Monty Don was born 8 July 1955 in Iserlohn, West Germany, to British parents Denis Thomas Keiller Don, a career soldier, and Janet Montagu Wyatt. He grew up mainly in Hampshire, England, where he developed an early interest in gardening.

He studied English at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he met his future wife, Sarah Erskine. In the early 1980s the couple started a costume jewellery business, which initially became very successful but collapsed after the 1987 stock market crash, leaving them in financial difficulty.

Don began his television career in 1989 with gardening segments on ITV’s This Morning. His expertise and calm presenting style soon led to further opportunities, including gardening programmes for both the BBC and Channel 4.

In 2003, he became the lead presenter of the BBC series Gardeners’ World, a role that made him one of the UK’s most respected gardening broadcasters. The programme is largely filmed in his own garden, Longmeadow in Herefordshire.

Don lives in Herefordshire with his wife Sarah and continues to write books, host TV programmes, and promote environmentally friendly gardening.