Gardening world pays tribute to Nigel Dunnett

Tributes have been paid to a prominent British horticulturist and landscaper who has died aged 63.

Nigel Dunnett, professor of planting design and urban horticulture at the University of Sheffield, was widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in contemporary landscape design.

His meadows in urban areas were designed so people could enjoy them wherever they lived and worked. Dunnett designed wildflower displays at the Tower of London moat in 2022 and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2012.

In 2021 his designs transformed much of Sheffield city centre with the award-winning Grey to Green project.

Paying tribute to her fellow horticulturalist, Gardeners' World presenter Arit Anderson said: "It is with a very heavy sad heart that I have to share with you that this morning Nigel Dunnett passed away."

She said Dunnett's family had given her permission to post the news on social media because the family was unable to.

"I'm too upset to say more," Anderson continued.

"But for those that knew him well, you know we have just lost one of our dear talented friends and our beautiful world of plants and design will miss him sorely."

Another Gardener's World presenter, Rachel de Thame, said on Instagram she was "so thankful" for all the times she had spent in a garden with Dunnett.

"We talked about sustainable planting back in 2012 at the Olympic Park and were doing so again in his memorable Chelsea garden for Hospitalfield Arts last year," she continued.

"Thank you Nigel for always inspiring us and sharing your passion and knowledge so generously. We will miss you. Sending my heartfelt condolences to Nigel's family, many friends and colleagues."

As well as designs for London Barbican and royal residences, Dunnett authored books about urban garden design and appeared on TV shows The Great Garden Revolution and Inside the Tower of London.

He worked on the ring road planting in Sheffield as part of the city council's award-winning Grey to Green project, and in concrete spaces around flats and shops.

The planting is designed with sustainability and anti-flooding in mind.

Green Estate, which planted the bulbs and flowers for much of his work, said the "beautiful" naturalistic designs at Sheffield Manor Lodge on the Manor council estate were the reason he founded community interest company Pictorial Meadows.

Roz Davies, Green Estate CEO, said Dunnett was "famous for his resilient and practical urban spaces".

"Nigel founded Pictorial Meadows to grow really beautiful spaces for people," she said.

"He was integral to the organisation and very important to us.

"We're all shocked and very sad he's passed away."

Speaking to the BBC in 2021, Dunnett said the idea for Sheffield's award-winning Grey to Green project was to "make Sheffield different, really make it a garden city".

He thought some "really hard" spaces in the city would benefit from a planting scheme.

"Can we think differently about the spaces outside the old John Lewis or Fargate or The Moor?" he said.

"They're just paving and maybe some few trees, but can we think about making them sociable and lots of places to sit but really green and colourful and full of flowers which is of course great for wildlife as well."

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