BBC Gardeners' World Monty Don's off-screen life from former business to family tragedy

Monty Don, the beloved presenter of Gardeners' World, has been a staple on our television screens for many years.

The 69-year-old has been at the helm of Gardeners' World since 2003, delighting millions with his expert gardening advice from his stunning garden.

Before becoming a household name in horticulture, Monty had a different career path which was abruptly altered due to tragic circumstances.

He attributes his survival and career revival to nature and gardening, leading him to become a highly regarded gardening presenter. In addition to Gardeners' World, he has presented shows such as Monty Don's Paradise Gardens, Chelsea Flower Show coverage, Around the World in 80 Gardens and Big Dreams, Small Spaces.

Despite hosting numerous TV shows alongside his lovable dogs, Monty has battled various health issues. But what more do we know about his life away from the camera?

Early life of Monty Don and former career

Monty was born in Iserlohn, West Germany but spent his childhood in Hampshire, attending several schools.

Monty was originally named George Montagu Don at birth in Germany where his father served as a soldier. Due to a family disagreement, his name was changed on the birth certificate and became Montagu Denis Don.

He tweaked his name again when he turned 10, including his mother's maiden name to give him the name Montagu Denis Wyatt Don

While studying English at Magdalene College, he met his future wife Sarah Erskine. Monty experienced an "intense attraction" to Sarah from the beginning and was disheartened to discover she was already married.

Monty and his wife Sarah were once the proud owners of Monty Don Jewellery, a chic jewellery store that was a hit with the fashion crowd. Their costume jewellery pieces were the talk of the town and could be found in prestigious shops like Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and Liberty, not to mention being featured in Vogue.

However, their world turned upside down following the Wall Street crash in 1987, leading to a complete financial collapse. In their 2004 autobiography 'The Jewel Garden', Monty shared their harrowing experience, saying they felt "like lambs to the slaughter" as they faced bankruptcy, forcing them to sell "every stick of furniture" at Leominster Market.

Sarah recalled the dire times, noting: "A bad situation got worse every day. The banks wanted their money and started to bounce our cheques whilst simultaneously adding their charges - and interest on them - to the tally.

"Of course, it could not go on. Something had to give. As it turned out, that something proved to be our shop, our business, our savings, our furniture - and our home."

Despite these setbacks, Monty Don carved out a new path for himself in journalism, penning a gardening column for the Mail on Sunday, securing a book deal, and featuring in a weekly live gardening segment on This Morning.

Monty's career in television blossomed as he went on to present shows such as Holiday and Tomorrow's World, and later became the face of Channel 4 programmes including Real Gardens, Lost Gardens, and Don Roaming.

His blossoming TV career led to him being invited to replace Alan Titchmarsh on BBC's popular Gardeners' World in 2003.

Family emergency with twin sister

Monty's twin sister, Alison, almost died when she was 19. She was involved in a car crash that left her blind and broke her neck.

Monty shared the story of Alison's accident with The Times in September 2020. He explained: "She made what was deemed a miraculous recovery and got the use of one eye back, after endless operations."

He added: "[She also regained the use of] one hand, and could walk with a stick. [She] went on to get married and have children."

Monty Don's battle with "unhealable depression" and health challenges

The beloved gardening expert has faced his fair share of personal battles, including a severe bout of depression and health scares.

The Gardeners' World host opened up about his struggles with "unhealable depression" in his 20s following the bankruptcy of his jewellery business and ensuing financial woes.

The impact on Monty's mental health was profound, with his wife Sarah becoming increasingly concerned for their children as they began to question, "Why is daddy always crying? ".

Now 69, Monty has been candid about how gardening has been therapeutic for him, helping to alleviate his symptoms. He also suffers from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which he discussed on Kate Thornton's White Wine Question Time podcast, saying, "I was long ago diagnosed with SAD there's no question about it, that November and December are always the worst time for me I can't bear them."

In 2008, Monty suffered a minor stroke which caused him to take time away from Gardener's World and put his media career on hold.

More recently, Monty had to cancel appearances due to an unspecified illness that resulted in a three-day hospital stay.

"I was rushed to A&E. I was kept in at the hospital over Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and had to have drips and all the rest of it," he shared online.

How Monty Don met his wife

Monty Don tied the knot with trained jeweller and architect Sarah Erskine back in 1983. The couple, who share three children - Adam, Freya and Tom, first crossed paths at Cambridge University while Sarah's first husband was away on a lengthy field trip.

Monty recalls how they would enjoy each other's company "in a completely platonic innocent way" initially, but as time passed, their feelings evolved, leading to a complex situation.

In an intimate chat on White Wine Question Time podcast, Monty admitted it was "complicated". He felt a strong pull towards Sarah upon meeting her stating, "I don't think it was love at first sight. I think it was intense attraction at first sight."

His connection with Sarah's then-husband also weighed on him, as Monty mentioned, "Her husband was someone that I rode with and knew very well, and that was the case for about six months where I'd meet them socially.

"I remember thinking in a sort of quite banal way, 'How come that she met him before she met me? Why's the person that you feel strongly attracted to with somebody else? Marriage or not'. It never crossed my mind that it could be anything else. It wasn't like I was trying to pinch someone else's wife - there was no question of that."

Monty Don shares his Longmeadow home with his wife Sarah Erskine and their two dogs, Ned the Golden Retriever and Patti the Yorkshire terrier, who occasionally make appearances on Gardeners' World.

Inside Monty Don's stunning home

Monty Don resides with his wife Sarah Erskine in the quaint village of Ivington, Herefordshire, merely a five-minute drive from the charming market town of Leominster. Their home, Longmeadow, has been beautifully transformed since Monty purchased it in 1991.

Initially, the two-acre garden was an overgrown field filled with grass, nettles, and brambles.

The house itself was a "ruin" when Monty bought it, lacking a roof, electricity, running water, and toilets. Monty and Sarah dedicated 10 years to painstakingly restoring the property.

In an interview on The Travel Diaries podcast, Monty revealed that they acquired the property after their costume jewellery business failed during the 1987 stock market crash.

He recounted, "We went and lived in a spare bedroom in my parents-in-law's house with all the children. Then my mother died and left me a little bit of money to put down a deposit on this ruined farmhouse."

After searching for a suitable home and viewing 62 houses, they decided on Longmeadow, despite it being a ruin, to accommodate their three children and dogs.

Today, Longmeadow boasts an impressive greenhouse where Monty cultivates crops and flowers, as well as a vegetable patch, The Cottage Garden, The Jewel Garden, and The Paradise Garden. Monty and Sarah share their home with their two dogs, Ned the Golden Retriever and Patti the Yorkshire terrier, who occasionally appear on Gardeners' World.

The Tudor-style home boasts four bedrooms, a cosy sitting room, kitchen and an impressive 10 workrooms and studios. The property also features a charming wooden summerhouse, complete with a table and chairs set and a small heater.

Since 2011, Longmeadow has been the main filming location for the popular show, Gardeners' World.