Gardeners’ World star Monty Don has swapped his boots for sneakers as he unveiled a trainer collaboration with New Balance after leaving the show.
The presenter, 71, who announced he is stepping down from the much-loved BBC program after 23 years at the helm, says the trainers are inspired by ‘wild gardens’.
Sportswear brand New Balance has teamed up with London jewelery label Bleue Burnham to create a fresh interpretation of the iconic Made in UK 991v1 style.
And the inspiration comes straight from the flowerbeds of the brand’s unique employee garden: The Flimby Garden in Cumbria.
The garden is conceived as a restorative environment where employees can step away from the production floor and spend time immersed in nature.
Monty Don has swapped boots for sneakers as he unveiled his trainer collaboration with New Balance inspired by ‘wild gardens’ after leaving the show
Sportswear brand New Balance teams up with London jewelery label Bleue Burnham to create a fresh interpretation of the iconic Made in UK 991v1 style
The trainer will launch exclusively on the brand’s mailing list on September 12 at 12pm BST (GMT+1) via www.bleueburnham.com/.
The shoe’s meticulously constructed lines are connected by a free-flowing ‘wild garden’ stitch, loosely inspired by the plantings at Flimby.
Each pattern is applied individually, meaning no two pairs are completely the same.
There will be two versions of the shoe available. The first is the edition in brown pigskin suede.
And in December another sneaker will be released, made of premium black leather.
Less than six months ago, Monty said he hoped to sign a new contract that would see him host Gardeners’ World until 2028.
So it may come as a shock to his fans that Monty announced his departure from the BBC program he has presented for almost 23 years on Tuesday.
Speaking from the garden of his home in Longmeadow, Herefordshire, with beloved dog Ned on his lap, Monty told followers that ‘now is the right time for change’.
The presenter, 71, who announced he is stepping down from the much-loved BBC program after 23 years at the helm, says the trainers are inspired by ‘wild gardens’
And the inspiration comes straight from the flowerbeds of the brand’s unique employee garden: The Flimby Garden in Cumbria
The trainer will launch exclusively on the brand’s mailing list on September 12 at 12pm BST (GMT+1) via www.bleueburnham.com/
As recently as March, the veteran host insisted he couldn’t imagine retiring and was in negotiations to continue hosting the show until at least 2028 before stepping down.
As recently as March, the veteran presenter insisted he couldn’t imagine retiring and was in negotiations to continue hosting the show until at least 2028.
He explained: ‘I hope I continue, but as each contract comes to the end I seriously think about how it will fit in with the rest of my life.’
He told Saga Magazine: ‘Each time it was honest and clear that I wanted to continue.’
“But there will come a time when they will either say, ‘No thanks,’ or I will say, ‘It’s time for a change,’ but as far as I know, neither has reached that point yet.
‘I really don’t know what retirement would look like. I don’t play golf or tennis, and I don’t see myself doing crossword puzzles all day… I like to work.”
