has expressed his gratitude for having his own garden, recognising that his children "can't afford" one in today's market. The 69-year-old star of began developing his passion for horticulture as a youth in Hampshire, where he and his siblings would often be seen tending to the lawn or harvesting strawberries from their family plot.

Before making a name for himself in Britain, Monty journeyed to France to delve deeper into gardening in Aix-en-Provence, before returning to pursue further education at the University of Cambridge. It was there that he met his wife-to-be Sarah, with whom he later set up home in London. In the capital, Monty and Sarah cultivated an impressive garden, which Monty now regards as "very unusual" for that era.

His extraordinary garden caught the eye of a photographer, leading to magazine features and Monty's first steps towards fame. Looking back, the TV presenter considers himself lucky to have been part of a generation when owning a garden as a young person was more attainable.

Back in the 1970s, the average house price in London began at about £4,480, equivalent to around £60,500 in modern terms, and climbed to roughly £19,925 by 1979, or about £96,600 today.

By 2025, the average price of a London home will have soared to an eye-watering £556,000, with semi-detached houses reaching £714,000.

Speaking on the V&A Dundee podcast, Monty made a poignant remark about his children - Adam, Tom, and Freya, who are struggling with the modern financial climate that leaves them unable to enjoy the benefits he had at their age.

Monty opened up: "I don't really feel that I suddenly got inspiration, in so much that I realised, as I got older, between the age of 17 and 27, that increasingly other things than being in the garden, were in the way of being in the garden, and I needed it. I don't want to sound precious about it but I really needed it."

He further reflected on his connection to horticulture, adding : "It wasn't a question of feeling inspired to go be creative, it was a question of going to the garden to save my mind.

"I was really lucky because I am of a generation where we could afford, in our twenties, to buy a house or rent a house and live on our own and have a garden. My children can't afford to do that."

Addressing his own experiences, Monty said: "I had a garden of my own at the age of 25 and so I think that now, we must find out what it is, if you love plants then grow plants. I personally love planting and making spaces, and what plants I use are less interesting than the overall effect."

After his move from London, Monty settled in Herefordshire at Longmeadow in 1991, transforming the neglected property into the cherished setting for Gardeners' World, where he continues to demonstrate his passion for gardening to viewers.

Monty is poised to make a much-anticipated return to our screens, hosting the RHS Chelsea Flower show coverage on BBC Two on Wednesday (May 21). This year, he's also unveiling his first-ever dog-focused garden at the show, in partnership with