Frances Tophill

Frances Tophill

Frances Tophill is a gardener who was born in Deal, Kent and 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.


Branching out

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 home 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.


From little acorns

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.

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

Frances 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

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


Awards

2022
Gardeners' World Live

Best Show Garden & Platinum Award


Frances Tophill TV Programmes


2012
Love Your Garden

Love Your Garden


Love your Garden Series 13

First aired 19 April 2022


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


First aired 07 September 2021
Love Your Garden

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.


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


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



Series 8
First aired 16 February 2018


Series 7
First aired 21 June 2017


First aired on 28 June 2016


First aired on 23 June 2015


2016
Gardeners' World


2019
Eat, Grow, Love


Grow Your Own At Home With Alan Titchmarsh

 first aired 01 September 2020
Love Tour Garden Themed Episodes








2021
Gardeners' World 2021



2021
Love Your Garden Themed Specials 2021





Episode 1: 11 March 2022


2023
Gardeners' World 2023








Frances Tophill Books

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

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


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


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