Gardeners

Gardeners’ World star Monty Don has made a surprising admission after leaving the UK on a Rhine trip

Monty Don, the beloved horticulturist and lead presenter of Gardeners’ World , has revealed an “interesting” insight after leaving the UK to explore gardens along the Rhine.

The 70-year-old broadcaster recently embarked on a journey from the river’s source in the Swiss Alps down to the North Sea, documenting his discoveries in a new three-part BBC Two series that begins this evening, January 16.

Don’s expedition was not just about plants, far from it. “People are always more interesting than plants,” he told The Times, reflecting on the human stories behind the gardens he encountered. The Gardeners’ World favourite explained that his trip has been more of a cultural exploration than a horticultural one.

While he hasn’t necessarily learned anything new about plants, he has uncovered fascinating insights into the communities who cultivate them. The presenter noted that the Swiss, Germans, and Dutch, while sharing a love of greenery comparable to Britain’s, approach their gardens in very different ways.

“The Swiss are irresistibly drawn to tidiness and neatness. The Germans garden very enthusiastically but they do so as if it’s a job, in the same way as they will clean their houses or look after their cars,” he observed. Even the seemingly freewheeling Dutch are methodical and disciplined. “They’re incredibly methodical and organised,” he added.

Despite this orderliness, Don emphasises that these nations’ green spaces are far from dull or conformist. Across Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands, pioneering schemes have transformed both private gardens and public parks, sometimes reshaping entire communities in the process.

Often, he explains, these initiatives begin with a single passionate individual or a group of committed residents. “In the end, government is never going to do these things — it always has to come from an individual or a few individuals with passion and with knowledge, and they get the ball rolling.”

One striking example came from the village of Osterfingen, where Don was impressed less by the plants themselves than by the way the villagers had transformed their community through gardening. “It is about how gardens can change people’s lives. That’s the point,” he said, summarising the broader theme of his Rhine adventure.

Don’s own life has long been intertwined with gardens, but his professional career extends beyond the boundaries of his own back garden. Since becoming the lead presenter on Gardeners’ World , he has inspired generations of viewers with practical gardening advice, creative planting schemes, and an infectious enthusiasm for nature.

Away from the studio, Monty is a devoted family man, having married his wife Sarah in 1983, and the couple are often spotted with their dogs at their home in Herefordshire. They have three children — Adam, Tom, and Freya — and Monty has frequently spoken about the importance of balancing work and family life, though he rarely misses an opportunity to explore the world with a green-fingered lens.

The new series promises to showcase the diversity of gardens along one of Europe’s most iconic rivers while celebrating the human passion that makes them flourish. For Don, it is the stories of the people behind the plants that leave the most lasting impression.

“People are always more interesting than plants,” he concludes, reminding viewers that gardening is as much about community, creativity, and culture as it is about soil and seeds.