Rise of the ‘fake’ gardening influencer: As social media stars jump on the horticultural bandwagon, experts reveal all the signs they’re not truly green- fingered

More and more celebrities and influencers alike are jumping on the gardening craze – swapping red carpets or glitzy fashion reels on Instagram for wellies and picture-perfect backyards.

But green-fingered professionals have criticised those cropping up in their field as lacking authenticity and ruining the inclusivity and inspiring nature of their trade.

Speaking to FEMAIL, a number of gardening experts have warned how some celebrities and influencers are sharing impractical, incorrect or even dangerous approaches on their social media pages.

For instance, Meghan Markle, 43, has recently filled her personal Instagram account with all things nature – from strawberry picking to flower arranging.

However, she left professional gardeners aghast after walking barefoot while cutting stems and wearing her wedding rings while gardening.

British influencer Lydia Millen, who boasts more than a million subscribers on YouTube and 1.6million followers on Instagram, has equally appalled some experts with her chosen attire while in her greenhouse.

The social media personality is likely more recognisable for her fashion clips and unboxing videos where she showcased her luxury handbags. 

But Lydia, who recently opened up about how over the last few years she edited her collection from 75 to 15 to try and feel safer about owning the designer accessories, has since turned her hand to country living in the English countryside.

Another content creator whose social media page is now littered with gardening clips is Josie, who runs Fashion Mumblr, a well-known blog in the industry, and boasts 308K followers on her Instagram account.

The fashion influencer often now offers tricks and tips for her green-fingered fans to follow in their own gardens.

However, garden experts have noted how Josie, alongside other content creators and even famous faces like Stacey Solomon, are perhaps not always providing the correct gardening approach for their followers.

Kendall Platt, The Mindful Gardening Coach, helping women to feel confident and enjoy taking action in their gardens as the antidote to burnout, told FEMAIL: ‘People take what they see on the internet as good advice. Whether it is or not. 

‘There is no fact checking like there is for a scientific paper or a book. And so I feel that influencers have a responsibility to state that they aren’t gardening experts before they share a tip that might damage the ecosystem in people’s gardens or more widely across the country.’

Read below to find out the ways in which celebrities and influencers giveaway that they’re not ‘authentic’ gardeners and the mistakes they are seemingly making, according to the professionals… 

WEARING WEDDING RINGS

The Duchess of Sussex raised eyebrows recently when sharing a video earlier this month on Instagram of her flowing arranging.

However, while working in her garden, the mother-of-two sported her glitzy wedding and engagement rings – to the shock of some gardening and jewellery experts alike.

Laura Taylor, jewellery expert at Lorel Diamonds, warned: ‘Rings and gardening don’t mix well, even if it looks good when filming content. 

‘Soil, compost, and dirt can easily scratch metal, loosen stone settings, and cause tarnishing, particularly with softer metals like gold and silver.

‘Engagement rings often hold a lot of sentimental value and can be costly or impossible to replace, which makes protecting them even more important.

‘Wearing gloves does offer some protection and can help stop rings from slipping off and getting lost, but even the tiniest bit of soil inside the gloves can cause scratches without you realising.

‘To avoid damage or expensive repairs, it’s always best to take your jewellery off and store it somewhere safe before heading outside.’

PICTURE-PERFECT APPROACH

For some gardening experts, their biggest annoyance with influencers and celebrities promoting the hobby was the ‘picture-perfect’ approach that many adopt.

Charlotte said: ‘My biggest pet peeve is seeing staged gardening reels by influencers in perfectly styled outfits and manicured surroundings. 

‘While I completely understand the appeal of beautifully curated content, I think it’s equally important to show the ‘boots ‘n’ all, messy borders, and grubby greenhouse floors side of gardening. 

‘Authenticity makes this space more inclusive and inspiring. People connect more deeply with content that reflects the genuine experience – dirt under the nails, neglected trays of seedlings, and the thrill when a seed sown months ago finally flowers. 

‘Gardening should feel achievable, not like a performance. There’s a huge opportunity to inspire others by being real, not just picture-perfect.’

Loren Taylor, a seasoned expert in landscaping and gardening, with a keen eye for exterior design, echoed this statement. 

The owner of Outdoor Fountain Pros said: ‘Perfect photos can mislead. Gardens change day to day, and even the healthiest beds have chewed leaves or drooping flowers at times. 

‘When every shot looks like a magazine cover – no weeds, no blemishes, no mulch out of place – it usually means heavy staging or editing. A genuine gardener is proud to show the mess between the blooms, because that’s part of the process.

‘Over the years, I’ve noticed more influencers offering garden tips that look great on screen but fall apart in a backyard. 

‘One clear warning sign is when advice sounds like it was copied from a quick search instead of being tested on the ground. Real gardeners talk about what worked, what failed, and why. 

‘They know every plant has quirks, and they rarely call anything a guaranteed fix. When someone shares a tip without mentioning climate, soil type, or potential problems, they’re likely repeating theory, not practice.’

Erik Collado Vidal, an experienced horticulturalist and CEO of Growbarato.net, added: ‘Influencer feeds often look beautiful, yet several habits reveal that the person behind the post learned from an edit suite rather than a greenhouse.

‘One red flag is dramatic before-and-after videos shot over a few hours. Roots cannot knit in 24h and foliage cannot double in that span. 

‘Some creators swap in a second, larger specimen grown elsewhere. New growers who expect similar speed become discouraged and overfertilize.’

Eric continued: ‘When an online tip ignores basic plant biology, light, water, soil, and time, it is entertainment, not horticulture. A real garden rewards patience and observation. 

‘Checking local climate data, reading the plant label, and testing soil with an affordable kit offer more certainty than any glossy clip.’

Nick agreed, saying: ‘These pages are great for inspiration but beautiful gardens take a lot of time, effort and patience so don’t be disheartened if yours aren’t looking Instagram perfect yet, because there is no such thing! 

‘Every garden and veg plot will have it’s successes and failures, you just have to keep going.’

NOT WEARING SHOES

In her flowing arranging video, Meghan is seen cutting up stems, displaying and smelling the bouquet and walking out her home barefoot with the finished product. 

But Nick warned that ‘not wearing the correct footwear while gardening can pose a serious safety risk’. 

He added: ‘Sturdy shoes and gloves are always essential to help protect yourself from sharp tools and thorns. 

‘We’re all for people gardening however they please but make sure your safety comes first! 

‘Ideally you want to be wearing proper shoes that are sturdy and opt for clothes that will protect you from insect bites and sun exposure such as long sleeved tops, trousers and sun hats.’

WRONG CLOTHING

On the subject of clothing, Nick highlighted how content creator Lydia always looked spectacular when in her garden.

Yet the expert suggested she appeared a little too stunning for gardening – and instead, would benefit from wearing something more garden-friendly. 

‘Lydia certainly makes gardening look tranquil and peaceful and whilst it definitely is a great hobby to promote relaxation, it doesn’t necessarily always look this clean and perfect while you’re doing it,” claimed Nick. 

‘Don’t be afraid to make a little mess while being out in the garden, it’s part of the process. We certainly wouldn’t wear a white shirt while gardening like Lydia. 

He also questioned TikTok content creators who wear their pyjamas to garden, adding: ‘Not only will you get them dirty but again they offer no protection. 

‘Not wearing the right attire when gardening is just not practical nor realistic,’ insisted Nick.

INCORRECT GARDENING ACCESSORIES

Gardening experts also noted how content creators are using incorrect accessories in their picture-perfect online videos. 

Influencer Josie, for example, when sharing a clip of ‘gardening jobs you can do this weekend’ opted for a watering can that one professional advised against using.

Instead, Charlotte Denne, from Kent Wildflower Seeds, suggested that a watering can rose head be attached to ‘prevent damage to delicate plants’.

‘It’s beneficial to drench newly planted out seedlings with a watering can rose head attached,’ said the expert.

‘This is like a shower head fitting which is designed to break up the stream of water into smaller droplets which helps to reduce the force of the water and prevent damage to delicate plants.’

Meanwhile, Nick Wood, a gardening expert at GardeningExpress.co.uk, revealed that while many are ‘envious of Stacey Solomon’s greenhouse, there are a couple things that we picked up on’.

Nick explained: ‘The black flooring may look sleek but it can actually end up absorbing more heat. 

‘Greenhouses get pretty warm naturally with just the sun alone, attracting and trapping more heat may cause problems for your crops. 

‘It’s not a major problem and it can be combated with a reflective roof but when designing a greenhouse try to go for practicality over aesthetics.’

He added, however, that ‘Stacey doesn’t claim to know everything about gardening and she takes followers along on her learning journey’.

‘TERRIBLE’ DIY SOLUTIONS

Kendall revealed: ‘I have seen a number of mainly TikTok videos advising people use salt as a cheap alternative to weedkiller which is a terrible idea as it upsets the balance of the soil, will make it impossible for anything to grow and will kill off insect life and microorganisms in the soil.’

‘This solution will mostly just burn the leaves of the plants it’s sprayed on to,’ warned Charlotte about the DIY solution.

‘It’s not really an effective weed killer. Also, over time the salt will increase the salinity of the soil, making it harder for plant roots to absorb water so it wouldn’t be great for the remaining plants in your border.’

WRONG LIGHTING

Erik said that another sign that the influencer doesn’t know as much about gardening as they perhaps make out is ‘when the same plant appears in full sun one day and in deep shade the next with no mention of its true light needs’.

He added: ‘Plants can survive such shifts for a photo shoot, but they will not thrive in a real garden. Photos that ignore light requirements lead beginners to place shade-loving plants in direct sun and lose them within weeks.’

And the other giveaways…

WRONGLY SAYING ONE METHOD WORKS FOR ALL 

Loren said: ‘Another giveaway is the promise that one plant or method works everywhere. 

‘Your garden’s success depends on daylight, rainfall, and local pests, none of which follow a single rule book. 

‘If an account claims a ‘miracle’ variety will thrive from Maine to Arizona with no extra care, move on. Authentic advice always starts with a question about where you live and how much sun your plot gets.’

WRONG PLANT NAMES 

She also warned to ‘watch the plant names’, saying: ‘Anyone serious about horticulture knows the difference between a pothos and a philodendron and why Latin names matter. 

‘I’ve seen posts selling seeds for ‘blue’ roses or neon-coloured succulents that don’t exist in nature. If someone can’t get the names right, odds are they haven’t grown the plant themselves.’