Gardeners' World's Alan Titchmarsh 'saddened' and made to feel like 'cold-hearted brute'

Chelsea Flower Show 2018 - Press Day - LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 21:  Alan Titchmarsh attends the Chelsea Flower Show 2018 on May 21, 2018 in L
-Credit: (Image: (Image: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images))


Alan Titchmarsh has hit back at trolls for making him feel like a "cold-hearted brute".

Speaking to the Telegraph, the venerated 75-year-old former Gardeners' World expressed his anger that he and his colleagues are sometimes cast as individuals who "care little".

But he highlighted the significant positive influence wielded by what he referred to as "sons and daughters of the soil".

READ MORE:Bargain Hunt's Eric Knowles' life off screen from health battle to job loss

READ MORE:M5 to close overnight for six months of roadworks - full list of closures

He stated: "There are times when I and my fellow gardeners, the folk who love to grow plants and to beautify the landscape, are made to feel like cold-hearted brutes who care little for the planet."

Alan also delved into the various principles held dear by gardeners, saying: "It's all very well espousing the causes of No Mow May, rewilding and 'slugs are our friends', but that is to overlook the greater good that results from those of us who regard ourselves as sons and daughters of the soil."

Alan added that many are "interventionists" by trade, but stressed that the "good" ones aim to ensure such interventions are "thoughtful."

He also expressed feeling disheartened when confronted with assertions that humanity doesn't deserve a place on Earth and fuelling the narrative that wildlife should supplant human presence would be more beneficial.

Alan, renowned for his critique that turning our domestic gardens into wild havens could spell "catastrophic" outcomes for biodiversity, continued to underpin the importance of acknowledging the "thoughtful" gardeners who deserved celebration.

In 2023, the esteemed TV presenter stated that while rewilding is crucial for farms, forests, and other open spaces, the same may not hold true for home gardens.

He noted that gardens left to rewild with only native flora might provide little sustenance or shelter for wildlife compared to gardens with a diverse variety of plants.

The 'Love Your Garden' celebrity also targeted the "misleading propaganda", suggesting it's a misconception that only indigenous plants are beneficial to the ecosystem.

Rewilding Britain advocates for the revival of ecosystems with their natural processes and species to safeguard nature.

Alan commented: "As custodians of the botanical riches of our gardens, domestic gardeners have a duty and a glorious one at that to ensure the survival of this unparalleled resource."