Monty Don, presenter of BBC’s Gardeners’ World, has shared insights into a recurring challenge at his beloved Longmeadow garden in Herefordshire: plants seemingly vanishing shortly after they appear. On the Gardeners’ World Magazine podcast, Monty described how fluctuating weather patterns can trigger unexpected difficulties for gardeners, particularly when flooding drives local wildlife into cultivated spaces.
“One of the really annoying aspects of flood around us is that rabbits come into our garden from the flooded fields,” Monty explained. “We now have a big rabbit problem, especially in spring, because they have nowhere else to go.”
He noted that in cold, wet early seasons like March, these rabbits aggressively feed on new growth. “If it’s a cold and wet March, they come in and they eat everything,” he said.
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However, Monty said the damage, while frustrating, is usually temporary. Once the weather warms and grass begins to grow, the rabbits move back out, preferring fresh grass to garden plants. “They leave because the grass is much nicer than anything we can offer. That’s what they really like.”
The gardener linked these issues directly to water availability, emphasizing that either excess water or drought can influence wildlife behavior.
Monty’s reflections shed light on the daily realities of maintaining one of the UK’s most famous gardens, a site watched by millions on Gardeners’ World.
In a separate conversation on the Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner? podcast, Monty also recalled how a lifestyle magazine feature on his home in the 1980s unexpectedly propelled his public horticultural career. A shoot by Elle magazine turned the spotlight onto his garden, resulting in widespread recognition.
“They looked out the window and said, ‘Wow! Look at your garden, who did you get to do that?’” he recounted. Proudly, he insisted, “We did it, it’s our garden, planted every single thing.”
He also revealed a humorous anecdote about the shoot: “I’m ashamed to say, I was even topless in it… It’s out there, folks, you can find it!”
Monty explained how, at the time, being a passionate gardener in his twenties was unusual, and this early exposure opened doors to writing opportunities that launched his horticultural career.
Gardeners’ World airs tonight at 8pm on BBC Two.