TV gardener Charlie Dimmock laughs off the sex symbol status which she gained after shooting to fame on hit show Ground Force.

Ahead of a talk in Epsom, Dimmock dismisses the fuss at the time over her habit of going braless while digging and transforming gardens in all weathers.

Dimmock says: "That was a long time ago. It was all very silly."

She also cheerily brushes aside her reputation as a horticultural sex symbol from her Ground Force days as "ridiculous".

She says: "When we started Ground Force I was 32 or something like that. I had never been sexy in my life."

Nevertheless Dimmock admits to feeling flattered and takes the questions in her stride.

She says: "I got to do great things from Ground Force. We did have really good fun, a lot of camaraderie and mickey taking."

During the her time on Ground Force, the team flew out to South Africa to transform the garden of former president Nelson Mandela.

Dimmock says: "It was incredible. We didn’t really think that we would actually be doing his back garden. He’s got an aura about him. He’s a lovely man. At the end he came round with cups of tea and biscuits."

She still keeps in touch with the other Ground Force hosts Alan Titchmarsh and Tommy Walsh.

She adds: "I was working with Tommy this year. It was like old times. Within five minutes we were already debating the best way to do something."

As a child Dimmock did gardening at school before going on to horticultural college and working at a garden centre before breaking into TV.

She says: "I have always been a bit of a tom boy. I was always out in the garden with my grandfather as kid."

Nowadays on top of performing in pantos, giving lectures, blogging and supporting a flower festival, Dimmock still finds time to get out in her garden in the New Forest.

She says: "I spent the whole day in the garden yesterday because it was a beautiful day. I tidied up leaves."

Dimmock will be looking back at how she got into gardening and TV at a talk at Epsom Playhouse this month.

There will also be a chance for the audience to ask her questions. She says: "If you’re coming along, do ask a question. Don’t be shy."

Charlie Dimmock: A Passion for Gardens Epsom Playhouse Friday, November 15 7.30pm From £13 Call 01372 742555 Visit www.epsomplayhouse.co.uk