Gardeners’ World presenter, Frances Tophill, was filmed on her home turf – Sharpham’s walled garden - for the popular TV show’s latest episode.
Frances joined the estate a year ago to cover for its head gardener Bryony Middleton, who is on maternity leave.
She helps assistant gardener Chloe Ellis tend the 10 acres of gardens and grounds surrounding Sharpham House, including the walled garden, which featured on Episode 6 of the BBC’s longest-running gardening show at the weekend.
Describing the filming, Sharpham said: “The show is filmed and edited quickly to keep it topical and the Beeb’s producer and camera-crew came last week to film Frances in the glasshouse for Episode 6 in the series.”
Sharpham’s present greenhouse was built around 1985 and grows grapes, peaches and nectarines.
Frances’ TV commitments means she has only recently been able to work full-time at Sharpham, and her main goal is to maintain the gardens for when Bryony returns.
She said: “The main thing I have to do is keep it in a state that Bryony will like and be happy with when she returns.
“I’m aware that this is her space and that I’m a custodian.”
However, daily gardening sessions with Sharpham’s Coach House retreatants and the help of Chloe, means Frances may be able to make progress with a few jobs that Bryony couldn’t do alone, including redeveloping herbaceous borders.
“I feel that would be a nice gift to her when she comes back, that would be really nice,” she said.
Frances was also filmed for the show at the nearby Dartington’s Grade II listed gardens, where she showed viewers the spring beauty in full bloom including the estate’s famous magnolia walk.
Dartington’s head gardener Neville Evans said: “We were absolutely delighted to have Frances showcasing our gardens, which we are so proud of.
“We have a team of gardeners and volunteers who work very hard to continue the incredible work of previous custodians of this place, which dates back hundreds of years.
“Tune in to discover some very interesting facts about magnolias and our ancient yew trees.”
Frances is known to millions of TV viewers as a presenter on BBC Two’s Gardeners’ World alongside Monty Don and friends, and a presenter ITV’s makeover show ‘Love Your Garden’ with national gardening treasure Alan Titchmarsh.
She gained even more publicity when her garden design for this year’s Gardeners’ World Live show won Best Show Garden and the Showcase Garden Platinum Award.
Episode 6 of Gardener’s World featuring Frances at the Sharpham Estate can be viewed on BBC iPlayer at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001l6cb