Gardeners’ World icon Monty Don has admitted that he sometimes finds the show’s schedule “overwhelming”, particularly as he gets older. Speaking on the Gardeners’ World Magazine podcast, the 69 year old gardening expert confessed: “I often feel overwhelmed by what needs to be done.”
He explained that once filming commences in February, the demands of BBC show Gardeners’ World are unrelenting: “Once we get into February, which encourages a lot of jobs to be ticked off and it’s flooded or it’s snowy – the weather is not always easy – but that business continues for us.
“Right through till December, we’re always busy here. There are no downtimes, because of Gardeners World.”
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Monty emphasised the importance of finding time to relax and recharge, suggesting that a period of hibernation during the depths of winter is essential, reports the Express.
He added: “The Finns, who are famous for being the most melancholy nation in the world, because they have so much winter, dark purple winter in the month of October, descend into a kind of low level of hibernation, where they speak a bit less, they become a bit more gloomy.
“They close down, and not necessarily in a good way. In other words, it’s not a romantic thing, but in doing so, that enables them to deal with it. And I think we all do that.”
Monty also revealed his own struggles with the final months of each year, continuing: “I find November and December dreadful. Maybe that’s why I love January and February so much.
“The rhythms of nature are not just spring, summer, and so on. And so they’re much more subtle than that, and they more varied.
“Trees have a rhythm, you know, bulbs have a rhythm. Roses have a rhythm. Every plant has its own rhythm.
“It goes through. And the more aware of that you are the most sensitive you are to that, the more you connect with the natural world and you realise how incredibly complex and beautiful it is and that’s available to you.
“You don’t need a degree in botany or biology or animal behaviour.”
Reflecting on his work with Gardeners’ World, Monty acknowledges the show’s impact on his routine. He said: “The easiest things for me are filming days, because whatever is done is done well.
“We’re making the program rather than constantly planning ahead and trying to do things that will come good in the future. But I now think, because I’m so old, that I worry less about that… I mean, I now accept failure.”