My Roots: A Decade in the Garden

A decade in gardening, as recorded by the nation’s head gardener. Monty Don, the face of British gardening, has written a weekly “Observer” column on his garden for the past ten years. Over time the columns have been a practical guide, a poetic record of the garden’s changing seasons, and also a personal account of how the garden has kept his feet firmly planted on the ground through bad times and good. This is a collection of fifty of Monty’s best columns, that will delight his readers and gardeners everywhere. ‘Growing vegetables, herbs and fruit should be done in the same spirit as choosing your music or clothes: with a mix of precision and adventure.’ – 4.1.98. ‘Gardens are complex and messy and, as in life, there are few easy fixes.’ – 17.1.99. ‘At times this life is intolerable but a few moments of hombeam in the Easter sunshine do as much as anything I know to give one strength and reason to start again.’ – 11.4.04. ‘One swallow may not make a summer but it damn sure made my day.’ – 7.5.00. ‘Planting trees is deeply satisfying and good for the soul, especially on a winter’s day. What else can a human do that leans so far into the future?’ – 27.12.98.