A to Z of TV Gardening - Letter M - 06:00 am Friday, February 20 on BBC Two England

Carol Kirkwood (Presenter)

Born: May 29, 1962 in Morar, Inverness-shire

Best Known For: Being a weather presenter.

Early-life: Born Carol MacKellaig in Morar, Inverness-shire, on May 29, 1962. One of eight children, her parents ran a hotel in Morar. Carol gained a degree in commerce from Napier College of Commerce and Technology in Edinburgh, before joining the BBC as a secretary. She went on to present radio slots on BBC Radio Scotland, Radio 2 and Radio 4.

Career: After a stint presenting on The Weather Channel, she trained with the Met Office in 1998 for a weather presenting role at the BBC. Away from predicating if it will rain or shine, Kirkwood has been a reporter on The One Show and appeared on the panel show Would I Lie to You? In August 2015, it was announced that she would be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing.

Quote: "The power of nature is immense and it is only when you see the impact a hurricane has on mankind that you realise how vulnerable we are against it."

Trivia: Kirkwood has won the Television and Radio Industries Club (TRIC) award for best TV weather presenter a number of times.

Alys Fowler (Contributor)

Toby Buckland (Contributor)

Born: October 11, 1969 in Exeter

Best Known For: Gardeners' World.

Early-life: Toby Neale Buckland was born in Exeter on October 11, 1969. He trained and worked as a rose and pinks nurseryman and gardener before qualifying in landscape management at Greenwich University. He is known for his inspiring, hands-on approach, and for his artistic garden features made from plants and recycled materials.

Career: After making his TV breakthrough, he quickly became a popular small screen face, presenting less high-profile shows such as Real Wrecks, Home Front in the Garden and Gardeners' World Live. There was some level of opposition when he was named as presenter of Gardeners' World. He has since proved the critics wrong and become the jewel in the show's crown. He has created gardens for many famous faces and is recognised for his ethical approach.

Quote: "For me gardening isn't just a hobby, it's a way of life that keeps you in touch with the seasons and creates a constant supply of things to look forward to."

James Wong (Contributor)

Carol Klein (Contributor)

Best Known For: Her appearances on all manner of gardening shows

Early-life: Born in Walkden, Salford, Lancashire in 1945, Carol originally trained as an art teacher and taught in schools in the London area before moving to Devon. There she taught at North Devon College before setting up her own plant nursery, Glebe Cottage Plants.

Career: She made her TV debut on Gardeners' World in 1989 and has since presented other gardening programmes such as Real Gardens and Open Gardens. Recent projects include Life in a Cottage Garden with Carol Klein which follows a year in the life of Carol's garden at Glebe Cottage in North Devon, and Grow Your Own Veg, which encouraged people to start growing their own vegetables. She is known for her cheerful presenting style and is hugely popular among gardeners.

Quote: "I'll just do whatever I do better. I'll keep on keeping on. Anyway, it's just television, isn't it - it's not real life."

Trivia: Klein's newspaper columns are highly regarded.

Gillian Scothern (Executive producer)

Simon Goretzki (Series producer)

Sarah Dias (Producer)

A to Z of TV Gardening: Letter M

06:00 am - 06:45 am, Friday, February 20 on BBC Two England (2)

About this Broadcast

Letter M
Season 1, Episode 13

Cast & Crew

More Information

Did You Know..

Before / After