The actor, 82, discusses his love for all things green-fingered
I used to live in central London, in a flat just off Oxford Street, right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle. But after so many years of that, I wanted something a bit quieter, so my wife and I moved to the countryside. We live in a rural part of Buckinghamshire and we’ve been here for more than 20 years now.
It’s an old house: part of it dates back to the Domesday Book. From what we laughingly call the library, you get a fabulous view of the lawn. Like Del Boy, I’d be the first to admit I’m not a natural gardener, but I think that’s changing.
Believe it or not, one area I’m passionate about is topiary. I have been doing it for years; it gives me a lot of pleasure. There are so many things you can create with a hedge and a pair of clippers. I love creating animals: I’ve done a gorilla, a rhino, two baby elephants and a dog. I’m now in the middle of a standing bear: I’ve been working on it for two years, but I’m still only up to his waist. Not surprisingly, we call this part of the garden The Zoo.
My friend Brian Cosgrove, the animator for Danger Mouse [Sir David provided the voice for the character in the original 1981 television series], helped me design them. But, listen, I’m not giving him too much credit here, because I’m trying to establish my own reputation.