Monty Don is retiring from Gardeners’ World

Toby Buckland did present GW for a while but didn’t go down well. A pleasant enough man but lacked any charisma.

I will miss Monty. Late DH called him Big Chief Grey Pants. So that's how he was known here.

Not sure if Adam F will fit the role. For some reason Frances annoys me. Also Toby Buckland.

Well will just have ro wait and see.
I like the viewers' gardens slots so hope we have plenty of them.

Nobody can beat Alan Titchmarsh in my book - best ever TV gardener.

GrannyGravy13

I like Monty Don, will miss him.

Me too, Monty was a good egg & totally genuine; I feel.
I shall miss him but not the programme itself , which had irritatingly gone-up its own bottom of late! Alas

Monty is now going to advertise Balance sneakers. That hopefully will pay for the gardeners he has to employ at Longmeadow.

Yes honey rose watching GW last night I reckon Adam Frost is setting up to take over from Monty. He originally trained with Geoff Hamilton ar Barnsdale and has moved into a house where he is making a garden as per last night’s programme.

I’m not overly-keen on Adam Frost as he’s a bit too keen and slightly irritating. I did have a wry smile a few weeks ago and Adam was the presenter that week, when Adam’s dog was following him around the garden and Adam was talking to the dog, Monty Don style. Was Adam trying to emulate Monty ready to fill his gardening shoes?!

I think Gardeners World does show us how and when to do specific tasks.

We rarely watch Beechgrove so can't really compare.

Mind you I do like seeing Monty’s dogs 🥰

I only have a yard and pots …a lot of pots 😄 but I have learned so much from Beechgrove over the past few years.

Of course there’s room for both ( and more!) programmes on gardening.
The size of the plots on the programmes is neither here nor there, Casdon ‘got’ the difference between them.
Tho I would say there’s beauty as well in Beechgrove but they concentrate on what I view as most gardeners like, the more hands on aspects.

There is room for both programmes. Beechgrove is for hands on gardeners, who want to learn how to do specific tasks, whereas Gradeners World is for the dreamers who aspire to beauty in a garden.

It's larger than Longmeadow!

I suppose Monty can't get down to earth so easily now if he has knee problems. You're not allowed to kneel after a knee replacement.

It’s very down to earth (geddit?😁) and more for the normal gardener with a small garden and full of helpful tips.The presenters are all calm and pleasant.

Beechgrove Garden is two and a half acres. That’s hardly small. 😂

I really prefer the Scottish gardening programme, Beechgrove.
It’s very down to earth (geddit?😁) and more for the normal gardener with a small garden and full of helpful tips.The presenters are all calm and pleasant.

I shall be sorry to see him step down. Monty Don is my type of gardener and my type of person I think.

eddiecat78

Thank goodness! Hope they get someone more down to earth to replace him who doesn't grow veg on an industrial scale and who has flower beds, not "Jewel Gardens" etc al.

Before Monty Don became a gardener he was a highly successful jeweller and ran a costume jewellery business with his wife; some of his designs were worn by famous celebrities and royalty.

Perhaps the Jewel Garden is a nod to that?

I rather like the idea of a Jewel Garden, flowers are nature's jewels. My attempts have never been very successful however.

Yes, it’s sad to see Monty leaving, and I will miss his calm, quiet approach. However, I do like Adam, and, if he wants the job, I think he will make a good helmsman. I like Frances, too. Perhaps they will share. To be honest, the last few years there has been an element of turn taking, so we’ll just have to see what direction the format takes from here on. I just hope it continues and doesn’t get shelved.

midgey

They might go for Frances Tophill, younger and female….very on trend!

I like Frances too; she's developing into a very good presenter .

She doesn't intrude her personality; the plants and gardens come first.

Can't stand Adam F. Too much Adaming.

I will miss Monty and will miss him and Ned. I was never keen on Titchmarsh, too full of himself. Adam Frost has recently moved house so maybe his new garden will be featured on the programme in future.

Adam Frost Co hosts the Outsiding gardening podcast with Caitlin Moran. I didn’t really know much about him before ( I tend not to watch Gardeners World) but really like him in the podcast.

Calendargirl

First Tess and Claudia on Strictly.

Gary Lineker on MOTD.

Now Monty on GW.

What is happening to the BBC???

Its not the BBC's fault; we're just all getting old :-)

Adam or Frances would be perfect, both enthusiastic and realistic.
Adam has a new garden so my money is on him.

Dear old Monty has slowly been stepping aside for the other 2 this season, so tbh wasn't that surprised.
He's a lovely chap wish him a happy new chapter.

I am a huge fan of Monty Don. He is a true gentleman, with a very calm presence, who has inspired me over the years. I look forward to seeing him in other gardening programmes.
Whoever replaces him I do hope they’re not the gushing type so prevalent in presenters these days. I do like Adam Frost, but think the programme would work better if there were a few different people to present each week.

He said he is retiring because he had a horribly painful knee replacement in 2025 and he needs the other one doing soon.

All those years of kneeling have finally caught up with him.

I liked his calmness and quiet presenting style.

Like Monty loved Alan titchmarsh and also Geoff Hamilton but hope Adam frost gets the job. Happy retirement Monty if that’s the way you’re going! You’ve done well.