Inside Monty Don’s 40-year marriage with rarely-seen wife Sarah

Monty Don hosts Gardeners’ World from his Tudor property in Herefordshire, but fans rarely glimpse his family on the show – with the exception of his adorable pups of course. Away from the cameras, the presenter relishes his quiet life in the country, which he shares with his wife of 40 years, Sarah Don. We’re taking a closer look at their relationship…

Monty first laid eyes on Sarah during his days as an undergraduate at Cambridge University. After dating for several years, the couple eventually tied the knot on July 29 1983. 

To commemorate their 39th wedding anniversary last year, Monty posted a photo from their big day on Instagram. Penning a romantic message in the caption, he wrote: “We got married 39 years ago today – the picture is a little faded, a little wrinkly, like us but the love is as evergreen and strong now as it was all those years ago.” 

Following their nuptials, Monty and Sarah welcomed three children together: Adam, Freya and Tom. All three are believed to be in their thirties now and have gone on to have their own children.

Speaking on the Gardeners’ World podcast in 2022, Monty revealed how he and Sarah make decisions about their beloved home, Longmeadow, explaining that while they’ve disagreed about their garden on occasion, Sarah is always supportive. 

“Sarah has always been an entirely supportive partner in crime,” he said. “One of the things I always say privately and I should say publicly at every opportunity, it’s her garden as much as mine. This is not my garden, it’s our garden. It’s ‘We’ always. 

“Every significant decision, and quite a few insignificant ones, are made by the pair of us in agreement and we have this principle that both of us have a veto over everything. It’s a very good way to run a system because what it means is, if you disagree, and we do a lot, you can’t do it and say ‘Live with it.’ 

Monty continued: “You might have terrible rows, you might have a lot of persuading, it might mean negotiation. It might take two years before that plant goes in the ground, but when it does you’ve agreed. But by and large, we generally agree and sometimes it happens that you agree for a quiet life and then, really irritatingly, you realise they were right all along.”

© Richard Young/Shutterstock

When it comes to his wife, Monty’s admiration and devotion is always apparent. In 2018, the actor took part in a quick-fire round of questions with The Guardian. Asked what his favourite smell is, the TV star replied: “The nape of my wife Sarah’s neck.” 

He gave the same answer two years later, while speaking to The Financial Times. 

MORE: Monty Don makes surprising comment about ‘troubled’ family upbringing

READ: Monty Don reassures worried fans after revealing setback at Herefordshire home

In one of his more recent interviews, the 68-year-old was asked about his newfound status as a sex symbol, during a 2023 chat with The Guardian. “Well, I feel slightly embarrassed, sort of smirky. My wife would say: ‘Look at you smirking at that question,'” he began. 

© Nick Harvey/Shutterstock

“I’ve been living with somebody for 43 years, who I love more and more, so on one level, it’s so irrelevant as to be silly. On another level, I’m human – I’d rather that be said about me than not. But I can’t tell you how insular my life is outside work. I go in the garden. I see a few people every day, usually the same people. I like them very much and not one of them thinks I’m remotely sexy.”