Alan Titchmarsh recalls the life-changing influence King Charles has had on his relationship with gardening
The beloved TV gardener speaks fondly about how the relationship steered his approach to fertilisers and feeds
With a career in horticulture spanning 60 years, Alan Titchmarsh CBE is considered garden royalty. Still, it turns out he has a strong affiliation with real-life royalty thanks to his personal connection with King Charles.
In the most recent episode of the RHS Roots visual show, host Jo Whiley chats with the legendary gardener about his love of gardening. During the interview, Alan talks candidly about his passion for sustainability and the significant role King Charles played in his decision to support the organic gardening trend.
Alan Titchmarsh's love for organic gardening
Can I ask about your relationship with his majesty, the King?" Jo asks. "In terms of gardening, because I think he was very forward-thinking, wasn't he?"
Alan is quick to agree, saying: "He was, way back when everybody thought 'oh gosh', you know, it was called 'all muck and magic' in those days, organic gardening way back in the 60s. And then it gradually made sense, and he was showing me that he was a leader, someone with great foresight. I've been organic gardening myself for about 40 years now."
"The last time I used a fertiliser was a good many years ago now," Alan explains, on a lawn.
Thinking that he needed to weed and feed the grass to make it perfect, Alan recalls: "I put some moss killer on it and the moss went black and a Blackbird came down and was pulling a worm out to take back to the nest and feed its young, and I thought 'Oh, I can't do that'." And he hasn't looked back since.
Giving context to how he first met the King, Alan recalls: "I first met him 40 years ago now, I think it was in 1986, on a housing estate in Bracknell, I designed a couple of gardens that were accessible for people with mobility issues. They asked if I would be there because his majesty, his royal highness, as he was then, was coming to open the gardens."
Referring to their shared passion for organic, sustainable gardening and protecting the biodiversity of natural habitats, Jo adds: "You've worked together to spread the word."
"It's a common goal, absolutely a common goal," Alan agrees. "Singing from the same hymn sheet, which is great in terms of organic gardening, sustainability and responsibility. It's a love of nature."
Speaking of a shared goal, we'll see the duo reunited later today at the Chelsea Flower Show to unveil The RHS and The King’s Foundation Curious Garden. Championed by King Charles, who is a patron of the RHS and Royal Founding Patron of The King’s Foundation, and RHS Ambassador Alan, the garden will showcase sustainability front and centre to highlight their passion.
Alan's love of gardening is palpable. "My role in life, I feel, has always been to banish the mystery of gardening but not the magic. It's to show people the right plant, right place."
"My job really is to stop people worrying, and get them to look at the things that are doing well," says Alan. "So your advice to anybody who is gardening is 'don't stress,'" Jo asks.
"Yeah, don't get neurotic about it. Plants want to grow; it's up to us to get in the way. If you look at what you've got in terms of light or shade, dry well-drained soil or soggy soil. Is it an exposed part of the world that is very cold, or is it warm and find a plant that will suit those conditions – it will grow."
