The Secret History of the British Garden

Name: The Secret History of the British Garden
Released: 2015-09-13T00:00:00.000Z
Cast: Monty Don

TV Show · Documentary · History

Horticulture enthusiast Monty Don is on a mission to unravel the history behind Britain's gardens in this four-part documentary miniseries. Each episode focuses on a different century, from the 1600s leading up to the modern day. The presenter explores the influences that impacted the legacy of British gardens, from politics to religion and culture to sculptures. Travelling to particular areas of interest, Don visits surviving remains of green heritage, including the 17th-century garden at Levens Hall in Cumbria, the Hampton Court gardens and the Derby Arboretum.

2015 · 1h 8m

Starring Monty Don

Director Chris Mitchell

EPISODE 1

The 17th Century

Starting his journey at the sole surviving garden of the 1600s, Levens Hall in Cumbria, Monty sets out to investigate what the gardens of this age would have looked like and what influenced and inspired their creation.
EPISODE 2

The 18th Century

Monty bases himself at Rousham House in Oxfordshire, designed by one of the first practitioners of the landscape movement, William Kent. It has survived almost unchanged since its completion in 1741.
EPISODE 3

The 19th Century

Monty Don explores the extraordinary transformations that occurred throughout the 19th century. As a result of an expanding empire, scientific and technological innovation and social change, British gardens became more exotic, more colourful and more widely accessible than ever before.
EPISODE 4

The 20th Century

Monty Don concludes his journey through Britain's gardening heritage by looking at how the nation's gardens have evolved over the last hundred years. He looks at the profound effect that two world wars had on the attitude to gardens and gardening.

Monty Don's Paradise Gardens
Monty Don's Spanish Gardens
Monty Don's Adriatic Gardens
Monty Don's French Gardens
Monty Don's Japanese Gardens
Big Dreams, Small Spaces
Monty Don's American Gardens
Monty Don's British Gardens
Real Gardens

Monty Don

Host
Chris Mitchell

Director

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