Bethan Gwanas

“I started gardening back at the end of the 80s when I bought my own house for the first time,” said Bethan. “I had a small patch of garden and slowly I learnt how to plant things and look after them.”

Ffrwd y Gwyllt's garden was long established. It was a matter of learning to look after it -that's when I went on the steepest learning curve!”

“I enjoy gardening because it gets me out of the house and away from the computer. And there is great pleasure to be had from seeing (and tasting) the fruits of your labour.”

When not gardening, Bethan writes or bikes or goes hill walking with her dog Del, and whoever else wants to go.

“Making the pool with Russell and his brother James was a lot of fun (series 2, programme 3) – but very tiring,” said Bethan. “And I enjoyed making the bog garden in Menai Bridge as well (series 1) – mainly because I got to sweat a lot. I much prefer doing something rather than just watching.”

You can read about Bethan's gardening exploits in her blog (Welsh only).

Russell Jones

As a small boy, Russell remembers Mrs Owen, the headmistress at Rhosgadfan primary school, giving him plants to look after over the holidays. From that moment on he was hooked on plants, gardening and the outdoor life.

Gardening was in his blood anyway. My mother used to do a lot with the garden and I used to help her a little, said Russell. Gran and Grandpa Nebo also gardened, Grandpa Nebo used to mainly grow vegetables. And over in Talysarn, Dyffryn Nantlle, Uncle Alwyn grew roses.

Apart from the plants Russell's other big interest is well known to Byw yn yr Ardd's viewers – the chickens! I try to go to six or seven shows a year, he said. The Cochin and Yokohama breeds are Russell's main competition chickens.

But it isn't only the plants and the chickens, Russell spins his own wool and uses it to knit jumpers, socks and hats (he knitted the Santa hat in the Christmas Special himself). Russell also makes walking sticks and love spoons.

Sioned Rowlands

“My first memory of making anything with flowers is when I was six and I was writing my name with daisies in the sandpit in the garden. I was also delighted with growing strawberries and would steal the occasional one without my sister Llinos noticing!”

Sioned describes herself as being totally obsessed with flowers. When she was 14 years old she started working part time in a flower shop and when she was 16 she was preparing flowers for weddings on a Friday night when her friends were hitting the town. I used to pretend that I was looking after my little brother! she said.

“My mother was my greatest inspiration – she is a very creative person and her passion for natural flowers has definitely been passed on to me. I love making arrangements that look natural.”

There's no surprise that a wild, cottage garden is Sioned's favourite type of garden and that her favourite flowers are a collection of spring flowers.

When not presenting Byw yn yr Ardd, Sioned prepares flowers for weddings or to be put in hotels, writes articles about flowers for the Daily Post or works on new arrangements in her studio.