Joe Swift

Joseph Swift is a gardener who was born on 25 May 1965.

Both of Joe Swift's parents and other family members are famous.

Joe Swift's father was the late actor Clive Swift best known for playing Richard Bucket, the long suffering husband of Hyacinth Bucket (played by Dame Patricia Routledge) in Keeping up Appearances. 

His father sadly died on 1st February 2019.

Joe Swifts mother is novelist Dame Margaret Drabble, Lady Holroyd who has published 19 Novels. She divorced his father in 1975. 

Grow Your Own At Home With Alan Titchmarsh Episode 1

The first episode of Grow Your Own At Home with Alan Titchmarsh starts with Alan Titchmarsh in his own garden filmed by his wife Alison AKA Mrs T Cam.

After a series of out-takes Alan welcomes us to his amazing Hampshire garden.

For the last 2 months Alan has been in lock down with just his wife Alison and tells us his garden has been his 'salvation' and how wonderful a garden is at these times.

Grow Your Own At Home with Alan Titchmarsh

Grow Your Own At Home With Alan Titchmarsh is a new TV series that was first shown on ITV on 25 May 2020.

The series was filmed during the COVID-19 Pandemic and is filmed entirely by amateur camera people, namely the Presenters family.

The series features the popular Love Your Garden Presenters, Alan Titchmarsh, David Domoney, Katie Rushworth and Frances Tophill.

Garden Rescue Series 5 Episode 2

In Garden Rescue Series 5 episode 2, Charlie Dimmock and the Rich Brothers Harry and David are in Havant, Hampshire.

Lisa, Paul and Zia want a garden inspired by their love of holidays in Greece and have a budget of £3,000.

Following their extension being built, the garden was a building site.

With no work being able to be done over the Winter, it is now in dire need of a makeover.

The Instant Gardener

The Instant Gardener was first shown on BBC daytime schedule in 2015.

It was the television debut for Danny Clarke who calls himself the Black Gardener.

Danny co-presenter is Helen Skelton and it ran for 2 series.

Danny Clarke

Danny Clarke is a gardener and designer, who was born in Oxford in 1960.

His parents originally came from Jamaica and his father was a British Army Officer. 

His real name is Dannahue Barrington Clarke.

He ran his own sales company and after travelling, gained a love of the outdoors and design. 

In 1997 Danny started his own gardening business in Kent after completing a garden design course at Hadlow Horticultural College

Danny started calling himself the Black Gardener to get himself noticed.

Garden Rescue

Garden Rescue has become the ultimate garden makeover show on the BBC.

It was first shown on 11 July 2016 with the return of Charlie Dimmock to our screens.

Charlie was best know for her bra less appearance on Ground Force with Alan Titchmarsh and Tommy Walsh and several spin off shows following.

The Rich Brothers - Harry and David

The Rich Brothers Harry and David are gardeners who grew up in Brecon Beacons in rural South Wales.

Their parents had a small back garden but the boys had a huge playground of the countryside around their home.

As youngsters they enjoyed helping their dad out with projects in the garden, getting useful early experience of building design.

Harry is the eldest of the brothers and is 3 years older than David.

Charlie Dimmock

Charlie Dimmock is a gardener and long running TV Gardener Designer on Garden Rescue who was born in Hampshire on 10th August 1966.

She was an only child and her father Terry was a Merchant Seaman and her mother Sue had her own clothes shop.

Charlie Dimmock parents nicknamed her 'the brat' during her toddler years!

As a child she helped her grandad with his vegetable garden and in her own garden she liked spending time by the pond.

Gardening lessons at her school lead on to a Saturday and holiday job in a local garden Centre.

A change of career path from initially wanting to study Forensic Science to changing her plans to study Horticulture brought her to our screens.

Charlie spent a year working at the famous Chelsea Physic Garden.

After graduation Charlie Dimmock started work at Romsey Garden Centre before going off travelling, where she met her partner John, with whom she split in 2001.

On her return to her job she met the TV Producer for Ground Force whilst he was shopping.

Charlie Dimmock appeared on Ground Force, which ran for 12 series between 1997 to 2005.

Charlie starred alongside Alan Titchmarsh and handy man Tommy Walsh on this early TV garden makeover show.

Flame haired Charlie Dimmock soon became a favourite drawing more attention for her braless appearances than her gardening prowess.

Charlie Dimmock's garden designs. heavily featured her expertise of water features, maybe those early years spent by the pond paid off?

Charlie Dimmock then went on to flood our TV screen with programmes such as Charlie's Garden Army and Charlie's Gardening Neighbours.

She then disappeared from regularly appearing on our screens for several years.

In 2016, Charlie Dimmock returned with Garden Rescue on our television screens.

The garden makeover show saw Charlie Dimmock and the Rich Brothers compete to have their garden design chosen by the home owner.

David and Harry Rich compete with their modern design flair up against Charlie and her more traditional garden design and the losing gardener helps build the garden.

in 2019, Arit Anderson caused worry amongst Charlie's fans as they were left wondering has Charlie Dimmock left garden rescue when she appeared on the show instead of Charlie

Arit then became a regular on the show.

Both Arit Anderson and The Rich Brothers Harry & David left Garden Rescue in 2021.

When Garden Rescue returned for Series 7 in 2022 it was with new presenters.

She is joined by Designer Lee Burkhill who made his Garden Rescue debut in 2021 in Series 6 and new Designers for this series Flo Headlam and Chris Hull.

In Garden Rescue Series 10 there was another Garden Designer join Charlie and her team, Amelia Bouquet who proved to be a popular new addition.

2026 marks the 10 year anniversary of Garden Rescue and for Series 11 it has its biggest change ever with 4 guest Garden Designers joining the show!

Joining Charlie Dimmock, Chris Hull, Lee Burkhill and Flo Headlam are Diarmuid Gavin, Frances Tophill, Sue Kent and Joe Swift.

Charlie Dimmock is also 60 years old in 2026 but I cannot see her hanging up her trowel any time soon.

Charlie has made numerous appearance on TV programmes like Celebrity MasterChef, The Kumars at no 42, Clarkson, and Loose Women.

Charlie Dimmock has had her own gardening range at Poundland and has appeared in Panto.

Charlie Dimmock's personal life has featured a lot in the press, not only for her love life but also for tragedy, when her mother Sue and stepdad Rob were sadly lost in the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.

Charlie lives in the New Forest, Hampshire near where she grew up and has previously joked in the press about her own garden being a bit of a mess!

Charlie Dimmock TV Shows

1997 - 2005

Ground Force

1999 - 2000

Charlie's Garden Army

2000

Charlie's Wildlife Gardens

2000 - 2011

RHS Chelsea Flower Show

2001

Charlie's Gardening Neighbours

2002

The Joy of Gardening (TV Movie)

2003

Charlie and the Duchess

2004 - 2005

Garden Invaders

2012

The Allotment with Charlie Dimmock

2014

Great British Garden Revival

2016

Garden Rescue

Series 10

First shown 19 May 2025

Series 9

First shown 29 April 2024

Series 8

First shown 29 May 2023

Series 7

First Shown - 09 May 2022

Series 6

First shown 24 May 2021

Series 5

First shown 12 May 2020

Episode 2: Havant

Episode 3: Shrewsbury

Series 4

First aired 29 April 2019

Series 3

First aired 28 May 2018

Series 2

First aired 24 April 2017

Charlie Dimmock Books

1999

'Ground Force' Water Garden Workbook

2000

Enjoy Your Garden:

2001

Charlie's Enjoy Your Garden

2001

'Ground Force' Garden Handbook

Alan Titchmarsh et al.

2002

'Ground Force' Container Gardening

All photographs are copyright of BBC.com

Arit Anderson

Arit Anderson is a gardener, who spent 25 years working in fashion and creative events around the world.

She was also a holistic and well-being therapist.

Her creative skills for colour and the healing properties of her holistic training combined to create an interest in her own garden design.

Gardeners' World 2020

Monty Don is back for the new growing Season on 20 March 2020.

Copyright BBC.com

Gardeners' World 2020 Episode 1: 20 March 2020

Presenters
Monty Don
Nigel & Nell
Frances Tophill

Lifting Irises
Pruning Roses
House Plants
Tomato Plant Seeds

Monty Don

Monty Don was born on 8th July 1955 in West Berlin where his father was a serving soldier. He was given the name Montagu Denis Wyatt Don and has a twin sister.

Monty Don's young life involved a strict upbringing. He attended 3 public schools before going on to attend a comprehensive school where he failed his A levels.