Adam attributes his leap into television presenting to his friend Nick Knowles (Image: BBC Studios)
Although Adam Frost refers to himself as a “reluctant gardener,” his early connection to horticulture is undeniable. During a challenging childhood, Frost found solace in his grandparents’ garden, a sanctuary of peace and security. Transitioning from these humble gardening roots to a prominent role as host of the BBC’s Gardeners’ World was a major transformation. When asked about what spurred him into television, Frost credits Nick Knowles from DIY SOS. “Nick gave me the push I needed,” he revealed to The i Newspaper.
Once a familiar face on the show, Adam still makes guest appearances as a designer. Nick Knowles often nudged Adam, encouraging him to share his gardening passion with millions: ‘You love talking about gardening, so why not share it with two million?’ Initially, Frost admits the idea was daunting. “The first few years on Gardeners’ World, I often wondered, ‘What am I doing here?’” Nonetheless, he soon realized that his role was simply sharing his passion with an appreciative audience.
Nick Knowles is the charismatic host of DIY SOS (Image: Getty)
He notes how the job changed his public presence too. “Going for a pint is a different experience now,” he muses, acknowledging that fans occasionally approach him when he’s out.
“Normally, someone wants to talk about their tomatoes or ask for a selfie, but that is all part of it. It’s an honour. It only lasts for so long before it disappears, and then I’ll be able to go for a quiet pint again.”
Promoting the new gardening podcast, Outsiding, that he has launched with author Caitlin Moran, Adam told House and Garden Magazine that a garden should reflect the owner’s personality: “When you’re designing for someone else, [it’s] that idea of listening and creating something that they want. I still get nervous when I bring plans to people.
“Because I suppose you’re creating part of someone’s soul in a way. You’re hoping it becomes a huge part of their lives.”
Adam is a great believer in the therapeutic power of pottering (Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC Studios)
He’s anxious to remind fans, though, that gardens are there to be enjoyed: “Don’t chase perfection. At the end of the day, if the garden becomes a little bit overgrown, it’s not the end of the world,” he says. “Use it initially for that physicality of getting out and pottering.”
Pottering around, he told Great British Life, is the essence of gardening: “I go out, I potter around, 10 minutes later, 15 minutes later, an hour later, everything feels a bit easier.
“I understand the wellbeing part better through Mrs Frost ‒ seeing her meet me a long time ago and not even know what a landscape gardener was, to the point now that I can watch the garden make her better.
“She can be stressed about something and then she goes out there for half an hour, six hours later she’s still out there and as happy as a pig in whatever we call it.”