Rachel De Thame -

Last Updated on 12 June 2026 by PeteFree

Rachel De Thame is a Gardener, Award Winning Garden Designer, Actress and TV Presenter on Gardeners’ World.

Her maiden name was Rachel Cohen who was born on 13 October 1961 and she was the eldest of 4 children, she has 3 younger brothers.

Her father gave her the passion for gardening and her childhood memories are of helping in the garden and visiting nurseries.

At aged 10 Rachel studied ballet at The Royal Ballet School but at the age of 15 years old she contracted Glandular fever. which unfortunately ended her ballet ambitions.

Drama was to be the next career move for Rachel and she took a course at Southgate college.

She then went on to study History of Art before taking a job at an art dealers.

Rachel married her first husband Stephen Colover in 1986 and they have two children Joe and Lauren Colover.

Rachel and Stephen were divorced in 1993.

Rachel was recruited by a modelling agency. From modelling work Rachel moved on to TV adverts and then into television starring as Lady Igraine in the 1998 series Merlin.

Also under the stage Name of Rachel Colover she appeared in the feature film Bodywork.

In 1998 Rachel returned to her passion of gardening and enrolled in a course studying Practical Horticulture , plants and Plantmanship at the English Gardening School.

Rachel De Thame married Gerard de Thame in 1999 and they have two children, Emma and Olivia De Thame.

The De Thame family live in West London with a second home in the Cotswolds.

After finishing her course Rachel started her television career as a regular presenter on Gardeners’ World.

She went on to have her own series Small Town Gardens and Gardening with Experts as well as appearing on several gardening programmes.

Rachel De Thame is also a presenter for the RHS flower show, presenting the 2019 coverage and had her own medal winning garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

She has also presented RHS Malvern Flower Show, RHS Hampton Court Flower Show and Gardeners’ World Live.

She has written articles for magazines and papers as well as appearances on various radio programmes.

In 2018 Rachel De Thame revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was undergoing cancer treatment.

Following concerns that she was absent from the coverage of RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Rachel De Thame’s illness was revealed in an interview with Joe Swift.

Rachel now promotes the healing benefits of gardening.

Rachel De Thame has a Lupin, Dahlia and a Rose named after her.

Rachel De Thame is Vice President of the Wildflower Charity Plantlife and an Ambassador for The National Garden Scheme

Broadwell Manor is Rachel De Thames Cotswolds home and she runs courses and workshops with Arit Anderson and her Daughter Botanical Artist, Lauren Lusk throughout the year, all listed on the website.

Lauren Lusk illustrated her Mother Rachel De Thame latest book A Flower Garden for Pollinators.