Beardshaw's love affair with plants started on his fourth birthday, when his presents included a propagator, packet of seeds and a watering can. After working for the local nurseryman in his youth, he studied horticulture at Pershore College (where he later lectured). During that time, he performed research and marketing for a wholesale nursery, before continuing his studies at Cheltenham University, where he earned a degree in landscape architecture.
Beardshaw branched out to TV, with an appearance on "Surprise Gardens" in 1999. He went on to lend his expertise to a number of programs, most notably the BBC's 40-plus-year running "Gardener's World." He currently operates his own garden and landscape design company.
Among Beardshaw's accolades are a gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show (1999), Tudor Rose Award for "Best Show Garden" (2007), and a dual win for "Best in Show" and a gold medal at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show (2008). He created his own mentoring scholarship award in 2007, for which he works with an aspiring landscape designer for a year.
Beardshaw's celebrity status remains UK-centric, and his horticultural escapades remain mostly foreign to Americans.
Earning nicknames such as "The James Bond of the Gardening World" for his daredevil-like outdoor stunts, Beardshaw hosted a nickname-bearing series based on another of his monikers: "The Flying Gardener."