Prince to ask nature lovers to do their bit for the trees in ‘Gardeners’ World’ special
THE Prince of Wales is to make a star appearance on Gardeners’ World, imploring British garden-lovers to “do their bit” to save native trees.
The Prince, a long-term advocate of the natural world, will invite viewers into his gardens at Highgrove to investigate the twin blight of pests and diseases on the UK’S landscape.
Telling viewers about his own love of gardening and how he was introduced to his lifelong passion as a boy, he will echo the advice of experts in asking viewers to take measures to protect their own plots.
Imploring them to ensure they get their plants from a reputable place, he is expected to ask amateur gardeners not to bring plants back from their own foreign holidays, to prevent introducing new disease.
The Prince, a keen gardener, will be interviewed at Highgrove by Adam Frost, the Gardeners’ World presenter, for an special episode on trees.
The programme edit, including which section of the Prince’s discussion will be broadcast, has not yet been finalised.
In the introduction, Frost is expected to say: “Back in February I was invited to a meeting at Highgrove with members from across the horticultural industry to discuss the problem of pests and diseases and what could be done.
“One of the outcomes was Action Oak – a campaign launched at the Chelsea Flower show to help protect our iconic oak.
“It is made up of charities, environmental organisations and land owners using their knowledge to safeguard the trees.
“Today the Prince has invited me back to Highgrove to explain why we, as gardeners, also need to do our bit.”
The Prince has spent nearly 40 years transforming the gardens at Highgrove from overgrown and neglected land. He will tell Gardeners’ World viewers about the steps he is taking within the Duchy of Cornwall, which covers 53,000 hectares across 23 British counties, to avoid the spread of diseases and pests.
He will also talk about his first-hand experience of diseases such as Dutch elm disease, ash dieback and phytophthora ramorum.
The Prince is understood to have been inspired by a visit to the border force at Heathrow this year, where he learned more about how experts are preventing plant-borne diseases being brought into the country.
Earlier this year, the Royal Horticultural Society and Defra called on holidaymakers to stop bringing plants back from their foreign holidays, warning that doing so could bring pests and diseases to their gardens.
A topic close to his heart, the Prince has previously appeared on Countryfile and Gardeners’ Question Time, as well as guest editing Country Life magazine, and last year he wrote of his personal battles to help save the trees.
The episode of Gardeners’ World will air on BBC Two at 8pm on July 18.