Alan Titchmarsh names plant that will ‘flower its socks off’ this July

Alan Titchmarsh has revealed which plants he believes gardeners should focus on this season. Back on his Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh YouTube channel this week, the 77-year-old told viewers he was making the most of the warm weather by tackling two major garden projects.

The first involved completing the feature bed in his cottage garden, where he carefully selected and planted perennials to complement the existing shrubs.

He then turned his attention to the patio, transforming it into a welcoming outdoor space with stylish raised planters on either side of a new dining set.

Reflecting on June, Alan said the month had brought “an explosion of colour” to his garden, with roses, peonies and poppies putting on a stunning display as they bloomed.

Looking ahead to July, he said it was time to plant out the annual flowers he had grown from seed earlier this year.

While planting up one of his raised patio planters, the gardening expert explained that foxgloves (Digitalis) “are really useful plants in either sun or dappled shade”.

“Here, they’re making this semi-permeable wall that we’ll be able to look through,” he continued while demonstrating.

He went on to say: “You can use lots of tall plants in situations like this.

“I wouldn’t choose delphiniums or lupins because they’re fairly short lived in terms of their flower and also pretty brittle in the wind. These [the foxglove plants] flex about a bit.

“Another one to use is the verbena bonariensis, the thin wiry one with little tiny pom-poms of purple flowers on the top that butterflies and bees love. They will flower their socks off right the way the summer.”

Alan also recommended lavender, explaining that it “loves full sun and adores sharp drainage”.

He added that growing annuals is a great way to garden on a budget while adding a colourful finishing touch to borders.

Speaking to Stephanie Mahon on the Talking Gardens podcast, he was asked which plants he dislikes the most and replied: “Pampas grass.”

Explaining why, he said it looks “like a collection of feathered dusters sticking out of a mountain of grass”, adding: “If you ever want to get rid of it, you’ve got a real task ahead of you.”

Alan also revealed his dislike of large-flowered gladioli, although he admitted they can look “very good in church.”

However, he clarified that his distaste does not extend to all varieties.