South East Asia

Monty Don visits the world's 80 most inspiring gardens, this time in South East Asia.

Since the nineteenth century, Western gardeners have loved tropical gardens. Monty visits the archetype - the mysterious Jim Thompson's Garden in Bangkok. He seeks something more authentic in the Royal Palace gardens and the floating gardens of the canals of Bangkok. In Bali, his preconceptions are challenged again. Is the Western picture of the exotic garden a construct?