Monty Don slams homeowners with paved driveways for contributing to climate change

Monty Don has slammed homeowners with tarmacked and paved driveways calling it one of the ‘worst contributions’ to climate change. 

The Gardeners’ World presenter said one of the ways people can help conserve water and mitigate the effects of climate change is to have as many soft, absorbent surfaces in their gardens as possible.

But he claims the tarmacking and paving of driveways is a serious problem.

Writing in BBC Gardeners’ World magazine, the 66-year-old said: ‘A garden compromised mostly of hard surfaces is making everybody’s problems around water worse.

‘We need to create as many chances as possible for excess water to be absorbed so that it can slowly work down into our underground aquifers and make its way gradually to our rivers and out to the sea.

‘After all, this is what happens most of the time except in extreme weather events. The problem of course is that extreme weather is now much more common and will become increasingly so whether we like it or not.

‘One of the worst contributions gardeners and householders have made to the problem is the tarmacking and paving of too many front gardens.

‘Although we certainly need to reduce the number of cars and the amount we use them, cars are not going away any time soon.

‘Car parking is part of the horticultural problem – and local authorities and governments need to join up their thinking to be part of the solution.

‘The long and short of it is that we all need to make as many soft, absorbent surfaces in our gardens as possible.’

And this isn’t the first time the broadcaster and writer has made his views on climate change known. 

Last year, he blasted garden centres for ‘actively choosing to do harm’ by selling compost made from peat.  

Don also urged gardeners to stop buying mass-produced disposable pot plants which are often grown in peat. 

He said it was time they stopped ‘sticking their head in the sand’ and make climate change a priority over profits and convenience.

Don also questioned the need to give lawns such a close shave in March this year. 

He suggested that banishing weeds from the groomed grass is ‘a male obsession, linked to controlling rather than embracing’.