Alan Titchmarsh has set the record straight about his health, declaring that 'every day is a bonus' as he reflected on his father's death. The Ground Force icon opened up about himself and his wife of 51 years, Alison, moving from their Grade II listed Georgian home in Alton, Hampshire, to a bungalow in Surrey.
This means Alan must leave behind his prized four-acre garden, which he has tended with 'a quarter of a century of love and care'. However, pastures new beckon, and the TV presenter now has a fresh, if more modest, space to look after. Alan has no intention of slowing down yet, admitting he does not want 'ever to retire'. His health is not holding him back either; in fact, he considers himself 'very lucky'.
Alan's Health and Reflections on His Father
Alan told The Times: 'I'm very lucky; nothing has been replaced. People keep saying, "You've got new knees". I haven't; they're the ones I originally had.' It was also suggested that the TV icon opts to walk up the escalator when he catches a tube. Speaking about his father, who died 40 years ago, Alan explained that he had surpassed his age.
Alan added: 'You don't know what's round the corner. My dad died of a heart attack at 62. It makes you aware that every day is a bonus, really. I've lived 15 years longer than my dad did.'
Gardening Tips: The Only Slug Deterrent That Works
In other Alan news, the beloved gardener shared the 'only' thing that will ward off slugs and snails. Speaking to Country Life magazine, he said: 'Like most gardeners, I have tried just about every slug control known to man.' He dismissed various methods, including metaldehyde-based slug pellets, eggshells, holly leaves, sharp grit, gravel, sheep's wool, and even coffee, noting that he's 'not wild about' it.
Alan said: 'I do not drink enough Colombian or Arabica to carpet my hosta border in coffee grounds and, anyway, I'm not wild about imbuing my garden with an aroma redolent of Starbucks.' He claimed that the only method that has worked for him is 'those rings of copper that resemble a vicar's clerical collar and which can be pushed into the ground around individual plants to discourage the molluscs from coming any closer.'
Pruning Confusion Clarified
Earlier this month, Alan opened up about the 'confusion' caused by pruning. In a video for the BBC Gardeners' World YouTube channel, the 77-year-old explained how there are 'many plants that need pruning in summer'. He said: 'If there's one gardening task that can cause more confusion than any other, it's pruning. Generally speaking, one thinks of pruning as something you do in winter when everything's dormant, when you can really have at it, when it's not moving and you can't make many mistakes.'
'But there are many plants that need pruning in summer. There are plants which respond to pruning when the sun is shining and all the flowers are out in summer. We prune them to keep them in shape. We prune them to keep them useful, to get rid of pests and diseases, to encourage flowers and fruiting and to generally improve their health.'
Catch Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh on ITV today (Sunday, June 14), from 9.30am to 11.25am.
