Gardening legend Alan Titchmarsh has opened up about the emotional decision to leave the Hampshire garden he has spent more than two decades creating, writing in BBC Gardeners’ World magazine that he wants to move on before circumstances leave him with no choice
Alan Titchmarsh(Image: Surrey Advertiser – Grahame Larter)
Beloved gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has revealed the heartfelt reasons behind leaving the garden he’s lovingly nurtured for over two decades, explaining he’d rather make the move now while he still can.
In a candid piece for BBC Gardeners’ World magazine, the renowned horticulturist and television personality discussed swapping his magnificent Grade II-listed Hampshire property for a new home in Surrey.
The former Gardeners’ World presenter recently confirmed that he and wife Alison have parted with their £3.5 million residence, opting instead for a more manageable single-storey bungalow.
Quoting the Bard, Alan penned: “‘Parting is such sweet sorrow.'”
He noted the line seemed especially appropriate when bidding farewell to a garden cultivated over nearly 25 years, according to Wales Online.
The 77-year-old recognised that some may question why he’d abandon somewhere so dear to him, but clarified that looking after an extensive garden has grown into an ever more challenging undertaking.
Maintaining approximately four acres, he explained, demands considerable work and continuous assistance. While he’s been lucky to collaborate with reliable helpers throughout the years, Alan confessed there comes a moment when overseeing staff becomes taxing.
He also acknowledged the practicalities of advancing age, quipping that he still considers himself “40-something”. “While I might be hale and hearty at the moment, I cannot count on such good fortune indefinitely,” he wrote.
“It’s time to leave while I have the choice, rather than being forced out by circumstances beyond my control.”
Despite parting with a cherished garden, Alan isn’t abandoning his passion for horticulture entirely. He’s planning to embark on creating a fresh, more manageable plot spanning approximately an acre and a half.
He explained that he currently possesses the vigour and drive to develop another garden and, following the initial groundwork, is confident he’ll be capable of maintaining it independently.
The decision has not been without emotional difficulty. Speaking about the property, Alan acknowledged he would be “a heartless soul” if he didn’t find departing “a wrench”, noting that the garden held even greater significance for him than the house.
He remembered first arriving at the site when it contained little beyond rough grass, fruit trees and several mature specimens, before steadily transforming it through the years with additions including a meadow, wildlife pond and copse.
As he readied himself to pass the garden to a new family, Alan contemplated the cherished moments it contains, from raising his children to spending time with his grandchildren.
“It was Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who reminded us that grief is the price we pay for love,” he wrote. He went on to say: “I cannot imagine ever loving a garden as much as the one I am leaving, which has seen my children grow up and echoed to the sounds of grandchildren… and now that I come to write these words I freely confess that my eyes are full of tears.”
Yet he struck an upbeat note as he signed off, reassuring readers: “But I will recover. The new garden will become my next sanctuary.”
Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh returns to ITV on Sunday, June 28, at 9.30am.
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