“I have had two full-time gardeners, and have had them since I have been on Gardeners’ World, and from day one it’s been in my BBC contract that I have to have two full-time gardeners,” Don said at the RHS Malvern autumn flower show, the Guardian reported.
asserted
Guardian → have → show
“If I’m off filming in the Rhine or India or somewhere like that, somebody has got to be getting it ready.
asserted
it → ’m → that
“The BBC pays a contribution towards their wages.
asserted
BBC → pay → wages
Not enough, but they do pay something, which is great.
asserted
which → pay → something
Obviously, that contribution is going to go.”
asserted
contribution → go → ?
He explained that his current team of two gardeners have been with him for 10 years, adding: “They are a great team and we all work together really well.
asserted
we → explain → years
“I will have to think of ways – I can’t afford it unless we earn money from it, so I am going to think of ways of earning something from the garden, but I can’t do that until the middle of next year at the earliest.”
asserted
I → have → earliest
Don said he does not want to open the garden to the public as it’s a private space and organising parking would be too difficult.
asserted
organising → say → parking
The cottage garden is intended to provide romantic year-round seasonal interest, with forget-me-nots and tulips in the spring giving way to shrub roses and hardy geraniums, while the jewel garden offers bright clashing flowers like dahlias, zinnias and cosmos.
asserted
garden → intend → dahlias
The Islamic-inspired paradise garden has a Charbagh layout - a classic four-part geometric design centred around a water feature and boasting fragrant lillies, roses and annuals like cornflowers.
asserted
garden → inspire → cornflowers
There’s also a vegetable garden that provides produce almost all year round, a white garden, the grass borders, a Mediterranean-inspired dry garden and the blue and yellow garden that surrounds the potting shed - which was moved from Don’s dog-friendly garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2025.
asserted
which → ’ → 2025
Don announced his exit earlier this month, saying: "I have decided that the current series of Gardeners’ World is to be my last.
asserted
series → announce → World
I began hosting the programme 23 years ago, first at Berryfields and for the past 16 years here in my own garden, Longmeadow.
asserted
I → begin → garden
I look forward to continuing to work with and for the BBC on other projects, as well as following new avenues.
asserted
I → look → avenues
And of course, I will still be gardening, dog by side, here at Longmeadow."
asserted
I → garden → Longmeadow
The final series hosted by Don will be broadcast from Longmeadow until later this year.
asserted
series → host → year
It is thought that he will soon begin filming a BBC travel programme named Island Gardens.
asserted
he → think → programme
Don has been recovering after having a “horribly painful” knee replacement last November and previously said he will likely have another operation in late 2027.
asserted
he → recover → 2027
The BBC presenter admitted in April that he was struggling to film Gardener’s World at Longmeadow due to the procedure.
asserted
he → admit → procedure
“It was severely limiting what I was doing.
asserted
I → limit → what
I did it so I could keep on working because it was getting to the point where filming was cutting round me limping.”
uncertain
filming → do → me
Don went on: “However you do it, a knee replacement is horribly painful.
asserted
replacement → go → it
But three months on I’m gardening again and haven’t walked with a stick for a month.
asserted
I → garden → month
“Sarah [his wife] says I’ve been doing far too much stuff, but it’s fine and going to plan – though it can be inexplicably painful one day and then not at all another.
asserted
it → say → stuff
At some point, I’m going to have to do the other one – but only when I can fit it in, probably late 2027.”
asserted
I → go → it
The Aporia
