BBC’s Monty Don ‘emotional’ as he's reminded of mini-stroke ordeal at Chelsea Flower Show
Gardeners' World presenter Monty Don has opened up about suffering from a stroke a few years ago, as one display at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show left him emotional.
Monty Don questions the Chelsea Flower Show judges
On Thursday night, BBC Two viewers saw Monty Don and Joe Swift at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where they showed off some of the best gardens to inspire and educate. While exploring one of the displays, Monty told viewers that most show gardens come with a message.
Usually, that’s down to them being sponsored by charities that have a particular theme and project, which is then reflected in the garden. As the 68-year-old explored one display called the garden of recovery, he opened up on why he was so drawn to it.
He said: “It is sponsored by The Stoke Association, therefore it is about the recovery process from having a stroke. The reason why I’m particularly drawn to this garden is because I had a stroke quite a few years ago now.
“I recovered and I know that process intimately. Now it might not be the same as other people's experience but nevertheless, it is therefore very personal to me.”
Monty revealed he was fascinated to see how the design had expressed that recovery journey and process in a garden. Exploring the design, he highlighted the blocks of colour from each flower before noticing the pond in the centre.
He added: “Immediately for me, I see that as emblematic because I interpret that as the black space, I remember feeling in my brain.
“It was like a black hole or a pit and my mind was falling into it and words and thoughts, they were disappearing.
“To be honest, seeing it is an emotional and difficult thing, I don’t know if that’s intentional, I don’t know if that’s just me responding to it.”
Later on in the show, Monty spoke to the designer of the show garden Miria Harris, who had suffered a stroke herself.
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Wanting to know why she had decided to reflect on having a stroke and the recovery from the ordeal in garden form, Miria revealed she felt the need to push herself.
Monty then explained he saw the pond to be a symbol of the black space in his brain, before asking whether or not it was intentional.
She replied: “I think that’s absolutely valid, there are parts of this garden which are very, very important to me and then there are parts which I love.
“It’s about that powerful, wonderful thing that nature can do. Just take a moment, take a breath and relax.”
In 2008, the Gardeners World star suffered a mini-stroke, which he has opened up about in the past.
Speaking to The Mail at the time, Monty revealed he told his wife to hold him as he believed he was dying.
The 68-year-old said: “As I walked it felt as if I was tipping over, so I'd lean the other way and find myself tipping into a hedge instead. I cannot over-exaggerate how alarmed and unwell I felt.
“It was incredibly frightening because it was as if I had entered totally uncharted territory.”
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.