Celebrated gardening broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh has declared one popular plant persona non grata in his own garden, branding the vibrant purple ornamental kale a 'bit of a weirdo'.
Titchmarsh's Horticultural Hit List
While personal taste in plants varies wildly, the green-fingered expert is no stranger to voicing his dislikes. He has previously stated he would happily banish pampas grass and gladioli forever. However, his latest target is the frilly-leaved purple ornamental kale.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, 'Gardening With Alan Titchmarsh', he sarcastically praised its bright rosette before delivering his verdict. "Oh I’m joking. I couldn’t wish that on you," he said. "I know some people like them, and I hate to be unkind to any plant, but it’s a bit of a weirdo, isn’t it really? Plant it if you like it, but don’t bring it anywhere near my garden."
This decorative kale is edible but known for being more bitter than its culinary cousins, making it a primarily visual choice for winter bedding displays.
The Perfect Winter Alternative: Hellebores
Instead of the maligned kale, Titchmarsh strongly recommends planting hellebores for winter interest. He showcased his own 'Ice N Rose' hellebore, a variety of Helleborus glandorfensis, noting its icy centre with a rose flush.
These hardy, shade-loving perennials produce nodding, cup-shaped flowers in white, green, pink, or purple, set against dark green, leathery foliage. They are sometimes called Christmas roses.
"They're a great plant to put in dappled shade under and around trees and shrubs," advised Titchmarsh. "And they'll flower in their various forms right the way through from the end of one year to the beginning of the next." He recommends planting them in any half-decent soil enriched with plenty of organic matter.
Gardeners should note that the entire hellebore plant is poisonous to pets.
Winter Planting Recommendations
For those seeking to add colour and life to their gardens during the colder months, here are some curated options:
- Hellebores: Save 15% on six bare root Helleborus orientalis plants, now £24.99 at Thompson & Morgan. They will bloom in shades of white, pink, red and purple next year.
- Bellis: A pack of six Bellis Bellissima winter bedding plants costs £12.99 on Amazon. These garden-ready colourful pompoms will flower through to spring.
- Witch Hazel: Save £10 on a 5L potted Hamamelis 'Arnold Promise', now £29.99 at Gardening Express. Its spidery yellow flowers unfurl from the winter solstice and fill the air with fragrance.
- Winter-Flowering Honeysuckle: A 2L potted Lonicera × purpusii 'Winter Beauty' costs £26.99 at Crocus. Fragrant white, tubular flowers cling to bare branches in the depths of winter.
All prices were correct at the time of publication.
Alan Titchmarsh's strong opinion reminds us that gardening is a deeply personal passion. While purple ornamental kale may have lost one famous fan, his advocacy for hellebores provides a classic and beautiful solution for winter garden colour.
