Richard Simmons -- My Bushes Are So Beautiful, They Make Me Cry!!!

Richard Simmons has hardly left his house in more than a year, but it's ok because he's so smitten by what the landscaper has done, it makes him break down in tears.

We got this audio recording of Richard calling Angie's List and you'd think he was giving props to Michelangelo. In this case the artist is landscaper Alvaro Garibay, who trims Richard's bushes to a fare-thee-well.

You gotta listen. It was recorded in 2013, before Richard went MIA, but you can hear how his gated estate has become his refuge.

And the biggest bonus of all ... Richard says his Hispanic gardeners speak really good English.