We’re really looking forward to welcoming Frances Tophill to the festival, where she’ll be sharing her gardening knowledge, inspiration and enthusiasm with visitors.
Frances Tophill is a horticulturalist, botanist, author and television presenter whose work celebrates the connection between people, plants and the natural world. With a particular passion for sustainability, wildlife and community gardening, she has become one of the UK’s best-known gardening personalities.
Alongside her television and writing career, Frances remains deeply committed to conservation and sustainable horticulture. She has spent many years working in gardens with vulnerable adults, including people with learning disabilities and mental health challenges. She has also contributed to native tree-planting projects with the Conifer Conservation Project in Edinburgh and Moor Trees in Devon. Frances is Patron of Thanet Urban Forest and works with the Royal Horticultural Society’s Campaign for School Gardening, inspiring the next generation to discover the joys of growing.
Frances joined BBC Gardeners’ World in 2016 and has become a familiar face on the programme, sharing practical gardening advice, exploring inspiring gardens and occasionally stepping in to present. She is also well known for her work on ITV’s Love Your Garden, alongside Alan Titchmarsh, where she helps transform outdoor spaces and shows how gardening can make a meaningful difference to people’s lives.
Her passion for environmentally conscious gardening extends to garden design. In 2022, Frances won Best Show Garden at Gardeners’ World Live for a sustainable garden design and build. She went on to design the Curious Garden for the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, further showcasing her imaginative and nature-conscious approach to horticulture.
Frances is the author of five books, including The First-Time Gardener, The Container Gardener, Rewild Your Garden, The Modern Gardener and her more recent publications, How to Grow a Garden, an illustrated introduction to the world of gardens for younger readers, and A Wildflower Year, which explores 60 wildflower species, their habitats and their place in the natural world.