Monty Don's final episode of Gardeners' World marks the end of an era spanning almost a quarter of a century, and it deserves to be recognised for what it truly is: a masterclass in how to leave gracefully. His last segment about caring for windfall apples—practical, unpretentious, utterly without ego—perfectly encapsulates why his departure matters so much to television and to the millions who have found solace in his work.
Don's achievement cannot be overstated. He transformed Gardeners' World from something that could be 'abjectly boring' into something genuinely blissful. Where predecessors like Percy Thrower and Geoff Hamilton brought an authoritarian edge to gardening instruction, Don introduced poetry and emotional depth. He understood that gardens represent far more than horticultural technique—they represent 'slow changes, gentle struggle, the nurturing of life.' His final episode, suffused with talk of letters from viewers whose gardens helped them through difficult times and featuring a garden designer finding solace after her husband's death, proved this philosophy remained unshaken to the very end.
What makes Don's exit particularly admirable is his refusal to exploit his celebrity. As the column rightly notes, were he someone like Jeremy Clarkson, we would be drowning in Longmeadow merchandise and branded garden centres. Instead, Don simply says goodbye—brief, genuine, moving—with thanks to his dog Ned and recognition that 'it was his privilege and pleasure to do it all with us in tow.' This restraint is increasingly rare in modern broadcasting.
Yet the column raises a troubling question about succession. Are all of Gardeners' World's current presenters really 'moulded in his image,' or have they simply inherited a format that Don elevated beyond its original scope? The suggestion that employing a team of presenters with equal billing might work better than appointing a single figurehead deserves serious consideration. Don's understated wonder cannot simply be replicated; it must be evolved.
The BBC should resist the urge to find 'another Monty Don.' Instead, they should use this moment to reinvent what Gardeners' World can be, building on the foundation of emotional intelligence and poetic observation he has left behind. Don has earned his rest. Now broadcasting must earn its right to continue his legacy.