OUR QUEEN REMEMBERED

Reflecting on The Queen’s lifelong love of the natural world, Alan Titchmarsh remembers his gardening encounters with our late sovereign

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My encounters with The Queen over the years were many and varied: we planted a palm tree together to celebrate the centenary of the opening to the public of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight once the home of Queen Victoria, and given to the nation after her death by King Edward VII. I say 'we' and, indeed, Her Majesty did throw a couple of spadefuls of earth in the direction of the plant, but she was then very happy to hand over the implement and let me complete the operation, smiling wryly and indicating with a raise of her arm my expertise to the surrounding spectators, who broke into a round of applause.

Our very first encounter was slightly more nerve-wracking.

I had designed a 'Country Kitchen Garden' at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 1985 and on the day of the royal visit - the Monday of Chelsea week - I stood nervously by my plot wearing, for some reason I now cannot fathom, a maroon- and black-striped blazer I had found in a junk shop, a white shirt, yellow bow tie and white trousers. I thought it unlikely that Her Majesty would be shown my modest garden, replete with flower borders, a miniature orchard underplanted with wildflowers, a rill fed by water spilling out of an old village pump and vegetables in neat rows either side of a brick path. I was mistaken. Just as I assumed she would be whisked past my creation, the president of the society ushered The Queen across the wide expanse of tarmac and told her my name. For the first time I found myself on the receiving end of that famous smile and led Her Majesty forward to examine my handiwork. She seemed genuinely interested and mentioned my "clipped ilex".

Surprise number one: The Queen used the Latin name for holly.