Garden guru Monty's celebration of the natural world

Gardening writer and broadcaster Monty Don shares his love of nature in his new book, My Garden World. Rachel Banham takes a look.

- Rachel Banham

IT IS A CELEBRATION of the natural world and a journal through which the writer’s interest in nature shines through.

And, in such an unprecedented year when many of us have found ourselves developing a deeper appreciation of the natural world, it seems that Monty Don’s latest book has been published at just the right time.

My Garden World, by Monty, known to millions of viewers as the presenter of the BBC Television series Gardeners’ World, is proof that we need not jet off to foreign climes to appreciate the wonder of nature. It is right here on our doorstep.

Monty says: “From a very early age I loved the countryside as much as any garden and was fascinated by the life that I saw all around me from trees, wildflowers, birds, insects and mammals.

“In a sense this book has been more than 60 years in gestation. I have kept notebooks and journals ever since I could write and I have drawn upon these as well as the events of the past year.”

Monty divides his observations into a monthby-month format, starting in January and ending in December, explaining that using the calendar months fits in with the rhythm of his gardening year.