Gardeners Unearthed: January 2020

Love Your Garden

Love your Garden is the UK most popular Gardening Programme with over 4 million viewers.

Love your Garden first aired in June 2011 but with a very different format in the first series to the garden makeover show we all know and love.

In series 1, Alan Titchmarsh visited themed gardens around the UK, with each episode featuring a different theme.

Frances Tophill is a Horticulturist, Author and TV Gardening Presenter who was born in Deal, Kent and she has two sisters.

Early attempts at gardening for Frances did not go well when her mother gave her a planter and it wasn't until much later that the idea of being a gardener was even dreamed of.

On leaving School Frances started a job at Marks & Spencer as a shop assistant.

Frances Tophill was to spend 3 years working in the same shop before a complete change of career was to beckon.

An apprenticeship at The Salutation Gardens in Sandwich attracted the interest of Frances.

At £2 less an hour she was not sure but after a trip to the gardens Frances knew the outdoor life of a gardener was for her.

The Salutation is now better known as the past home of Dom and Steph from Gogglebox.

After 18 months at the garden Frances went to Edinburgh to study at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) and obtained a B.sc degree in Horticulture and plantmanship.

Whilst at SRUC, Frances Tophill received a email from Love Your Garden telling students they were on the look out for presenters to join Alan Titchmarsh for the second series.

After a trip to London to audition in front of the cameras, Frances was given the job along with David Domoney and Katie Rushworth, and Love Your Garden ran for 11 years and 13 series.

in 2021 Danny Clarke joined the Love Your Garden Team making his Debut in a Love Your Garden Themed special 2021 first aired 13 July 2021 Love Your Small Garden Special.

Frances Tophill moved to Devon where she volunteered and was later employed by Dawlish Garden Trust for gardeners with a learning disability.

Frances became a Gardeners' World presenter in 2016.

Frances has also been representing the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) for their School Gardener of the Year Competition. RHS School Gardeners of the Year Winners 2019

Frances has previously lived in Folkstone with her partner and rescue dog Rua and her garden was created and featured in Grow Your Own at Home with Alan Titchmarsh.

In August 2022 Frances became Temporary Head Gardener covering for maternity leave at The Sharpham Trust in Totnes Devon, and she still works there.

Frances bought her first house nearby that featured on Gardeners' World 2023 when she was presenting as well as her new allotment.

In 2026 Frances Tophill is to join another long running Garden Makeover programme Garden Rescue as a Garden Designer.

The show is 10 years old in 2026 and for the new run of Series 11 it will feature Frances Tophill, Diarmuid Gavin, Sue Kent and Joe Swift all competing against the existing Garden Rescue Team.

Charlie Dimmock is the Queen of garden makeover shows and her team of Chris Hull, Lee Burkhill and Flo Headlam combined with the new designers are going to make the ultimate Garden Makeover Team.

Frances Tophill is to have her first Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 along with Alan Titchmarsh and Sir David Beckham.

Alan and Frances first Garden is to be a RHS Feature Garden for the King's Foundation Curious Garden along with Kings' Foundation Ambassador Sir David Beckham who will probably provide a Beehive too.

Frances Tophill also continues to be a popular presenter on Gardeners' World along with her dog Rua who regularly joins The Animal Co-stars of Gardeners' World.

Frances has the nickname Frinky. Frances likes to keep her life very private so we may never know why!

Awards

2022

Gardeners' World Live

Best Show Garden & Platinum Award

Frances Tophill TV Programmes

2012 - 2023
Love Your Garden

2012

Love Your Garden Series 2

First aired 26 June 2012

2013

Love Your Garden Series 3

First aired on 25 June 2013

2014

Love Your Garden Series 4

First aired on 24 June 2014

2015

Love Your Garden Series 5

First aired on 23 June 2015

2016

Love Your Garden Series 6

First aired on 28 June 2016

2016 - Present
Gardeners' World

2017

Love Your Garden Series 7

First aired 21 June 2017

2018

Love Your Garden Series 8

First aired 16 February 2018

2019

Love Your Garden Series 9

First aired 27 August 2019

Episode 1 Daniel, Jordan Lola & Jasper Bradbury from Hucknall near Nottingham

Episode 2 Rob & Margaret Isdale from Grantham, Lincolnshire

Episode 3 Jack & Margaret Parrott from Grassmoor, Derbyshire

Episode 4 Icolyn Smith MBE from Oxford

Episode 5 Rachel, Ped, Isla, George & Betsy from Folkstone

Episode 6 Lorraine Tilston-Brookes, Doris & Poppy from Swindon Wiltshire

Episode 7 Chris Garlick, Karran, Molly, Daniel & Mairwen Pontypool South Wales

Episode 8 Georgie Moseley Sheldon near Birmingham

2019
Eat, Grow, Love

2020

Love Your Garden Series 10

First aired 25 February 2020

Episode 1 Harri & Erica Torr from Hull, East Yorkshire

Episode 2 Kath Ryan from Hall Green, Birmingham

Episode 3 Kirsty, Phoebe & Sam from Farncombe, Surrey

Episode 4 Age UK Day Centre in Croydon

Episode 5 Pip, John & Harrison from Middlesbrough

Episode 6 Richard & Lynn Warren Chippenham

Episode 7 James, Joanna & Laurie from Dudley

Episode 8 Venessa and Raia Sunshine from Waltham Abbey, Essex

2020
Gardeners' World 2020

2020

Grow Your Own At Home With Alan Titchmarsh

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

2020
Love Your Garden Themed Episodes

First aired 01 September 2020

Love Your English Country Garden

Love Your Family Garden

Love Your Exotic Garden

Love Your Wildlife Garden

Love Your Coastal Garden

Love Your City Garden

2021

Love Your Garden Series 11

First aired 07 September 2021

Episode 1 Mel & Theodore from near Taunton. Dunkirk Memorial House

Episode 2 Steve, Eve, Billy and Emmie from Manchester. Sue and Georgia from Liverpool

Episode 3 Jo, Kerry, Flynn & Dogs from Leighton Buzzard. Dawn from Salford.

Episode 4 Carl, Elle, Theo, Ebony & Kenzo from Macclesfield Cheshire. Norma from Accrington.

Episode 5 Dale, Laura, Liam, Mathew & Louis from Barry Wales. Krystina, Sienna, Max & Andre from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.

Episode 6 Margaret Mary from Salford. Tim and Charlotte from Leicester.

Episode 7 Donna from Leicester. Jen from Huddersfield.

Episode 8 Shabnam and Amelia from Wakefield. Lesley-Anne from Swansea.

2021

Gardeners' World 2021

2021

Love Your Garden Themed Specials 2021

Love Your Small Garden Special

Love Your Cottage Garden Special

2022

Love Your Garden Series 12

First aired 22 March 2022

Love Your Garden Episode 1 Beauty Mary Stevenson from County Durham

Episode 2 Colour Julie Richards from Leicester

Episode 3 Wildlife Peter Hill from West Bromwich

Episode 4 Water Russ, Alex, Zach & Lily Peacock from Southampton

Episode 5 Wirral Conrad, Pauline & Keiron Toohey from Heswall

Episode 6 Sudbury Eileen & Roy Baldwin from Sudbury, Suffolk

Episode 8 Greenford Sybil from Greenford, West London

2022

Gardeners' World 2022

2023

Love Your Garden Series 13

First aired 19 April 2023

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

2023

Gardeners' World 2023

Gardeners' World Winter Specials 2023/24

2024

Gardeners' World Compilations 2024

Gardeners' World 2024

2025

Gardeners' World 2025

2025

Gardeners' World Winter Specials 2025/2026

2026

Gardeners' World Compilation 2026

Gardeners' World 2026

Frances Tophill Books

2015
The First time Gardener: How to plan, plant & enjoy your garden

2017
Container Gardener: Inspirational ideas for pots & plants to transform any garden

2019

Container Gardeners' Handbook: Pots, Techniques, and Projects to Transform Any Space

Rachel Warne (Photographer)

2020
Rewild Your Garden: Create a Haven for Birds, Bees and Butterflies

2022

The Modern Gardener: A practical guide to gardening creatively, productively and sustainably

2024

Gardeners’ World: A Year in a Small Garden: Creating a Beautiful Garden in Any Space

2025

How to Grow a Garden: Find a Plant for Every Place

Charlotte Ager (Illustrator)

2025

A Wildflower Year: A Guide to Wildflowers, their Habitats & Histories

Francis Tophill Instagram Facebook

Alan Titchmarsh

Alan Fred Titchmarsh was born in Ilkley, West Riding of Yorkshire on 2nd May 1949.

His Father was a plumber and part time fireman, his Mother was a textile worker.

His father was a typical Yorkshireman and they both instilled in him very strong family values.

Katie Rushworth is a Gardener, Garden Designer and TV Presenter on Love Your Garden.

Katie Rushworth's was born in Leeds on 9th May 1983 and her parents were not gardeners but her grandparents were in the tiny back garden of their terrace house.

They filled it with plants in containers and plants just about everywhere they could.

With most houses in the area just having a back yard her grandparents let her help with watering and caring for the plants and they even won awards for their patch of green oasis.

Katie Rushworth attended Agnes Stewart High School and in leaving she started a job at Harvey Nicholls in Leeds.

A change of career after having her daughter Poppy due to the constant travelling saw her return to studying Horticulture in the evenings at Shipley College.

She switched courses to study Garden Design at Craven College Skipton part time, when her interest in Design grew.

Katie Rushworth became a garden designer and you can find design tips, as well as details of the design consultation services she can offer for your garden on her website.

Katie Rushworth auditioned for Love Your Garden for the role as a TV presenter / gardener after receiving an email from the production company.

Katie got the job and joined Alan Titchmarsh, David Domoney and Frances Tophill on the second series of the popular garden makeover show.

in 2021 Danny Clarke joined the Love Your Garden Team making his Debut in a Love Your Garden Themed special 2021 first aired 13 July 2021 Love Your Small Garden Special.

Katie Rushworth in 2026 moved house so she has a new garden to tackle.

She is married to husband Andrew Edwards, and has daughters Poppy and step-daughter Schyler plus dogs Yoko & Ziggy

Her last home in Balidon, Yorkshire featured in 2020 on Grow Your Own at Home with Alan Titchmarsh where the Love Your Garden Team presented the gardening programme from their own homes during the Covid19 restrictions

Katie Rushworth TV Programmes

2012 - 2023

Love Your Garden

2012
Love Your Garden Series 2

First aired 2012

2013

Love Your Garden Series 3

First aired 25 June 2013

2014

Love Your Garden Series 4

First aired 24 June 2014

2015

Love Your Garden Series 5

First aired on 23 June 2015

2016

Love Your Garden Series 6

First aired on 28 June 2016

2017

Love Your Garden Series 7

First aired 21 June 2017

2017 - 2018

Love Your Home and Garden

2018

Love Your Garden Series 8

First aired 16 February 2018

2019

Love Your Garden Series 9

2020

Love Your Garden Series 10

First aired 25 February 2020

Episode 1 Harri & Erica Torr from Hull, East Yorkshire

Episode 2 Kath Ryan from Hall Green, Birmingham

Episode 3 Kirsty, Phoebe & Sam from Farncombe, Surrey

Episode 4 Age UK Day Centre in Croydon

Episode 5 Pip, John & Harrison from Middlesbrough

Episode 6 Richard & Lynn Warren Chippenham

Episode 7 James, Joanna & Laurie from Dudley

Episode 8 Venessa and Raia Sunshine from Waltham Abbey, Essex

2020

Grow Your Own At Home With Alan Titchmarsh