Gardens of Power and Passion

S1, E1: In this new series Monty Don visits some of the most famous and interesting gardens in France. In this first programme he tells the stories behind important historic gardens. These include elaborate walled gardens designed to please the mistress and then the wife of a King, magnificent displays of flowers and fountains that involved thousands of soldiers moving tracts of land and incited violent jealousy in another monarch and a modern day chateau garden that came close to bankrupting its owner. Monty sees how throughout history the French have used gardens as a public expression of money, power and passion.