UKTV Gardens: John Steinbeck once said: "There is nothing pleasanter than spading when the ground is soft and damp." Would you agree?
Tommy Walsh: "I suppose that question is subject to interpretation. Where I come from in the east end of London, we have a different interpretation of the word "spading". And on that point I think I'd better not say any more."

UKTV Gardens: What would you be doing if you weren't doing this for a living?
Tommy Walsh: "I'm happy because what I do for a living is something I enjoy. I trained as a hard landscaper and I restore period buildings. But as an alternative, I'd either like to be a barrister, a professional footballer or a solo singer. I used to sing when I was a kid - I had a great voice. I sang solo at the Royal Festival Hall when I was younger. Then my voice broke and that was the end of it. I sounded like the gravely old toad that I am today. I have been asked a few times to sing. They keep trying to get me on that Celebrity Stars In Their Eyes, I said no, I was offered a record contract, I said no. You have to be really, really good otherwise you make a fool of yourself!"

UKTV Gardens: Alan Titchmarsh once joke his obituary would read "The Man Who Planked Britain". What will yours read?
Tommy Walsh: "No, I think you misinterpreted it - he meant, "The Man Who Plagued Britain". I'd like to have what the National Heritage people said about one of my pet projects - I rebuilt a Grade II listed building originally designed and built by Sir George Gilbert Scott, one of our greatest Gothic architects. The Heritage people said to me: "It's an improvement on the original design". And that's what I'd have on my stone."

UKTV Gardens: Is decking chav?
Tommy Walsh: "No I don't think so. I think it's a great surface and I think it's going to be around for many years to come."