‘Lambs to slaughter’ Monty Don and wife ‘lost everything’ and were left almost bankrupt

Monty Don shares which jobs gardeners should do this weekend

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Gardeners’ World star Monty Don, 66, has opened up about nearly going bankrupt with his wife Sarah. In their book, the couple described how they almost “lost everything”. 

Monty and Sarah ran an initially successful costume jewellery business.

However, the stock market crash of 1987 left them almost bankrupt and without savings.

The pair were left so distressed by the situation that they both became physically ill and they even ended up having to sell their home for a fraction of its original price. 

Sarah explained in their book, The Jewel Garden: “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.”

Monty went on to reveal that the pair were forced to choose whether to declare bankruptcy or sell everything and pay back what they owed. 

While they chose the latter and eventually saw the light at the end of the tunnel, Sarah detailed how it was a tough time for them both. 

She penned: “How did we ever believe that we could have saved the situation?

“I suppose the lowest point for me what when I was hidden away on my sickbed while potential buyers traipsed round the house.”

Monty added: “We were lambs to the slaughter and we lost everything, we lost our house, our business. We sold every stick of furniture we had.”

Monty and Sarah married in 1983 and share three children.

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The pair met at Cambridge University and now reside in Herefordshire together. 

Monty can often be seen posting pictures to Instagram from his gorgeous gardens at home. 

Back when business was good for the pair in their Knightsbridge-based jewellery business, they had some notable clientele.

Monty and Sarah met with the likes of Princess Diana and Boy George back when business was booming. 

The pair’s children are all grown up and their names are Tom, Adam and Frey. 

The Gardeners’ World star and his wife are also proud grandparents to George and Daisy Rose.

The Jewel Garden by Monty and Sarah Don is available for £12.99 from Waterstones, Amazon and other retailers. 

The synopsis describes The Jewel Garden as “the story of the garden that bloomed from the muddy fields around the Dons’ Tudor farmhouse, a perfect metaphor for the Monty and Sarah’s own rise from the ashes of a spectacular commercial failure in the late ’80s.”

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