Alan Titchmarsh is a man who is interested in everything. As the nation’s favourite gardener, it’s a given that he is knowledgeable about all things green-fingered.
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Handily, 73-year-old Alan, who counts the King among his friends and was with His Majesty the night before the Queen died, has now compiled all of these interests into The Gardener’s Almanac: A Treasury of Wisdom and Inspiration Through the Year.
A month-by-month guide to nature and the seasons that he describes as a “classic gardener’s bedside book”, it contains seasonal tips for both veterans and beginners, such as the best vegetables to plant, which herbs to nurture and which flowers bloom at which time.
"It's really just a bit of stimulation, inspiration and amusement predicated on gardening," Alan tells HELLO! in our exclusive interview. Alan was part of a group who enjoyed dinner with the then Prince of Wales at Dumfries House near Cumnock, Ayrshire, the night before the Queen died.
King Charles met Alan for dinner the night before the Queen died
He is still getting his head around the fact that what started as a pleasant evening of food and good company will go down as being a hugely significant event.
He says: "It has now become a moment in history that I will never forget. We had no indication at all that anything was untoward. 'I think the King and I have a mutual fondness and respect. I can’t imagine, God willing, that will ever change.
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"That remains a constant' mean, we knew that the Queen was 96, but we thought she’d keep going forever. It was a shock to everyone as it was so sudden."
When the evening ended, the King invited Alan to have a cup of tea with him in the next few weeks they are yet to arrange.
The Gardener’s Almanac by Alan Titchmarsh is out on 27 October (Hodder & Stoughton, £14.99).
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