Monty Don.

I admit, on another gardening forum. I perhaps gave the thumbs down to Monty's gardening qualifications. Wowee, the lady followers and admirers bayed my blood.

I hold my hands up and apologise. Since that episode. I have watched on RV, and subsequently purchased some of his DVD's. This man is well educated chap. OK he has no certificates, degree etc in horticulture. On the positive side. He has had a very good education in literature. He really is amongst the best of gardening writers. Follow him through gardens all over the world. There is nothing, pompous about him. He writes and presents his travels. He is great at researching his subject and can comfotably chat with whoever. I have some of his DVD's and in all honesty. I could watch over and over again, his travells and narratives. How say you?

 

I agree with you, I really enjoy his writing as well as his presenting. He makes no claim to any kind of gardening qualifications and readily describes himself as nothing more than an amateur gardener.

 

I'm a huge fan of Monty. Paper qualifications are over rated in my opinion.

 

Are you qualified to make a statement like that?

 

I'm a woman Pete, so yes I'm qualified .

 

I like Monty's side kick Adam Frost too. Not sure what qualifications he's got either, but like Monty he grows plants expertly.

 

Also like Adam Frosts presentation style - as you can see here, as a designer with seven gold medals from the Chelsea flower shows, think he knows enough to teach us a thing or two

Adam Frost: garden and landscape designer, presenter, and speaker

 

Hardly watch any TV gardening as it's simply not specialised enough for what I want to achieve with my own garden nowadays, but I still love Monty's shows about gardens in different countries, particularly the ones in Europe. 'Around The World In 80 Gardens' was one of a few programmes that first got me enthused about Horticulture, the others being Sarah Raven's 'Bees, Butterflies and Blooms', 'Botany: A Blooming History' and 'Hidcote: A Garden For All Seasons'. Monty has presented so many excellent specials which I have watched dozens of times about French, Italian, American Gardens. 'The Secret History Of The British Garden' was another one that was absolutely brilliant!

Nick

 

Which is pretty much the same reason I stopped supporting the RHS.


Yeah, Monty is ok, but as with all TV gardeners now, he does get a bit arty farty.

Jewel garden etc. silly names.

It all looks the same to me, basically an uncontrolled mess, but I like that because it makes me think my mess must look ok.

 

I thought everybody had a Jewel garden ,a Writing garden and a White garden.

 

Can't wait for Monty to be back on TV, why because we know it's spring.
However tough this past 10 months have been, it will be good to feel the Sun on our back

 

I read somewhere Monty had had a stroke. I wish him well.

The TV company's do get it wrong at times. I remember seeing Sarah Raven in a gardening program, turning up with a barrow load of tools, including a pitch fork to repair a very small patch of lawn.