Alan Titchmarsh Reveals Two Plants He'd Banish From Gardens

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Alan Titchmarsh has revealed two plants he could happily live without.

The Gardeners’ World presenter made the revelation when speaking to Stephanie Mahon on the Talking Gardens podcast. When the 75-year-old was asked which plants he hates most, without hesitation he replied: “Pampas grass.”

He went on to describe it as looking “like a collection of feathered dusters sticking out of a mountain of grass” and warned of the difficulty in removing it, saying: “if you ever want to get rid of it, you’ve got a real task ahead of you.”

The broadcaster went on to share another that he’d happily banish from gardens forever: oversized gladioli. Although, during the conversation, he did stress gladioli have a place in religious settings, adding that they can be “very good in church.”

Alan elaborated that it’s the more extravagant gladiolus variety that he dislikes, adding that he actually enjoys the daintier gladiolus Byzantine found in Cornwall hedgerows and gardens.

The gardener also reminisced about his old friend, the late Beth Chatto, sharing how she was partial to pampas grass, yet he would tell her: “You keep it in your garden, Beth, and I’ll be happy.”

the beautiful ornamental summer grass cortaderia selloana, commonly known as pampas grass

Jacky Parker Photography//Getty Images

The TV personality also recently revealed that his garden has its fair share of “tricky spots”.

He told BBC Gardeners’ World magazine: “There is a dry, shady bed beneath an ancient yew tree; a sun-scorched border along the south-facing aspect of the house; a winding path beneath trees where the branches need to be thinned if I want anything other than ferns to grow under them.”

However, Alan offered some sound advice for green-fingered enthusiasts facing these challenges. He explained it all comes down to selecting plants tailored to thrive in specific environments: “In general, bright-flowered plants need sunlight to encourage pollinating insects. Don’t try growing brilliant summer bedding plants in deep shade.”