The Gardener's Almanac: A Treasury of Wisdom and Inspiration through the Year

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I put Classic FM on every morning while I shave, and Pavarotti singing Puccini’s Nessun Dorma pops up quite often which is quite appropriate: “None shall sleep. And as nice as that sounds, the problem is that this is simply not doable for many, as Steve Chilton, garden expert at LeisureBench, says. It will be the perfect Christmas gift for every gardener, and a rich resource for enjoying every day, month, and year in the garden. Although a sunny Sunday may seem like a great time to start some gardening and mowing the lawn, it is also important to consider those who just want one day in a week with a well-earned lie-in.

In his recent piece for BBC’s Gardeners’ World magazine, The Love Your Garden host pointed out the lack of peace and quiet one gets to enjoy in their garden and the importance of it. Publisher Rowena Webb said: ‘This is a feast of a book for every gardener, drawing on Alan’s extraordinary knowledge and contagious passion for gardens and nature. The gardener and presenter said that instead, they should listen to the “natural sounds of the earth”. He added that the “jet-powered age” meant that the “natural sounds of the earth” had been forgotten. Now, I know that for most working folk the gardening jobs have to be caught up with at the weekend and that power tools make the going easier – and quicker – but why do even the electric ones have to be so noisy?The month by month gardening almanac written by Alan Titchmarsh includes seasonal advice on what to grow and sow, projects to inspire your next gardening adventure, plus wildlife spotting tips, a round up of gardens to visit, weather notes, and more. Alan Titchmarsh has said gardeners should not mow their lawns on Sundays as power tools are too noisy.

Titchmarsh added that he was recently asked what time power tools are acceptable on a Sunday, writing: “I was worried I would sound holier-than-thou when I explained that I never use power tools on a Sunday. The nation’s favourite gardener brings us a treasure trove of gardening knowledge, seasonal advice and inspiration. Titchmarsh, 74, writing in BBC Gardeners World magazine, made a plea for other gardeners not to use noisy power tools on Sundays. I believe] profoundly there should be at least one day in the week when we could go out into our gardens and experience a bit of peace and quiet – or at least as near to peace and quiet as it’s possible to experience in this jet-powered age.

Perhaps in this age of mobile phones, when it’s rare to come across anyone perambulating the streets of town and city without a pair of earphones bunged into their aural orifices, the natural sounds of the earth have been superseded by a man-made cacophony. His previous book of garden poetry – Marigolds, Myrtle and Moles – was a top ten bestseller in 2020. No one should feel restricted when it comes to how they look after their garden and lawn, especially as lawn mowing isn't directly impacting anyone else minus a bit of noise. Sign up to our newsletter for style and decor inspiration, house makeovers, project advice and more. With Alan’s own delightful illustrations, there is also a month by month cornucopia of floral facts, along with wildlife to spot, projects to do, gardens to visit, poems to inspire, and much more besides.

I was worried I would sound holier-than-thou when I explained that I never use power tools on a Sunday.Following the garden expert’s rewilding comment controversy, now Alan urges Brits to avoid mowing their lawn on Sundays. Steve Chilton is a passionate and knowledgeable garden expert with several years of experience within the field. Has Alan Titchmarsh got himself caught in the middle of another gardening controversy, this time about lawn mowing on a Sunday?

He added that if people felt they must use mowers or strimmers then they should aim to use them between 9am and 6pm. Jack Sutcliffe, co-founder of shed manufacturer Power Sheds, believes in respecting your neighbours since even the best lawn mowers aren’t completely silent. Alan Titchmarsh is known to millions through his career as a television presenter for over 40 years, including hosting Love Your Weekend, Love Your Garden, Ground Force, Gardeners’ World, The Alan Titchmarsh Show and ITV’s Spring Into Summer. When the grandchildren were young – and I don’t thank you for making me think of this because it’ll be an earworm for the rest of the day – it was the theme tune for the TV series they liked, In the Night Garden.Alan Titchmarsh said: ‘This is the sort of book I’d have on my bedside table if it had been written by anyone else! I believe profoundly there should be at least one day in the week when we could go out into our gardens and experience a bit of peace and quiet.