Alan Titchmarsh has revealed the plant he hates most, warning gardeners not to bring it anywhere near his garden. The former Gardeners' World presenter has named ornamental kale, also known as purple kale, as his least favourite.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Gardening With Alan Titchmarsh, he said he "hates to be unkind" to any plant but described it as "a bit of a weirdo". He told viewers: "Plant it if you like it, but don't bring it anywhere near my garden."
The plant joins pampas grass on the list of species banned from his Hampshire garden. On the Talking Gardens podcast, he said pampas grass "looks like a collection of feathered dusters sticking out of a mountain of grass" and warned that once planted, it is very difficult to remove.
Instead, Mr Titchmarsh recommends hellebores, which he says produce beautiful flowers in winter and spring. He highlighted an "ice n roses" variety, noting that hellebores grow up to 20cm and come in shades including white, yellow, green, crimson, spotted and purple. He advised planting them in dappled shade with plenty of organic matter worked into the ground.
He also expressed dislike for large-flowered gladioli, though he said he likes smaller varieties such as gladiolus byzantinus. Mr Titchmarsh will appear on ITV's Love Your Garden at 9.30am on November 9.
