This April green is nature at its most potent. There is a sense that every cell of every living thing is burgeoning and growing and breaking into the freshest most vibrant green possible - regardless of ice, snow, wind or rain. As I get older this becomes more precious, more miraculous. This is the ideal time to sow lettuce seed direct into the soil outside as the soil is now warm and they will grow fast - which is one of the secrets of really good lettuce. a b c d Don, Monty (22 September 2016). Nigel: my family and other dogs. John Murray Press. ISBN 9781473641723 . Retrieved 11 May 2020– via Google Books.

Don had never received formal training as a gardener. In 2006 he commented, "I was – am – an amateur gardener and a professional writer. My only authority came from a lifetime of gardening and a passion amounting to an obsession for my own garden." [55] Most lettuce take about 6 to 8 weeks to grow sufficiently large to eat and will be good for another month or so if kept watered and cool. Lettuces grow best in mild, moist conditions so a hot, dry summer is as big a problem as a cold winter. However many lettuces are happy in some shade as this will keep them cooler. To avoid a glut or, worse, your lettuce all running to seed at once in very hot weather, the secret is to have good succession - which essentially means maintaining a small but constant supply of plants rather than one big harvest. To do this sow some new seed every 3 or 4 weeks and as one batch goes over another will be ready to eat with a third growing on as young seedlings. Meet Monty Don". UKTV Gardens. Archived from the original on 30 March 2008 . Retrieved 22 May 2008. Although organic techniques have always been at the core of his practice, this new edition has a new emphasis on gardening for wildlife and the impact of global warming on the garden. This is a go-to guide for anyone seeking Monty's gardening advice and the perfect gift for any gardener, regardless of their experience or budget.Personality Presenters: Television's Intermediaries with Viewers, By Frances Bonner, p. 92, Routledge 2016. NIGEL: MY FAMILY AND OTHER DOGS written and read by Monty Don – audiobook extract". Hodder Books . Retrieved 27 October 2017.

The only slight frustration for us currently is that we have a patio in Clapham… and that’s it (our own fault). Herbs will find their way in. I’m now on the hunt for a nearby allotment or field to rent!Peskett, Matt (19 January 2018). "Monty Don's Paradise Gardens review – More Than Just Gardens". Grow Like Grandad . Retrieved 20 January 2018. Rodger, James (11 May 2020). "Monty Don announces death of dog – days after Gardeners World appearance". Birmingham Mail . Retrieved 11 May 2020. Monty Don thanks fan for support after his dog Nigel's death". Evening Standard. London. 12 May 2020 . Retrieved 13 May 2020. a b Raven, Sarah (1 March 2003). "The likely lads". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 8 February 2016. There seems to be the constant reassuring message of “don’t worry, just do” and somehow you’ll get to where you want to be. And it works, so we can all share a bit of the Monty magic. A sign of someone who has truly mastered his craft.