Monty Don

Sarah Don

Jewel Garden

'One of the most thrilling moments on our farm occurred ten years ago when I found a single wild flower growing on a grassy bank. It was not particularly rare - a common spotted orchid - but it was like discovering a pot of gold - or perhaps, more accurately, the promise of gold. It was a sign that recovery was possible from even the most inauspicious situation.' In his new book, Monty Don chronicles a year in his garden at Longmeadow and further afield on his farm. Hibernating hedgehogs, dogs under the table, wrens in the pantry and the occasional owl that flaps into the bedroom: all have a place alongside the yearly cycle of growth and renewal. Each season has something different to delight in - from the primroses and bluebells of spring, to butterflies that colour summer skies and the crowds of migrating swallows that herald the coming of autumn. This book is an ode to the ever-surprising and comforting presence of nature. In exquisitely written prose, reflecting the best of nature writing, this book offers an opportunity to walk alongside Monty and experience the commonplace miracles and rhythms of nature through his eyes.

My Garden World

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ~ NIGEL - One of Britain's favourite dogs! 'CHARMING, AFFECTING AND OFTEN BEAUTIFUL' India Knight When Monty Don's golden retriever Nigel became the surprise star of BBC Gardeners' World inspiring huge interest, fan mail and his own social media accounts, Monty Don wanted to explore what makes us connect with animals quite so deeply. In many respects Nigel is a very ordinary dog; charming, handsome and obedient, as so many are. He is also a much loved family pet. He is also a star. By telling Nigel's story, Monty relates his relationships with the other special dogs in his life in a memoir of his dogs past and very much present. Witty, touching and life-affirming, Nigel: My family and other dogs is wonderfully heart-warming. Monty Don is a great writer coming out of the garden and into the hearts and homes of every dog lover in the UK. 'I have always had a dog, or dogs. I cannot imagine life without them. I am just as much a fan of Nigel as any besotted viewer. In the book I explore why we love dogs and what they mean to us emotionally and domestically. I look back on all the dogs in my life - all of which I have loved deeply and which have been an essential part of my life. So, this is the book of Nigel - but also the book of all our dogs in every British family and a celebration of the deep love we feel for them' Monty Don

my family and other dogs

Nigel

This is not a book about French Gardens. It is the story of a man travelling round France visiting a few selected French gardens on the way. Owners, intrigues, affairs, marriages, feuds, thwarted ambitions and desires, the largely unnamed ordinary gardeners, wars, plots and natural disasters run through every garden older than a generation or two and fill every corner of the grander historical ones. Families marry. Gardeners are poached. Political allegiances forged and shattered. The human trail crosses from garden to garden. They sit in their surrounding landscape, not as isolated islands but attached umbilically to it, sharing the geology, the weather, food, climate, local folklore, accent and cultural identity. Wines must be drunk and food tasted. Recipes found and compared. The perfect tarte-tartin pursued. None of these things can be ignored or separated from the shape and size of parterre, fountain, herbaceous border or pottager. So this is a book filled with stories and information, some of it about French gardens and gardening, but most of it about what makes France unlike anywhere else. From historical gardens like Versailles,Vaux le Vicomte and Courances to the kitchen gardens of the Michelin chef Alain Passard. There are grand potagers like Villandry and La Prieure D'Orsan and allotments and back gardens spotted on the way. Monty celebrates the obvious French associations of food and wine and finds gardens dedicated to vegetables, herbs and fruit. It is a book that any visitor to France, whether gardeners or not, will want to read both as a guide and an inspiration. It is a portal to get under the French cultural skin and to understand the country, in all its huge variety and disparity, a little better.

A French Garden Journey

The Road to Le Tholonet

The Complete Gardener

'If I have learned only one thing from my travels around the world it is that no garden is an island. Context is everything.' From the floating gardens of the Amazon to the alpine flower meadows of Norway, from modest domestic gardens right in the heart of Havana to Monet's world-famous Giverny, Monty Don visits every continent and looks at some of the most beautiful, intriguing or unusual gardens in the world. Whether looking at minimalist gardens in Mexico which, to some, may feel more architecture than garden, or the romantic beauty of a traditional English garden, each one is placed in context. Horticultural preconceptions are abandoned and Monty is constantly surprised by the unexpected locations where gardens thrive. As Monty Don travels around the world, he approaches each garden with the questions: Why do people garden? Is the definition of a garden universal? And what makes each garden special?

Around the World in 80 Gardens

The Simple Way to Tame Your Town Garden

Urban Jungle

As seen on the highly acclaimed BBC2 series Monty Don's Paradise Gardens, a full colour exploration of the astonishing beauty of twenty-nine Islamic paradise gardens from Iran, Turkey, India, England, Spain and Morocco. In the Islamic tradition, a garden with its central elements of water, the scent of fruit trees, and places for rest and reflection, celebrate heaven on earth. Paradise gardens play a central role in everyday life in the Islamic world, yet little is known about them. Monty Don and acclaimed photographer, Derry Moore, set off on a journey to find out more about the principles and immersive delights of paradise gardens and how a very different culture and climate has influenced garden design round the world. Their journey covers twenty-nine gardens from the Real Alcazar and the Alhambra in Spain, and Le Jardin Majorelle in Morocco, to Highgrove and a Mughal garden in Bradford in England. There are some spectacular and rarely seen examples such as Pasargadae and the Maidan in Isfahan, Iran, the birthplace of paradise gardens, as well as the more renowned examples such as Turkey's Topkapi Palace and the Amber Palace and Taj Mahal in India. A glorious celebration of the richness of Islamic culture through some of the most beautiful gardens on earth. 'A garden, green and filled with water is heaven on earth - it is paradise.' Monty Don

The world's most beautiful Islamic gardens

Paradise Gardens

A Sunday Times bestseller Even great gardeners like Monty Don are always learning and always experimenting. The Complete Gardener brings you right up to date on how Monty gardens today. This extensively revised new edition covers what Monty believes are the most important aspects of gardening today. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned gardener, it's time to get your green-fingered hands dirty! A comprehensive gardening guide that no gardener should be without: - An introductory chapter that explains the essentials of organic gardening practice - A structure chapter that shows you how to define space in your garden with hard landscaping and natural options, such as trees, hedges, and topiary - Discover all different types of flowering plants explaining how to design with them, combine, plant, and care for them - How to grow fruits and vegetables with in-depth crop-by-crop explanations and which tried-and-tested varieties to choose from Packed with beautiful illustrations and practical gardening tips, Monty reveals the secrets of growing vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs while respecting the needs of the environment. He covers everything from planning the space and crop rotation to pruning fruit canes and staking peas. Join Monty in his garden at Long Meadow! Over half of the photos included in this updated edition were shot at his renowned personal garden over the course of a year. Discover how he created this beautiful garden, and how you can do the same in your own. Design Your Dream Garden Although organic techniques have always been at the core of his practice, this new edition has a new emphasis on gardening for wildlife and the impact of global warming on the garden. This is a go-to guide for anyone seeking Monty's gardening advice and the perfect gift for any gardener, regardless of their experience or budget.

A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening

Even great gardeners like Monty Don are always learning and always experimenting. This extensively revised new edition of his Complete Gardener, first published in 2003, brings you right up-to-date on how Monty gardens today - and his recommendations for you. The most comprehensive, practical, and highly illustrated ebook Monty has ever written, it covers what he believes are the most important aspects of gardening. Organic techniques have always been at the core of his practice, but this new edition picks up on another key principle: the need to provide habitats in your garden for local wildlife. Over half of the photographs in this new edition will be new, taken over a year in his Long Meadow garden, and he is going through the text with a fine-tooth comb to ensure everything he says reflects his latest approach.

The complement to the BBC2 series, Japanese Gardens: beautifully produced with over 200 original photographs by Derry Moore and written by Monty Don, the duo behind the highly-acclaimed Paradise Gardens. Traditional Japanese gardens combine aesthetics with ethics, beauty with philosophy in a perfectly curated celebration of the natural world. A Japanese garden is the natural world made miniature: rocks represent mountains, ponds represent seas. Natural and man-made elements combine to create a garden that, while natural, is not wild. In this personal and lyrical exploration of both the traditional and the modern aspects of Japanese gardening, Monty Don takes a look at at the traditions and culture which inform some of the most beautiful and famous gardens from all over Japan, from Kenroku-en to the Zen gardens of Tokyo and the historic beauty of Kyoto. Monty Don and Derry Moore travelled to Japan in spring and autumn, and this book guides us through the history and beauty of Japanese gardens in these spectacular seasons - from the famous cherry blossom celebration hanami to the autumnal crimson magnificence of momijigari. Monty Don also explores the creative forms uniquely associated with Japanese gardens, from stonemasonry and ikebana to the intricate skill of bonsai. Stunningly photographed by Derry Moore, Japanese Gardens is a fascinating exploration of a unique relationship with gardens. PRAISE FOR PARADISE GARDENS 'Sun-filled escapism' Country Life 'Simply breathtaking' Love it!

a journey

Japanese Gardens

Lucy I.. Zimmerman

James Priest

Ann Dumas

Heather Lemonedes

"While depictions of gardens are found throughout history, the impressionists were among the first to portray gardens directly from life, focusing on their color and form rather than using them as a background. This volume explores the close, symbiotic relationship between artists and gardens that developed during the latter part of the 19th and first part of the 20th centuries, centering on Monet, a great horticulturalist as well as a great artist who cultivated gardens wherever he lived, and the creation of his masterpiece garden at Giverny, where he painted his renowned water-lilies series. Beautifully illustrated with masterpieces by Monet and later painters--Renoir, Bonnard, Sargent, Klee, Kandinsky, and Matisse, among others--Painting the Modern Garden traces the evolution of the garden theme from impressionist visions of light and atmosphere to retreats for reverie, sites for bold experimentation, sanctuaries, and, ultimately, signifiers of a world restored to order--a paradise regained."--Publisher's description.

Monet to Matisse

Painting the Modern Garden

Based on BBC's television program: Around the world in 80 gardens.

Extraordinary Gardens of the World

In this inspiring, ground - breaking book, Monty Don, one of the UK 's leading gardeners, breathes new life into every aspect of gardening. Drawing directly on the experience gained from his own organic garden, Monty champions the sustainable approach and explains how to grow healthy plants and harvest delicious garden produce while respecting the needs of the environment. Good garden design is also emphasised with expert advice on structure and shape, as well as how to use colour and texture in the flower garden. The book is illustrated with extraordinarily beautiful photographs that take the reader through a full year in Monty's garden. Step - by - step practical sequences and stimulating text combine in this very personal account of his gardening successes and failures.

The Organic Gardener

Accompanied by photographs illustrating a year in their kitchen and garden, the authors offer instructions on cultivating and cooking a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

Growing, Cooking, and Eating Your Own Food

From the Garden to the Table

Monty Don offers his keen observations and trenchant opinions on gardening in 48 delightful essays.

Gardening Mad

The sight of a colourful border or the scent of a rose may excite the senses and provide the elusive "feelgood factor". In this text, journalist and broadcaster Don shows how to exploit the sensuous qualities of your garden to the full. Each sense is examined in turn, with an explanation of how it works and how the messages we receive from the garden affect our moods and emotions. He takes a sensuous journey through every part of the garden, from the soil itself, through plants and garden wildlife, to walls and surfaces and features such as pools and pergolas. The journey reveals how each season brings its own distinct sensations, from the fresh smells and colours of spring to the cold, stark beauty of winter. The descriptions of sensory experiences are accompanied by practical guidance for creating your own sensuous garden, with ideas for planning and design. Photographs bring the sights, scents, tastes and sounds of the sensuous garden to life, and a directory describes the characteristics and needs of 200 of the best plants for stimulating the senses.

The Sensuous Garden

Monty Don's incredible journey searching for the world's 80 most inspirational gardens.

Montagu Don

With more than 300 recipes, arranged by meal times (Breakfast, Elevenses, Lunch, Tea, Supper), The Home Cookbook is a celebration of British domestic cooking as it has evolved over the centuries and still exists - especially in the countryside. The food that Monty and Sarah Don eat at home at Ivington is more in the tradition of the Women's Institute than the celebrity chefs. They try to eat food that is as local as possible (often harvested from the back garden) and has a good story. Their book is full of things that you really want to eat - roasts and warming puddings for the winter, the most delicious salads and lightest fools for the summer; recipes that use timeless, thrifty farmhouse techniques such as baking, stewing, braising, salting, pickling, bottling and freezing. In short: good, honest home cooking. Monty Don is a national treasure, and was the much loved presenter of BBC Gardeners' World for five years.

Monty Don

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