Jamie Butterworth, who designed a plot with Monty Don at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, says he was inspired to take up gardening after watching Gardeners’ World
Jamie Butterworth, who worked with Monty Don at the Chelsea Flower Show, joked there is one thing he didn’t want the star to know(Image: PA)
A gardening expert seen as Monty Don’s protege says there is one thing he didn’t want the Gardeners’ World star to know. Jamie Butterworth won gold at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022.
Earlier this year he was given the chance of a lifetime, creating a garden with his idol Monty. Originally Jamie says he turned down the chance to do a feature garden at the popular show.
But after being told beloved horticulturalist Monty was involved, along with Queen Camilla and BBC Radio 2 star Jo Whiley, he knew he couldn’t turn it down. “Well, what else was I supposed to do,” he joked to The Times.
He says working with Monty on the RHS and BBC Dog Garden turned out to be “one of the best experiences of his life”. At nine years old Jamie says he was inspired by Monty and bought 1,000 cornflower seeds aiming to sell them at £1 each.
He said: “I thought it looked quite fun. It didn’t work, embarrassingly. Don’t tell Monty.”
Jamie Butterworth designed a garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show with Monty Don
The initial setback however didn’t deter Jamie and aged just 16 he was a finalist on BBC Three’s Young Gardener of the Year. He later went on to train at RHS Garden Wisley.
Jamie has now set up his own business, Form Plants, which started as a shipping container on an industrial estate. He eventually found himself having to move into larger premises as his business expanded.
He has now built up a celebrity fanbase with “luxury brands” and the likes of Nigel Slater and Tony Blair visiting his nursery. Jamie says gardening is the “greatest leveller” and is a firm believer that “anyone can garden” whatever their background.
Among his high-profile clients are King Charles, who after being introduced to Jamie at the Chelsea Flower Show replied “I know Jamie,” before reminding him that he had a delivery due in the coming days. While many would be nervous about working for the King, Jamie says it was working with Monty that he was “really worried about”.
Monty with his dog Ned in the RHS and Radio 2 Dog Garden(Image: Ben Montgomery, Getty Images)
He says he was initially concerned that the BBC presenter would get the plaudits while sitting back and letting Jamie do the graft. But says Monty “got really stuck in” when it came to planting the garden.
“They say you shouldn’t meet your hero, but if your hero is Monty Don, I cannot recommend it enough,” Jamie added.
As well as working on the garden with Monty, Jamie presented BBC coverage of the competition. He made his first appearance on Gardeners’ World in 2023 and now regularly contributes to Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh.
Jamie also regularly appears on BBC Radio London and Talk Radio discussing gardening. He once described being part of the coverage for the Chelsea Flower Show as a “life ambition”.
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