The inside word is that the Prince is keen to move into gardening to complete the Duchy brand circle to include everything from pot to plate. Charles’s first garden centre is taking shape in a converted barn near his Highgrove, Gloucestershire estate. The Duchy bought Close Farm last year and is tendering for horticulture consultants to bid to develop the garden centre and an attached nursery and education arm.

Ever since Titchmarsh moved on to natural history, gardening has needed a celebrity advocate with some clout. Maybe Charles is the man to kick off a revival in the trade.

Went to launch of new RHS show t'other day. Charming shows director Stephen Bennett and BBC reporter Wesley Kerr were the most interesting people there. Wesley told me about Kensal Green cemetery wall, which fell down during Notting Hall Carnival 2006. I'm working on a piece about it. It was the bendy buses or the drums that caused it.

I asked Wesley why garden journalists don't like being reported about. Rachel de Thame, Andy Sturgeon, Wesley himself. When they make a lot of their cash from writing you thought they'd understand if you write about them saying something newsworthy or getting a high-profile job.

Anyway, went to Defra summer journalists drinks at Nobel House in westminster last week. Depressing. Hilary Benn harangued by some farming mag hack about badgers. As if the hack cared! I know that prominent cattle farmers shoot badgers. Benn says the badgers are ok by the way and the TB they give cows is not a big issue. Asked BBC farming hack why not. She said it's easy to hear these things in a pub but harder to film them for the BBC.

Is this level of investigative curiosity what we pay £30bn a year for?

Met Sir Ian Botham at rainy Hampton Court promoting Ampersand garden furniture. He told me he is to gardening what King Herod is to childminding.

Had lunch with the charming Robert Hillier and Rosie Atkin from Chelsea Physic Garden. Rosie says there are lots of characters in allotments that need writing about - I'm your man. Robert said the RHS London Flower shows are a bit of a drain on resources.

Was on tour of garden centres last week and RHS committeeman and New Hopetoun Gardens owner Dougal Philip said the shows must go on. They symbolise the commercial v traditional side of the RHS - a debate going on in the Times letters pages at the mo.

Went to HC gala evening too - muddy but fun. Wrote a story on Chelsea designer Trevor Tooth going bankrupt. A sign of things to come I fear.