06 October 2023 , 19:00
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Many of us will try out different careers until we find the role that's right for us, and sometimes the road to job satisfaction can have a few bumps and false starts along the way. This is certainly true of Gardener's World presenter Monty Don, who initially made his name in a completely different field before devastating circumstances forced him to look for another profession.
Although fans mostly associate the 68-year-old with his vast knowledge of all things plants and gardening, there is plenty about him they likely have no clue whatsoever about, including his past business ventures, and the health struggles he endured during a particularly dark period in his life.
Monty and wife Sarah once ran a very successful business together (Popperfoto via Getty Images)Business beloved by Princess Diana that went bust
Back in the 1980s, Monty and wife Sarah Erskine ran a fashionable jewellery store, named Monty Don Jewellery, which specialised mostly in costume jewellery. At the height of the brand's popularity, you would have been able to browse for jewels in high-end stores across the globe, including Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and Liberty, or read about the store in Vogue.
In a 2005 article penned for The Independent, Monty wrote: "Costume jewellery has its value entirely from its design and appearance, not from the cost of its materials. Our jewellery is still in the V&A. When we were flying, we were really flying. At our best, we were the best in the world at what we did. But we were never quite as successful as our publicity convinced other people - and ourselves - that we were. We were hopelessly under-capitalised and borrowing constantly."
Famous clients included the likes of Boy George and Michael Jackson, while Princess Diana herself was said to be a customer. Sadly, everything changed after the Wall Street financial crash of 1987, and the entrepreneurial couple lost everything. In their joint 2004 autobiography The Jewel Garden, Monty opened up about their bankruptcy, remarking that they felt "like lambs to the slaughter" when their fortunes changed, left to sell "every stick of furniture" they owned at Leominster Market.
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Sarah remembered: "A bad situation got worse every day. The banks wanted their money and started to bounce our cheques whilst simultaneously adding their charges - and interest on them - to the tally. Of course, it could not go on. Something had to give. As it turned out, that something proved to be our shop, our business, our savings, our furniture - and our home."
A healer advised Monty to seek solace in the natural world (PA)Battle with 'unhealable' depression
Monty's personal and financial difficulties took a toll, and it was after this turning point in his life that he began to suffer from what he described as "unhealable depression". Monty's depression became so severe that Sarah also became worried about the wellbeing of their children, who had started to ask: "Why is daddy always crying?"
Explaining how he managed to seek help during this painful period, Monty recalled: "[In the end] I went to see a healer. I can't remember if he was an herbalist, acupuncturist, homoeopath or white-coated faith healer, but I liked him. He had me abstain from tea, coffee and alcohol and described my various symptoms with unerring accuracy. [...] After a few months of this puritanical regime they told me I was unhealable."
The healer advised Monty that the best way to find happiness once more would be to find solace in the natural world, a pursuit that has since blossomed into a very fruitful career. Opening up about his mental health struggles during an interview with the BBC, Monty said: "I have for many years, suffered from depression, which comes and goes but tends to be something that is worse in winter. And, touch wood, it's been much better for the last few years. But for me, the benefits of nature are all about the physical connection with the rhythm of the natural world.
"Some of that rhythm is bleak – winter is cold. And yet even if inside you are bleak and grey and cold, if you believe that spring will blossom inside you, as well as outside in the garden, that's powerful. So that's how it works for me."
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch