Alan Titchmarsh has revealed the seven plants he would choose to grow in any garden, admitting the task was far from simple. The former Gardeners' World presenter said it was "ridiculous" to ask a veteran gardener to pick just seven, so he added two honourable mentions: peony and agapanthus.
How the list was chosen
He shared the list during a recent episode of his YouTube channel, Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh. At the start of the video, he said: "You know, people often say to me, 'Alan, if you could only have a handful of plants in your garden, which plants would they be?'"
He added: "Oh, it's an impossible question to answer, isn't it, really? But having thought about it, here are what I consider to be my top seven plants."
The top seven plants in full
In seventh place is Azalea 'Snow White', an evergreen shrub that thrives in acidic soil and will be "wreathed in glorious white flowers" by spring, according to Alan. He calls them "great little shrubs" that work as "background plants", but warns they are shallow-rooted and can struggle in drought, so moisture should be maintained in the surrounding soil. He also advises gardeners should "never" plant them too deeply.
Sixth is Hydrangea 'Annabelle', a deciduous shrub that is "glorious in summer" and produces creamy white flowers in "frothy heads". Alan explained the plant dislikes dry roots and a "lack of support". He recommended thinning out the stems each winter but leaving the flowers untouched, as they fade and "go papery", noting they are "quite pretty" in a winter garden.
In fifth place is Verbena bonariensis, a herbaceous perennial Alan describes as a "real old favourite". He said: "Now, once you've planted Verbena bonarensis, it will be with you forever because it seeds itself about, but it's great. You can pull up the ones you don't want, but what it loves is well-drained soil and full sun." He added that it is adored by bees and butterflies and is "awash with nectar".
Fourth is Geranium 'Dreamland', a herbaceous perennial Alan says he would "never be without", available in numerous colours. He points out that geraniums can thrive in poor soil once established and provide "great ground cover". He advises checking the height and colour of the geraniums being bought to ensure they complement the garden, adding: "And then you'll discover that no garden can be without geraniums, the hardy varieties. Smashing."
Third is Hosta 'Happy Dayz', a clump-forming perennial that dies down in winter but produces a "fountain of leaves" in spring. Alan said his 'Happy Dayz' variety will become "bigger and fatter" over the years. Describing it as "gloriously statuesque", he said it needs watering in its first year to establish, after which the "fabulous" plant will "seek out the moisture".
Top spot goes to the Japanese Maple
In second place is Pelargonium. Alan explained: "We call them geraniums, but they are, strictly speaking, pelargoniums to differentiate them from the hardy geranium, because this is a tender plant. It won't cope with frost. In London, you can leave it outside because the city heat keeps it going through the winter. But this is a plant for bright sunshine and it flowers like this from one end of the summer to the other. You can see loads more coming. It's a glorious plant."
Taking the top spot is Acer palmatum 'Emerald Lace', also known as the Japanese Maple, a "finely cut" variety with "greenish" leaves that become burnished with bronze as summer ends. Alan said it secured first place not only for its variation in leaf shape and colour but for its seasonal display.
He concluded: "They colour up in autumn to wonderful shades of scarlet and crimson and butter yellow. So, you get that aspect. You get the different habits and you get the fact that it's great in containers. Find a large flower pot if all you've got is a doorstep and plant a Japanese maple in a pot and you've got this wonderful statuesque plant from spring right the way through to autumn."
