to stop when I was 65. I’ll now go on till I’m 70 and then reconsider.”
“The reason for that is,” he added, “it’s not so much wanting my garden back, although there’s a strong element of that… It’s just that, whilst I’ve still got energy, there are lots of other projects I want to do that mean I can’t be here every week. “
Monty and Sarah have been married since 1983(Image: Colin McPherson, Corbis via Getty Images)
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean retirement, as he will remain busy with the current series of BBC Gardeners’ World until October, and his publishers are expecting another three books from him in the next few years.
This will bring his total number of published books to over 30, a remarkable achievement for the gardening expert, who received a dyslexia diagnosis at nine years of age.
This isn’t the sole obstacle Monty has faced throughout his life. He has also battled depression for many years, disclosing in 2004 at age 49: “There are times, every year, when I am weighed down with depression.”
At one stage, his wife Sarah issued an ultimatum, threatening to leave unless he sought professional assistance. After exploring various treatment options, he discovered his main issue was seasonal affective disorder and found relief through light therapy.
Monty has written over 30 books(Image: Ben Pruchnie, WireImagevia Getty Images)
Spending time in the garden has proved tremendously beneficial, with Monty stating that gardening “heals me better than any medicine.”
However, some health problems cannot be resolved with a day amongst the plants. In 2007, Sarah discovered him collapsed and unconscious, leading to an emergency hospital dash for peritonitis surgery.
The subsequent year brought a mild stroke, despite Monty having dismissed the warning symptoms for considerable time. He had attributed his condition to exhaustion following extensive travel whilst filming the BBC’s Around the World in 80 Gardens.
Given these circumstances, Monty’s choice to reduce his hectic lifestyle seems entirely reasonable.
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