Monty Don, the beloved host of BBC's Gardener's World, has surprised fans by revealing a little-known section of his famous home garden that he deliberately keeps empty for a specific purpose. While Don is renowned for maintaining a spectacular garden, it has evolved into his full-time occupation, serving as the filming site for the programme for 15 years. He has presented Gardener's World since 2003. According to his personal website, Don purchased his present home in 1991 and immediately began transforming the two-acre abandoned field into his horticultural haven.
The Four Main Sections of Monty Don's Garden
The garden comprises four main sections. The Cottage Garden originally functioned as the family's vegetable patch but has since evolved into what Don describes as a 'traditional, but essentially floral, cottage garden'. The Jewel Garden is regarded as the 'physical and spiritual centre' of the entire garden, featuring richly saturated flowers in jewel tones. It serves as a tribute to his wife, Sarah Erskine, a qualified jeweller and architect. The Paradise Garden features four symmetrical beds with a water feature at its centre, drawing inspiration from gardens across the Islamic world. Lastly, the new Vegetable Garden allows Don to cultivate his own vegetables and fruits, enabling his family to eat seasonally throughout the year.
A Calm, Green Space for Balance
While these sections have featured in his work for years, they have become more closely linked with work rather than leisure. To strike a balance, Don revealed he keeps a lesser-known corner of his garden requiring minimal upkeep. In a photograph, a wall covered in foliage adjoins a green door opening to a verdant sanctuary with immaculately clipped hedges forming a rectangular space where the lawn is neatly manicured. A decorative vase stands at the far end, but no other ornaments are present.
"I made this walk/lawn deliberately as a calm, green space to buffer and balance the business of the cottage garden and the intensity of the jewel garden," Don explained.
Fans quickly flooded the comments section with praise. One person wrote, "I love this," while another described it as 'dreamy'. A third remarked, "Ah, it's to 'cleanse the palate' in a way. Just beautiful and so tranquil." Another user added, "The secret garden. And you definitely succeeded!"
