Titchmarsh hits out at lack of investment in horticultural science
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Alan Titchmarsh, the broadcaster and writer, criticised what he called a total lack of investment in horticultural science at the launch of the Chelsea Flower Show 2013 today.
Next May marks the centenary of the world-famous show, and the organisers, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), will use the anniversary to launch a Centenary Appeal, aiming to raise £1m to train the next generation of gardeners.
Mr Titchmarsh, whose first appearance for the BBC at Chelsea was in 1983, said he didn’t want to single out a particular political party, but he was disappointed by the performance of the current Government, who were supposed to be “the people of the Shires, the people who understand how the countryside works”.
The first RHS spring show was held in Kensington, central London, in 1862, and consisted of two marquees. It moved to its Chelsea site in 1913, and attracts 40,000 visitors per day.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments