Monty Don: Life, Career, Garden and Everything Fans Want to Know

3 6 minutes read

Monty Don is one of the most recognisable faces in British gardening — the warm, knowledgeable presenter who has spent over two decades inviting the nation into his own back garden. Best known as the lead presenter of Gardeners’ World, Monty has built a career that spans television, writing, and horticulture, all while remaining refreshingly down to earth. This guide covers everything from his age and family to his health, his garden, and even his best tips for propagating plants.

Quick Facts About Monty Don

Detail	Information
Full name	Montagu Denis Wyatt Don OBE
Born	8 July 1955, Iserlohn, West Germany
How old is Monty Don	70 years old (as of 2026)
Wife	Sarah Erskine (married 1983)
Children	Three — Adam, Freya, and Tom
Known for	Gardeners’ World lead presenter since 2003
Home	Longmeadow, Herefordshire
Education	Magdalene College, Cambridge
Honours	OBE, VMH (Victoria Medal of Honour)

How Old Is Monty Don?

Monty Don was born on 8 July 1955, which makes him 70 years old. His age often surprises fans, since he still presents Gardeners’ World with the same energy and enthusiasm he’s shown for over 20 years on the programme.

Is Monty Don Married? Meet Monty Don Wife

Yes — Monty Don is married. He met Sarah Erskine while both were students at Cambridge, and the couple married in 1983. Monty Don wife has been a constant presence throughout his career, from co-founding a costume jewellery business with him in the 1980s to co-writing gardening books together after that venture folded following the 1987 stock market crash. While Monty’s exact age is well documented, how old Monty Don wife is has never been officially confirmed publicly, so it’s best treated as private information rather than guesswork.

Monty Don’s Children

Monty and Sarah have three children together: sons Adam and Tom, and daughter Freya. The family has largely kept the children’s lives out of the spotlight, which is very much in keeping with how private the Don family tends to be about matters beyond the garden and the television screen. Adam’s wedding in July 2020 — which happened to fall on the same day as Monty and Sarah’s own wedding anniversary — is one of the few family milestones that has been publicly confirmed. Reports of a Monty Don daughter wedding have circulated online, but there is no verified, on-record detail from Monty or his family confirming when or how this took place, so any specifics currently online should be treated as speculation rather than fact.

Where Does Monty Don Live?

Monty Don lives at Longmeadow, his home and garden in Herefordshire, England. It’s here that most of Gardeners’ World is filmed, and it’s the garden that fans have watched evolve, season by season, for years. So if anyone’s wondering where Monty Don is most days, the honest answer is: probably in his own garden.

Monty Don’s Garden: Longmeadow

Longmeadow is more than just a filming location — it’s Monty’s life’s work. The garden includes several distinct areas, each with its own character, from more formal, colour-rich planting schemes to relaxed, cottage-style borders. Monty Don’s garden has become something of a character in its own right on Gardeners’ World, with viewers following its changes through the seasons for over a decade.

Monty Don and Gardeners’ World

Monty Don became the lead presenter of Gardeners’ World in 2003, taking over from Alan Titchmarsh. What makes his role on the show particularly notable is that he’s entirely self-taught — he never trained formally in horticulture, making him the first self-taught presenter to front the programme. Gardeners’ World with Monty Don at the helm has become appointment viewing for millions, blending practical advice with his own reflective, thoughtful style of presenting.

Is Monty Don Leaving Gardeners’ World?

This is one of the most-asked questions about him, and it’s a fair one. Monty has spoken publicly about wanting to eventually step back from the show to focus on documentaries and writing, saying in a 2023 interview that he expected to leave within roughly five years. As of now, has Monty Don left Gardeners’ World? No — he continues to present the show, and negotiations around his ongoing involvement have reportedly been underway. So while a future departure has been discussed, nothing final has been confirmed, and fans can still catch him fronting new episodes.

Is Monty Don Ill? His Health Journey

Monty has been openly honest about his health over the years, which fans have appreciated. In 2008, he suffered a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), sometimes called a mini-stroke, and stepped back from Gardeners’ World to recover before returning in 2011. More recently, he’s spoken about needing a knee replacement after years of filming took a toll on his mobility, and he’s discussed a second procedure being on the horizon. He has also been candid about living with depression and seasonal affective disorder, particularly during the winter months. So while there have been genuine health challenges along the way, Monty Don continues to work, film, and tour regularly.

Monty Don’s Dogs

No feature on Monty Don would be complete without mentioning his dogs. Monty Don’s dogs have become beloved fixtures on Gardeners’ World, often trotting alongside him through Longmeadow. His golden retrievers, including the much-loved Nigel, have built their own fan followings, and Monty has even written a bestselling book, Nigel: My Family and Other Dogs, dedicated to his four-legged companions.

Monty Don’s Net Worth

Public estimates of Monty Don’s net worth vary enormously — anywhere from roughly £1 million to considerably higher figures, depending on the source. None of these estimates come from an official or verified source, so it’s difficult to say with confidence how much Monty Don is worth. What can be said reliably is that his income comes from a combination of his BBC salary, book royalties from his many gardening titles, and his live theatre tour, rather than any single windfall.

Monty Don’s Tour

Away from the screen, Monty has been touring the UK with a live theatre show. His current production, Monty Don: A Journey Through British Gardens, ties in with his book and BBC series of the same theme, taking audiences through the gardens and landscapes that shape British identity — from Scotland to Cornwall. The Monty Don tour for 2026 includes dates at venues such as the Edinburgh Playhouse and the Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, with more shows added through the year. It’s a warm, story-driven evening built around his decades of garden-hopping around the world and, now, closer to home.

How Tall Is Monty Don?

Monty Don’s exact height isn’t something he’s ever confirmed publicly, and online sources vary so wildly — from under 5’5″ to 6 feet — that none of them can be considered reliable. Until an official figure is confirmed, this is best left as an open question rather than stated as fact.

Monty Don’s Gardening Tips: Taking Cuttings

One of the reasons Monty Don remains so trusted is his practical, hands-on advice — and few topics come up more than propagation.

How to Take Geranium Cuttings the Monty Don Way

Monty recommends choosing a healthy, non-flowering shoot from the parent plant, ideally in the morning when the plant is full of moisture. Cut just above a leaf joint, aiming for a short, sturdy cutting rather than a long, floppy one — squat, fat stems root more reliably than long ones. Strip the lower leaves, leaving just a little foliage at the top, and pot the cutting into a gritty, free-draining compost. Several cuttings can go around the edge of the same pot.

How to Take Hydrangea Cuttings the Monty Don Way

The same core method applies for hydrangeas, though timing matters more here — semi-ripe cuttings taken in late summer tend to root best. Select a healthy, non-flowering stem, strip away the lower leaves and any side shoots, and trim the base cleanly with a sharp knife or secateurs. As with geraniums, a gritty or sandy compost mix gives roots the drainage they need, and keeping cuttings out of direct, drying sun in the first few weeks improves success rates.