Concept and creative process
The title sequence was based on Alan Titchmarsh’s own personal story of how he became interested in gardening through his grandad. The sequence depicts Alan as a young boy with his grandad exploring the magic of the garden. At the end, he runs behind a tree and the adult Alan walks out of the other side as the logo appears. The sequence was a live action shoot with time-lapse elements and digital effects combined in post-production. Tim Shepherd was commissioned to shoot the sequence because of his Natural History time-lapse photography and knowledge of green screen. It was shot in a private garden on Digibeta and treated with film effects and a vignette to convey older footage that would mirror the period from Alan’s childhood. The young Alan was played by Gethin Compton.