A fond farewell to Peter

Gardening world in mourning after death of Peter Seabrook

-  Peter Seabrook

TRIBUTES have poured in from all corners of the horticultural world following the death of Peter Seabrook, gardening’s father figure.

Well-known industry figures and AG readers alike reacted to his sudden death with shock and sadness. He died at home on Friday, January 14 aged 86, following a suspected heart attack.

Everyone agreed that his life ended in the way he would have wanted – after a day’s work at his beloved RHS garden at Hyde Hall near Chelmsford while working hard on plans for his display at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show.

Peter John Seabrook was born into a farming family in 1935. An Essex lad, his fingers started greening up at the age of four, encouraged by his father and grandfather who were both men of the soil and working farmers.

His first job, aged 16, was at a garden centre and he followed this with a diploma at the prestigious Writtle College, where he met his wife Margaret.

His horticultural life was interrupted by National Service (during which he successfully asked the Army to pay for his floristry course) after which he became a salesman for the Irish horticultural brand Bord na Mona.

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But the siren call of gardening refused to be silenced and after four years he returned to the soil, joining the newly formed Garden Centres Association and founding the Garden Writers’ Guild with fellow AG columnist John Negus.

Peter published several books and it wasn’t long before his encyclopaedic knowledge, forthright manner and engaging style of communication caught the eye of television producers.