Frances Tophill

", is a lovely plant that provides so very much in the garden or in a row, offering a safe haven and bountiful feast for nesting birds and s. Its also an incredibly useful plant for us. The edible spring leaves are great in salads, and the autumn berries, or haws, can be used in lots of dishes and drinks."

"The key consideration when is the , because you need to choose species that can cope with having their roots so restricted. The soil in a small container also tends to dry out and lose its quicker than that in a large one. So unless you have a lot of time and love to give to your containers, its worth choosing fairly low-maintenance plants that can cope with dry, nutrient-poor, small spaces, or plants that are extremely slow grown. Plants such as s, s and other , and other and even many herbs such as , and can cope with slightly drier, nutrient-poor conditions and, dare I say, neglect from us growers!"

"Frances is one of the main team of presenters, alongside . She has written several books and is a familiar face at garden and literary festivals. The publication of her first children’s book, How to Grow a Garden, and her forthcoming appearance as a guest speaker at Toby’s Garden Festival in May is why I’m calling her today. How to Grow a Garden is a colourful, hardback book which takes young readers on a journey through different gardens, from veg plots to rows and meadows, s, and various exotic gardens. Each garden is beautifully illustrated by Charlotte Ager and is packed with vibrant and fun plants, animals and insects. Throughout, Frances has added little descriptions and facts and each garden has a seasonal to-do list of inspiring and creative ideas for children (which adults will certainly enjoy doing as well)."

"... I had a very traditional start – as an apprentice at 19, my job was to pick up dog poo and make the head gardener tea. Then at the I learned about conservation, and . Slowly, cogs move and you end up miles away from where you began, without really noticing that it’s happened. ... After school I worked at and did a foundation degree in art. Then a gardening apprenticeship came up and I made a snap decision. I walked around the garden with the head gardener and just thought, oh, this is amazing, I want to work here. I realised I like being in soil and muddy and the creativity that doesn’t involve sitting at a desk."