George's magic flower power

Neil Titley, the Beatle's gardener, ran over his gnome but still got a lovely goodbye present from him

During a 40-year career, performing a solo Oscar Wilde show, I undertook many periods of 'resting', when I did almost any job that turned up. And so, in 1970, I was lucky enough to become under-gardener at the Friar Park estate high on a hill overlooking Henley-on-Thames. Resembling a French château, it had been built in 1889 by a successful solicitor and horticulturist called Sir Frank Crisp. After his death in 1919, the house was sold on and became the home of a Roman Catholic teaching order of nuns who ran a school in the building for 20 years. One of their pupils was Jane Birkin (1946-2023). Jane, of course, became a renowned star but in those days was best known for her nude appearance in Antonioni's 1967 film Blow…

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The Oldie (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

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