Desert Island Discs Revisited

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BBC Radio 4 Extra

Factual: Life Stories

Selected castaway gems from the BBC Desert Island Discs archive.

Desert Island Discs Revisited: Gardeners: Monty Don

Monty Don

Gardeners

Desert Island Discs

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Desert Island Discs Revisited, Gardeners, Monty Don

Gardener Monty Don is castaway by Sue Lawley.

From The Beatles to Haydn. Gardener Monty Don shares his castaway choices with Sue Lawley. From July 2006.

Gardener and broadcaster, Monty Don. is castaway by Sue Lawley.    

In 2003, Monty became the nation's most high-profile gardener when he took over from Alan Titchmarsh as the lead presenter of Gardener's World. Entirely self-taught, he has been gardening since he was a child - but it was not until he was in his late 30s that his great passion become his vocation.

His first career ended disastrously; he and his wife Sarah set up a jewellery business together and during the 1980s they prospered; they had shops and offices in Knightsbridge and counted singers and film stars among their clients. But when the slump came they lost everything - the business, their jobs and their home.

Monty suffered years of depression that left him barely able to function. It was by chance that he was offered some stints presenting gardening slots on television. He never looked back - he says there hasn't been a day since when he's not been working and he's become a successful gardening columnist, broadcaster and author.

DISC ONE: Bob Dylan - Nobody 'cept You 
DISC TWO: The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night 
DISC THREE: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Simon Rattle - Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 22 in E flat major: "Philosopher", 1st movement
DISC FOUR: Choir of King's College, Cambridge conducted by Stephen Cleobury - Johann Sebastian Bach's St Matthew Passion 
DISC FIVE: Leonard Cohen - Anthem 
DISC SIX: The Libertines - The Man Who Would Be King 
DISC SEVEN: Nick Drake - Road 
DISC EIGHT: Son House - John The Revelator 

BOOK CHOICE: Collected Poems of Henry Vaughan  
LUXURY CHOICE: Hendrickje Bathing by Rembrandt  
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night

Producer: Leanne Buckle

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2006.

Desert Island Discs Revisited: Gardeners

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Gardening castaways share their desert island choices.

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