The Prince of Wales recalled a sweet childhood memory with his younger sister, Princess Anne, during a special radio appearance.
Prince Charles, 72, who appears on the final episode of the current series of Radio 4's The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed, spoke about his early experiences with nature at Buckingham Palace.
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He tells Simon Armitage: "My sister and I had a little vegetable patch in the back of some border somewhere. We had great fun trying to grow tomatoes rather unsuccessfully and things like that."
When Simon asks if there was anyone working in the palace grounds who may have passed on their green-fingered knowledge to the young Prince, Charles says: "There was a wonderful Head Gardener at Buckingham Palace, he was called Mr Nutbeam, rather splendidly. He was splendid and he helped us a bit, my sister and I with the little garden we had."
He later adds: "There's nothing to beat, is there, I think eating what you have grown? This is another reason why I always feel it is so important to find ways of encouraging children to grow vegetables and things at school."
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© Photo: Getty ImagesCharles and Anne with the Queen and Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace in 1953
And when later discussing the younger generations' attitudes towards the environment, grandfather-of-five Charles says: "I don't want to be confronted by my grandchildren and other people's grandchildren saying, 'why didn't you do something when you could?'"
The episode was recorded at Llwynywermod, the Welsh home of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, with Charles telling Simon he is "very flattered, very touched you should even consider asking me on your show".
The Poet Laureate Has Gone To His Shed on Radio 4 and BBC Sounds, 19:15, Saturday 28 August
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