Venetia is a 35-year-old unmarried landscape designer hired by the wealthy Melcourt family. She is an independent artist whose vision involves looser natural designs rather than formal structured aesthetics. She takes her profession seriously and values her freedom in an Edwardian era that restricts women financially and socially.

Emma runs a landscaping business called Turning Back Thyme. She is hired to restore the famed 1907 garden rooms designed by Venetia Smith. Living a nomadic life moving from project to project, she struggles with the financial insecurity of her business. She avoids permanent attachments while dedicating herself to historical accuracy in her work.

Beth is a young woman who was orphaned and raised by an unaffectionate aunt in the city. She signs up for the Women's Land Army during World War II. She works at Temple Fosse Farm doing heavy agricultural tasks. The rural work reminds her of her early childhood and she seeks a sense of belonging in the countryside.

Stella is the efficient cook at Highbury House during the 1944 war years. She secretly takes correspondence classes at night. She hopes to leave domestic service and build a life as a secretary in London. She resents the strict class structures that limit her opportunities and dreads taking on extra family obligations.

Diana is the widowed owner of Highbury House in 1944. She is grieving her husband who died in the war. With her home requisitioned as a convalescent hospital, she retreats to the overgrown garden for sanctuary. She struggles to assert control over her own household against her critical extended family.

Sydney is the present-day owner of Highbury House. She cherishes the estate from childhood visits and hires a professional team to restore the gardens to their original glory. She is wealthy and polished but genuinely supportive of the historical project.

Matthew is Mrs. Melcourt's brother in 1907. He spends his leisure time cultivating and breeding roses at Wisteria Farm. Rather than a mere upper-class hobbyist, he is knowledgeable about horticulture and treats Venetia as an equal.

Graeme is a charming British officer recovering at the Highbury House hospital in 1944. He takes an interest in farming and strikes up a connection with a local land girl. He encourages her ambitions and provides a brief respite from the anxieties of the war.

Mrs. Melcourt is the wealthy, conservative owner of Highbury House in 1907. She hires a professional to design the gardens but insists on incorporating her brother's specific plants. She is highly conscious of class distinctions and social propriety.

Charlie is a landscaping assistant in 2021 who lives on a narrowboat. He works diligently at Turning Back Thyme but harbors ambitions beyond being just an employee. He frequently offers his boss practical advice and friendly teasing.

Henry is a local farmer who runs Highbury House Farm in 2021. He participates in a local pub quiz team named "Menace to Sobriety" and holds historical items relevant to the neighboring estate. He acts as a welcoming presence to newcomers in the village.

Robin is a young boy growing up at Highbury House in 1944. He is energetic and trying to maintain a normal childhood amidst the war and his father's passing. He forms a fast friendship with the cook's nephew.

Bobby is a five-year-old boy who comes to Highbury House in 1944 to escape the London bombings. After his mother is widowed, he struggles to adapt to country life. He eventually finds companionship playing on the grounds.

Cynthia is a woman who grew up at Highbury House and resents that she did not inherit it. In 1944, she manages the convalescent hospital on the property and frequently criticizes the current owner's parenting and management decisions.

Father Devlin is a priest convalescing at Highbury House in 1944 after wounding his hip falling from a tank. He provides a gentle listening ear to the residents of the house and encourages them to find purpose rather than isolate themselves.

Colin is a soldier fighting on the Italian front in 1944. He relies heavily on mail from his hometown, frequently asking a childhood friend for pledges of support to help him survive the war.

Joan is a widowed mother living in London during 1944. Working long hours, she decides to bring her young son to the countryside to keep him safe from the city's air raids.

Ruth serves in the Women's Land Army in 1944. Coming from a higher class, she heavily dislikes the hard agricultural work and was placed in the position after her behavior led to discharges from more appropriate postings.

Mr. Hillock is the staff gardener at Highbury House in 1907. He assists with the physical labor of bringing complex landscape designs to life and respects the authority of the property's hired experts.

Andrew co-owns Highbury House in 2021. He supports the ambitious plans to restore the property's historical gardens to their original glory.

Mrs. George is the kitchen manager for the hospital at Highbury House in 1944. She frequently clashes with the estate staff over the division of rationed goods between the hospital and the private household.