Alan Titchmarsh, the iconic gardening expert and television presenter, has unveiled a surprising “guilty pleasure” that prompted a major transformation at his family home. Known for his green-fingered expertise on shows like Gardeners' World and Love Your Weekend, Alan’s lesser-known passion lies in his extensive love for books—particularly those on interior design.
Away from his gardening tools, Alan is an avid collector of books, boasting an impressive library of around 6,000 volumes spanning first editions of classic literature, art, architecture, and—most notably—interior design. To accommodate his vast collection, he was compelled to build an extension onto his family home, creating the perfect space for two dedicated libraries.
Speaking with Country Life magazine, Alan expressed his affection for interior design books, naming authors like Ben Pentreath and Veere Grenney and praising the illustrated volumes published by Rizzoli. “I love them,” he said. “You can lose yourself in these books and visit houses with excellent taste from the comfort of your armchair. If you enjoy designing gardens, naturally you take an interest in design beyond the doorstep. Interior design books are my guilty pleasure.”
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Alan’s passion places him among other famous bibliophiles. Film legend George Lucas reportedly owns over 27,000 books, Michael Jackson had more than 10,000, and Ernest Hemingway collected around 9,000 texts. Within the UK, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson also rivals Alan with a notable collection of approximately 6,000 books, including many classic and cookery titles.
In addition to sharing his bookish interests, Alan recently spoke out about gardening myths. During a conversation with The Telegraph, he dismissed the popular UK gardening rule that insists on planting only British native species, calling it “rubbish.” He emphasized the importance of biodiversity and encouraged gardeners to grow plants from all over the world to better “future-proof” their gardens against climate change. He also recommended organic fertilisers like blood, bone, or fishmeal to promote wildlife-friendly environments rich in pollen and nectar.
Fans can catch Alan’s latest insights on gardening and lifestyle on ITV’s Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, airing from 9.30am to 11.30am.