ITV gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh revealed the biggest mistake homeowners make when trying to transform their garden into a flourishing space filled with flowers and trees
Georgia Burns Trainee Trends, Showbiz and Lifestyle Writer and Sasha Morris
12:00, 14 Mar 2026
Alan Titchmarsh shared the huge lesson he’d learnt in the garden(Image: Getty Images)
ITV gardener Alan Titchmarsh has revealed the important lesson he learned while beginning work on his brand-new garden, explaining that patience is essential when trying to transform an outdoor space. And it’s advice new and established gardeners would do well to listen to as he has more than 60 years of experience in the field.
The 76-year-old, who started on his horticultural career at just 15 when he took a job as an apprentice gardener in 1964, said that when it comes to creating a thriving garden filled with flowers and trees, the key is to resist the temptation to rush into major changes. Instead, he advises gardeners to take their time and wait for the right season before making decisions that could permanently change the landscape.
Writing in Country Life, Alan described the one acre woodland area in his new garden as being located in what he calls “rhodedendron country,” but admitted the space is currently far from its ideal state. He explained that the area is “over-grown and overshadowed,” leaving him with a number of difficult choices about which plants and trees to keep and which might need to be removed.
Reflecting on the challenge, he said he realised that careful planning is required before taking actions. He wrote: “Should I keep one or two trees and fell the rest to allow room for youngsters?”
Alan has been getting to work in his new garden and came across some problems(Image: Youtube)
“Many of the rhododendrons have turned into trees – bare at the base with a scant and lofty canopy competing with other overgrown shrubs – but, until spring comes, I have no idea if many of them are capable of flowering,” he continued.
“Some will have to go, but which? Others could simply be cut back.”
He explained his plans to introduce a new variety of trees but warned that removing all of his existing ones would leave him without the reinvigorated specimens already growing in the woodland, reports The Express.
Alan also shared another useful tip, advising keen gardeners to wait until April to June to see which plants have the potential to rejuvenate once the older branches have been removed and the crowns of the oaks have been lifted.
He added: “Therein lies the conundrum: when to crack on and when to leave well alone – for just a little longer. New gardens possess so many challenges.”
However, the gardening expert has discovered other areas of the garden where he can keep busy, recently creating new beds around the terracing at the back of the house.
Alan now has the opportunity to grow plenty of rhododendrons, which are well suited to the soil on his land. This follows his frustration last year when he revealed he could never grow the plant at his previous Hampshire home because the soil there was too alkaline.
However, his daughter had no such trouble in Surrey, where the soil is more acidic. He has previously advised gardeners to test the pH level of their soil before they start to plant and suggested checking a geological map to determine what type of soil in their area.
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