Alan Titchmarsh says the King is an ‘extraordinarily hard-working person’

TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh has said the King is an “extraordinarily hard-working person”.

The broadcaster, 76, is best known for his horticultural expertise and for his work presenting a number of gardening programmes including the BBC’s Gardeners’ World.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Titchmarsh opened up about his relationship with Charles, adding that he values what he “stands for”.

He said: “I’ve known the King for 40 years now. Actually, first met him 40 years ago this year. We’ve just got to know one another and I very much rate what he does, what he stands for.

“He’s an extraordinarily hard-working person with an enormous conscience about his role and what he wants to achieve, what he hopes we can all achieve. I just enjoy his company and I’ve been very lucky enough to get to know them (members of the royal family).

“Particularly with the King, we have conversations about gardening, as you do with any gardener.

“Thing about gardening is that it is a great leveller.

“It’s common ground, literally, and you enjoy sharing experiences about plants and swapping plants too.

Titchmarsh is the president of the charity Plant Heritage, formerly known as the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG), whose patron is the King.

The broadcaster has penned a number of books about gardening and recently sold out a session on his book about the Chatsworth gardens and grounds at The Queen’s Reading Room Festival.

Speaking about the importance of green spaces, he added: “It’s vital and it’s vital we appreciate them and appreciate what they achieve in terms of our mental health.

“The three big things that government always talk about is health, education, law and order, and green spaces impinge on all those things.

“It’s essential that we appreciate them.

“There’s an awful lot of talk about greening up and environmental care and all kinds of terms. But everybody can do their little bit on their little bit of land, however big or small.

“It’s down to us all to achieve things individually, as well as just campaigning.

“There are ways, wherever you are, of becoming involved, getting your hands in the earth and actually doing something physical yourself. And it’s so rewarding.

“Instead of just spectating, I would say that gardening is the only proactive, interactive method of natural history. Most of it’s spectatorial. You’re looking, you’re observing. With gardening, you get involved.

“You might call it interfering. I call it interacting.

“It’s actually getting stuck in and making something better, however small your piece of land.

“If you can leave it in better order, in terms of the way plants grow, the plants that do grow, the wildlife it caters for, you’ve paid rent for your time on that piece of Earth.”

Titchmarsh became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year Honours, in recognition of his services to horticulture and to charity, having also served as the president of Perennial, formerly the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society, since 2004.

He is also known for presenting the BBC programme Gardeners’ World in 1996, which he fronted until 2002, with Monty Don taking over the role in 2003.

He also presented the garden makeover TV show Ground Force – which propelled him, Charlie Dimmock and Charlie Walsh to fame.