With Monty Don leaving Gardeners’ World, perhaps it’s time the BBC admitted that most British gardens resemble mild domestic crises rather than Longmeadow’s pastoral calm. Real gardens are small, scruffy and chaotic. So let’s embrace it. Reboot the show in the spirit of Top Gear: a bold horticultural lead, a chaos‑loving sidekick, a quiet purist, and a silent “Stig” performing dangerous garden tasks. Include realistic makeovers, a “reasonably priced plant” test, and obstacle courses built from collapsing fences and hostile hedges. A show that keeps Monty’s heart but finally reflects Britain’s gardens.
Richard Eltringham
Leicester
• I agree with Claire Ratinon (My gardening world differs from Monty’s, 11 September) that there should be a greater focus on “ordinary” gardens on the BBC’s Gardeners’ World. Monty’s comment that a container of mixed herbs should stand near the kitchen door so that it could be quickly accessed proves this point. In the majority of gardens you could place it anywhere and it would be within easy reach.
Karen Gammack
Newcastle upon Tyne
• Claire Ratinon might enjoy turning to The Beechgrove Garden, Scotland’s low-budget and infinitely more practical alternative to Gardeners’ World. This reflects the different soils and climates of the country in just the way that she advocates, without the pretensions of the English production. The BBC play fast and loose with its UK scheduling and iPlayer is essential! Several of the presenters ought to be in the field for Monty Don’s successor, although English viewers might need to turn on the subtitles.
Robert Dingwall
Nottingham
• As Monty Don is quitting Gardeners’ World, you could say he’s thrown in the trowel…
Jeremy Q Sleath
Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
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