Remembering Nigel Dunnett

Three pieces that celebrate the incredible contribution of innovative designer and plantsman, Nigel Dunnett

Everyone in the Garden Collective was so deeply saddened to hear of the death of Nigel Dunnett.

Nigel was one of the world’s leading voices on innovative approaches in planting design. As a gold-medal winner at the Chelsea Flower Show and the author of several books, he touched many lives, both of professional horticulturalists and designers, and passionate home gardeners.

We feel incredibly privileged that so many of us had the opportunity to work with Nigel and wanted to share some of the pleasure that he brought to both his students and his colleagues.

Firstly, a clip from Nigel's contribution to the Garden Collective, a tribute from Annie Guilfoyle, and then a beautiful interview of Nigel by Arit Anderson, recorded for the Garden Collective in August last year.

Nigel Dunnett: On building an extraordinary garden

Remembering Nigel Dunnett

Both myself and Noel Kingsbury are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend Nigel Dunnett. He was incredibly creative, enormously influential and hugely enthusiastic in his promotion of naturalistic planting.

Since Noel and I began Garden Masterclass over nine years ago, Nigel has been involved with us every single year teaching both online and in-person workshops. He shared the teaching with Noel on our the extremely successful Naturalistic Planting Design Course, which has run over several years and reached hundreds of students worldwide.

Many of these students have emailed us today to share their thoughts and memories of Nigel; the overriding comment is that he was such a kind and considerate teacher. I have particular memories of working with him on many live workshops, one in particular at The Hepworth in Wakefield, where the energy in the room was incredible. Nigel was well into his illness at this point but he still managed to give so much to the students and I remember how energised he was by this workshop, so we immediately repeated in Italy in 2024.

I also learned so much about teaching from Nigel and will forever be grateful to him for that.

Nigel was a member of the selection committee with me for annual the Landscape Festival in Bergamo, he created the most beautiful garden in the Piazza of Bergamo Alta during Covid and also designed some permanent planting in the city of Bergamo Bassa which looks amazing. His legacy will live on, through his inspirational teaching and accomplished designs around the world.

Our thoughts are firmly with Marta his wife and Nigel’s family.