He was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2000 Queen's Millennium Honours List for his services to gardening and broadcasting.
He was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society Victoria Medal of Honour in 2003.
He is a regular columnist for BBC Gardener's World magazine publication, and also for Express newspapers.
He has two daughters: Polly (born 1980) and Camilla (born 1982).