Main content

Sue Lawley's castaway is horticulturalist and broadcaster Monty Don.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the gardener and broadcaster, Monty Don. Three years ago Monty Don became the nation's most high-profile gardener when he took over from Alan Titchmarsh as the lead presenter of Gardener's World. Entirely self-taught, he has been gardening since he was a child - but it was not until he was in his late thirties that he found he could make his great passion become his vocation.

His first career ended disastrously; he and his wife Sarah set up a jewellery business together and during the 1980s they prospered; they had shops and offices in Knightsbridge and counted singers and film stars among their clients. But when the slump came they lost everything - the business, their jobs and their home.

Monty suffered years of depression that left him barely able to function. It was by chance that he was offered some stints presenting gardening slots on television. He never looked back - he says there hasn't been a day since when he's not been working and he's become a successful gardening columnist, broadcaster and author.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: A Hard Day's Night by The Beatles
Book: Collected Poems of Henry Vaughan
Luxury: Hendrickje Bathing by Rembrandt

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 14 Jul 2006 09:00
成人快手 Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Lord Browne

Next

Ian Rankin

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Bob Dylan

    Nobody 'cept You

    • The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3.
    • Columbia.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • The Beatles

      A Hard Day's Night

      • The Beatles/1962-1966.
      • Apple.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No. 22 in E flat major 'Philosopher' - 1st movement

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle

    • Haydn: Symphonies Nos 22, 86 & 102.
    • EMI.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    St Matthew Passion - Kommt, Ihr T枚chter

    Choir: Choir of King's College, Cambridge Conductor: Stephen Cleobury

    • Bach: St Matthew Passion.
    • Vanguard.

  • Leonard Cohen

    Anthem

    • Leonard Cohen: More Best of.
    • Columbia.

  • The Libertines

    The Man Who Would Be King

    • The Libertines.
    • Rough Trade.

  • Nick Drake

    Road

    • Heaven In a Wild Flower.
    • Island.

  • Son House

    John The Revelator

    • Death Letter.
    • EDSEL.

  • Book Choice

    • Collected Poems of Henry Vaughan - Henry Vaughan

  • Luxury Choice

    • Hendrickje Bathing by Rembrandt

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Monty Don

Broadcasts

  • Sun 9 Jul 2006 11:15
    成人快手 Radio 4
  • Fri 14 Jul 2006 09:00
    成人快手 Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast