The Webster Viridarium
Why turn to British Gardeners?
There is no “G” in HGTV. I know it looks like it’s there, but it’s really a silent G. Is it just me, or is HGTV run by complete idiots. Every time a home improvement program becomes popular on the network, it immediately disappears. Beyond that, I can’t remember the last time I actually saw a gardening program on the network. (In all honesty, I haven’t had cable in years, likely because there were no gardening programs and well, just how many episodes of House Hunters International can one person watch?)
Are you old enough to remember Victory Garden on PBS? James Underwood Crockett was the closest thing to an American celebrity gardener since Johnny Appleseed. After Crockett’s death, Roger Swain made a noble effort hosting the program, but PBS had long lost interest.
What about Martha Stewart you ask? While she does include gardening in her program, she doesn’t focus her energies on gardening alone. These days you’re more likely to find her baking brownies with Snoop Dogg than re-potting her gardenias.
Thankfully, thanks to streaming services like BritBox and gardening offerings on YouTube it’s easier to find gardening programs in the United States than ever before.
A Country of Gardeners
Since 1968 a considerable number of Britons tune in to BBC 2 most Friday nights for a program called Gardeners’ World. It’s long time host, Monty Don (pictured above) is a genuine celebrity in the UK, with over 1.3 million followers on 
instagram . The 2026 season is scheduled to start on the 13th of March. It’s a truly lovely program and by itself worth the cost of a BritBox subscription.
Gardeners’ World isn’t an anomaly. There have been many other successful gardening programs in the UK over the years. Including Gardeners’ Question Time which has aired on BBC radio since 1947. There are well over 800 episodes available on the BBC website. Beechgrove is a gardening program that has aired on BBC Scotland since 1978. It is also available on Britbox.
Alan Titchmarsh ( 173k) is another well known British gardener. He was the host of Gardener’s World from 1996–2002, prior to Monty Don tenure. He has since hosted the long running series, Love Your Garden, Ground Force, and most recently, Alan Titchmarsh’s Gardening Club (which as I write this, is available on Amazon Prime.)
The Proteges
Both Monty and Alan have had a fair number of assistant gardeners or “co-presenters” over the years and many of them have become quite well known themselves. The big question has become, when Monty Don does decide to move on from Gardeners’ World, which he has openly discussed, who will replace him?
Frances Tophill ( 160k) is an award winning horticulturist, author, and television presenter known for her contributions to Love Your Garden and Gardeners’ World. She has written a number of books including The Modern Gardener: A practical guide for creating a beautiful and creative garden and Rewild Your Garden: Create a Haven for Birds, Bees and Butterflies. ig
Adam Frost ( 136k) is a garden designer and horticulturist known for his award winning gardens including seven gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show and as a presenter on Gardeners’ World. He is the author of the book Real Gardens: Seven amazing Chelsea Gold Medal-winning designs. web | ig
Rachel de Thame ( 130k) is a gardener and Gardeners’ World presenter who also hosts the BBC coverage of the annual Chelsea Garden Show. She is the author of several gardening books including A Flower Garden for Pollinators ig
Nick Bailey ( 77.4k) is a garden designer who has created and managed gardens on four continents. His work ranges from gardens, horticultural consultancy, public speaking, writing, and presenting on Gardeners’ World. He is the author of three books including 365 Days of Colour in your Garden. web | ig
Katie Edwards (nee Rushworth) ( 30.5k) is a gardener, garden designer, and television presenter best known for her work on Love Your Garden. She is the author of Plants, Beds and Borders: Create and Maintain Your Perfect Garden. web | ig
Danny Clarke ( 23.1k) known as the Black Gardener, is a garden designer and television presenter who hosted The Instant Gardener (2015 -2016), Filthy Garden SOS (2021) and Love Your Garden (2021–). Impressed by Danny’s garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, the David Austin company, named a rose after him. The rose is called Dannahue, Danny’s given first name. web | ig
Notable British Gardeners
James Wong ( 601k) is an ethnobotanist, garden designer, television presenter, and a panelist on Gardeners’ Question Time. James is the author of multiple books including How to Eat Better. web | ig
Charlie McCormick ( 186k) is a gardener and floral designer who grew up in New Zealand but lives in the UK. He has written for or been featured in numerous prominent publications. “My garden philosophy is simple: you should always plant what you like even if nobody else does.” His book A Year at the Parsonage: The Story of a House & Garden will be released in October of 2026. ig
Harry and David Rich ( 83.2k) are brothers from Wales who work together in their landscape design business and on television as presenters of programs like Garden Rescue. They are the authors of the book Love Your Plot. web | ig
Alice Vincent ( 55.5k) is a non-fiction and horticulture writer, editor, and podcaster. After writing for the Telegraph for multiple years, she moved to the Guardian and became a features editor at Penguin Books. She also has columns in Gardens Illustrated and The New Statesman and hosts several popular podcasts. Vincent is the author of several gardening books including Why Women Grow: Stories of Soil, Sisterhood and Survival. web | ig
Alys Fowler ( 40.5k) is a horticulturist and journalist. Her work has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines, including The Guardian, Gardeners’ World Magazine, Gardens Illustrated, Country Living, and The Daily Mail. She is the author of multiple gardening books including The Edible Garden and Eat What You Grow. ig
British Gardeners on YouTube
Huw Richards (
917k) is a Welch YouTuber, writer and horticulturist who has authored numerous books on vegetable gardening including The Vegetable Grower’s Handbook. yt
Charles Dowding ( 742k) is a lifelong farmer and Cambridge graduate who has been at the forefront of the organic and no dig movements. He is the author of numerous books including No Dig Organic Home & Garden: Grow, Cook, Use, and Store Your Harvest. web | yt | ig
Gerald Stratford ( 62.2k) is a lifetime gardener who in his 70s “went viral” through the merit of his personality and his rather “big veg”. So viral that the luxury brand, Gucci has featured him in several of their adverts. He is the author of the book, not surprisingly titled, Big Veg. web | ig | yt
