Saturday 2 March 2013

I don't just talk to my plants, I instruct them, says Prince Charles as he edits 25th anniversary edition of Countryfile

He famously admitted giving his plants a little verbal encouragement.
Now the Prince of Wales has made a further revelation: he not only chats to his flowers, he instructs them.
The green-fingered heir to the throne, a champion of organic and sustainable farming, made the comment during a special 25th anniversary edition of BBC1’s Countryfile.
Teacher: Prince Charles has revealed he now not only talks to his plants, but instructs them to help them along their way
Teacher: Prince Charles has revealed he now not only talks to his plants, but instructs them to help them along their way
While making hedgerows, another of the prince’s pastimes, presenter Julia Bradbury reminded Charles, 64, of the 1986 interview when he famously said: ‘I just come and talk to the plants, really – very important to talk to them. They respond.’
When asked if this was something he still did, Charles joked self-deprecatingly: ‘No, now I instruct them instead.’
The programme, guest edited by the prince and to be shown on March 10, filmed him over two days on his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, where he first launched the organic food brand Duchy Originals. He also spoke of how he was looking ‘forward enormously’ to his first grandchild, when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s baby is born.
The prince said that for the sake of all grandchildren and the world they will inherit, there needed to be more ‘reverence and respect for nature’. Asked why the countryside has such importance to him, Charles replied: ‘I just always have loved the countryside.
Green-fingered: Prince Charles was in jovial mood as he and Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall visited Cardiff for the St David's Day service yesterday
Green-fingered: Prince Charles was in jovial mood as he and Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall visited Cardiff for the St David's Day service yesterday
‘I think probably because I have always found myself happiest there. . . I just happen to love it and I love walking in it anyway. I find that, funnily enough, walking is a terribly important thing for me, rather like some people need a cigarette, I need a walk. I tell you what it does, it’s riveting; by going for a walk I find it stimulates the thinking and the reflecting.’
The prince admitted he rued the day he ever commented about his plants, saying: ‘You can’t make a joke, can you really, without people taking you seriously – it always comes back to haunt you!’
It is understood Charles approached the BBC himself to ask if he could be a guest editor of the show.
Miss Bradbury, 42, who has been presenting the programme for five years, described Charles as charismatic, funny and relaxed.

Prince Charles and Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall leaving St John The Baptist City Parish Church in Cardiff
Friendly: It's unknown if Prince Charles talks to his plants in the same tone as he would to a human
Friendly: It's unknown if Prince Charles talks to his plants in the same tone as he would to a human
She said: ‘We got to see a really lovely and personal side to him, which I don’t think is seen all that often.’
The former Watchdog presenter said Charles also talked of his love of making hedges and how he accidentally whipped her across the face with a stray branch as they worked together.
She added: ‘He was very apologetic, but joked how he shouldn’t want to damage such expensive BBC property.
‘After we’d finished one of the hedges, I pointed out that part of it was wonky.
‘He joked that from now on it will always be remembered as the kinky hedge.’



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