Former Gardeners’ World star Alan Titchmarsh has urged gardeners not to make a number of mistakes as they plan out their own plot, highlighting one place he says you should start
12:43, 09 Mar 2026Updated 12:49, 09 Mar 2026
Alan Titchmarsh is urging gardeners not to make one mistake when planning their plot(Image: Youtube)
Alan Titchmarsh has warned green-fingered home owners not to make a big mistake when planning their garden. The 76-year-old has amassed decades of gardening experience since he started buying seeds from Woolworths as a child.
He left school aged 15 and went to work as an apprentice gardener at Ilkley Council in Yorkshire before working at Kew Gardens. He later saw his career pivoting towards journalism as he began editing and subsequently writing gardening books.
Alan launched his television career in 1979 and since then has presented on popular shows such as Groundforce and Gardeners’ World. He now shares his top tips and tricks on his YouTube channel, Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh.
In a recent episode, Alan shared what he believes is the “biggest mistake” gardeners make. He believes too many people try to “do it all at once” instead of breaking down the jobs they need to do.
He said: “Start with the bit you look at when you’re inside the house. Generally speaking, one of the places you are at the most of all is the kitchen sink, and if the kitchen sink has a window in front of it, and that’s what you’re always looking out at when you’re doing the washing up etc, do that bit first.
Alan encourages gardeners to start in one part of their plot
“When I first made this garden, looking from the kitchen sink, you looked out of the window and, coincidentally, there was an apple tree right in the centre of the view, perfect. I designed a path that went up to the apple tree, round it, and then to a greenhouse, and the greenhouse became the focal point from the kitchen window.”
Alan says the decision led him to creating a circular garden with a glass orb surrounded by topiary yews. Alan also urged gardeners to know “what you want” before starting.
He says it’s easy to fill a garden full of “stuff” but says it’s important to realise what you want to do in a garden before planning it. He believes there “has to be a sitting area” as well as a shed but suggests including “dream” and “realistic” ideas.
Alan has recently moved home himself, admitting he’s keen to get gardening(Image: ITV)
The presenter admits it’s “very tempting” to clear an established and “overgrown” garden if you move house but urges gardeners to “take time and look” before taking any drastic action.
He explained: “If you move into a garden in the dead of winter, you can’t see what’s underground. You can’t see how much beauty is lurking there, waiting to erupt in spring and summer.”
Alan says gardeners should also consider making a plan before they get going and “work with nature”. He recommends using plants that “grow well” in your local area.
The star has previously opened up about his own keenness to get back in the garden after moving to a new home in Surrey. In Gardeners’ World magazine, he said: “New gardens possess so many challenges. I am monitoring the path of the sun — at its lowest at this time of year — so that plants which require sun or shade can be catered for.
“I have found the best place for a greenhouse and acquired the planning permission I need in this conservation area. (Living in terrain that is designated a National Landscape has to be a plus, but it brings with it a number of planning restrictions, which I know are in everybody’s interests).”
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