The Daily Telegraph has published a list of Britain’s top 30 most influential gardeners – but it contains a few surprises.

Mr T topped the poll

Alan Titchmarsh leads the great and good of the gardening world, even though he stood down as lead presenter of Gardeners’ World almost a decade ago.

Readers on The Daily Telegraph website bemoaned the omission of AG’s Bob Flowerdew, as well as Chris Beardshaw and Beechgrove Garden presenter Jim McColl – while another branded the poll “total piffle”.

One reader wrote: “Prince Charles? The man has never picked up a spade!” Another asked: “Where are the pictures of HRH up to his knees in compost? You won’t find any.”

Do you agree with author Tim Richardson’s line-up? Have your say below. Please note, all comments are moderated and may take up to 24 hours to appear live on the site.

1. Alan Titchmarsh – TV’s king of gardening

2. Sue Biggs – RHS director-general

3&4. Martyn Phillips and Terry Duddy – chief executives of DIY/garden chain B&Q

5. Monty Don – BBC Gardeners’ World presenter

6. Mark Fane – director of web nursery 8 crocus.co.uk

7. Alison Kirkham – BBC TV commissioning editor

8. Simon Jenkins – National Trust chairman

9. Christopher Woodward – Garden Museum director

10. Christine Walkden – The BBC One Show’s resident garden expert

11. HRH Prince of Wales – organic gardening’s royal champion

12. Piet Oudolf – renowned Dutch plantsman and perennials expert

13. Dominic Cole – chair of National Trust gardens advisory panel and the Garden History Society

14. Penelope Hobhouse – author and gardening expert

15. Carol Klein – second-in-command at Gardeners’ World on BBC2

16. Juliet Roberts – editor
of Gardens Illustrated magazine

17. Robin Lane-Fox – Financial Times gardens guru

18. John Watkins – head of gardens at English Heritage

19. Sir Roy Strong – UK’s most prominent garden history expert

20. Dr DG Hessayon – publicity-shy, best-selling Expert books author

21. Mark Diacono – head gardener at River Cottage

22. Tom Stuart-Smith – designer with the most Chelsea gongs

23. Jamie Oliver – green-fingered telly chef

24. Richard Reynolds – founder of UK’s guerrilla gardening movement

25. Roy Lancaster – plantsman and plant-hunter

26. George Plumptre – chief executive of National Gardens Scheme

27. Bleddyn and Sue Wynn-Jones of Crug Farm Plants – nursery owners

28. Anne Wareham – garden critic and author of The Bad Tempered Gardener

29. James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett – garden designers and naturalistic planting experts

30. Tim Richardson – author of this survey, The Daily Telegraph gardener and director of The Chelsea Fringe 2012.