Jo Whiley has revealed her surprise at the true scale of Monty Don's famous Longmeadow garden, admitting it is much smaller in person than it appears on television. The BBC Radio 2 presenter received a personal tour of the Herefordshire garden, which is regularly featured on Gardeners' World, and was struck by the difference.
Speaking on her Dig It podcast, Whiley said: "I saw Monty's garden. I got a personal tour. It's a lot smaller in the flesh than it appears on television, as with all things." She added that the garden is "beautiful obviously. It's wild and rugged and beautiful and Monty was a great, great host."
Longmeadow is divided into four distinct sections: The Cottage Garden, The Jewel Garden, The Paradise Garden and The Vegetable Garden. Monty explained that the Cottage Garden started as a conventional kitchen garden but evolved into a floral space dominated by over 50 old-fashioned shrub roses in summer. The Jewel Garden, which Whiley described as "renowned", features plants with jewel-like or metallic qualities, giving what Monty calls a "brash, extravagant and high maintenance" effect.
The Paradise Garden is based on a Koranic principle with four symmetrical beds around a central water feature, while the Vegetable Garden supplies fresh crops for the kitchen. Whiley's tour came as part of her podcast with Zoe Ball, and the pair have been meeting various idols over the past six months.
Gardeners' World returns tonight (Friday, January 9) at 8pm on BBC Two.
