The Nicest Man in Horticulture

Everyone at the Garden Collective was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our dear friend Matthew Biggs on Thursday.  Broadcaster, writer and  passionate plantsman, Matt was also a people-gardener. There was nothing he enjoyed better than sharing his knowledge, helping new gardeners to thrive and experienced horticulturists to shine.

We send our deepest sympathies to Matt’s wife Gill, and children, Henry, Jessica and Chloe. He was much loved across the gardening community and we know that you will be as sad as us. We thought we’d share a few of our personal memories about the Nicest Man in Horticulture, and would love to hear your recollections and stories too…

Jane Perrone

Matt was the most generous man - with his time, his knowledge and his lovely smile. He appeared on my podcast On the Ledge (episode 51) back in 2018 and I have to admit to being more than a little starstruck by him. Not only was he one of the panellists on the radio programme I'd grown up listening to - Radio 4's Gardeners'Question Time - he was also the co-author of one of my all-time favourite houseplant books, What Houseplant Where, written with Roy Lancaster.

Matt was the kind of garden writer I always aspire to be: able to turn his hand to any topic, full of deep knowledge but able to fill every gardener with newfound confidence after reading or hearing his wise words.

Joe Swift

I shared many a moment on stage and behind the scenes with Matt at the garden shows over a couple of decades. He was a brilliant and passionate gardener, engaging and entertaining, hooking people into the wonderful world of horticulture through his infectious enthusiasm. A very generous man too, always interested in what others were up to.

We talked football a lot (well you can’t talk plants and gardening all day every day!). He was a big Leicester City fan supporting his hometown team and when they won the league in 2016, an incredible achievement, he was so proud and happy. I’ll never forget the extra beam to his naturally smiley face! We will all miss him dearly, his spirit lives on in the gardening world…

Ann-Marie Powell

The secret to Matthew Biggs was no secret at all. It was right there in everything he did, everything he said, every room he walked into.

Big heart. Big smile. Big laugh. Big talent, big knowledge, big energy, big hugs, big generosity, big charisma, and big, generous, unconditional love for people and plants in equal measure.

Biggs by name, and big by nature.

I will miss him more than I can say.

James Alexander Sinclair

The Great Matt Biggs.

There are not many people who deserve that title - Alfred, Catherine of Russia and Cyrus, I suppose. All these three were conquering monarchs.

Matt was far too nice for that sort of thing but he was capable of conquering  anybody with his wit, his smile, his knowledge and his generosity. My fondest memory (amongst many) is of him dressing up as the great plant hunters (Thomas Lobb or ‘Chinese’ Wilson) to tell great stories and charm audiences into submission.

A great friend, a great gardener and a man who will be greatly missed.

Annie Guilfoyle

My fondest memory of Matt is whilst judging at Chelsea two years ago, we were judging the houseplant studios.  We walked up to The Glasshouse installation which was a huge greenhouse full of beautiful plants. Matt didn’t know anything about the charity and the amazing work they did in re-training women prisoners to be horticulturalists and gardeners.  Giving them a second chance and a future.  Their installation was absolutely superb and very moving, there was an audio playing featuring voices of the women, talking about their experiences and what this re-training meant to them.  Matt was moved to tears and asked me to personally pass on his thoughts about how wonderful their work was.  He was such a kind, thoughtful and joyful man and he will be so deeply missed by so many.

Matt Pottage

My memories of Matt will always be deeply interwoven with Gardeners' Question Time, working with him for 9 years. His energy and excitement for plants meant we talked endlessly before the show, and usually straight after, often talking about plants we suggested, experiences we’d shared and a genuine zest to keep learning. His love of plant explorers and how plants arrived into the UK was tireless and his knowledge of who introduced what, and when, was impressive.

He always wanted to help people, and giving advice behind a microphone with humour, passion and a story was his happy place.

For me personally, finding GQT terrifying for the first 18 months, Matt’s warmth, kindness and support will never be forgotten.

I hope he’s chatting with great plant explorers in the clouds and learning even more fascinating stories. Rest in peace, pal.

Sandra Lawrence

Matt was so much more than an expert, hands-on gardener. He was a curious gardener, equally intrigued by horticulture’s more arcane aspects, including folklore and history.

We spent much time discussing our mutual heroine, fellow VMH Ellen Willmott. I would send Matt juicy snippets of Willmottiana I’d just found, not just to entertain him but because I knew he would have a different take on such oddities from anyone else. He was particularly interested in Willmott's connections with Lawrence Johnston.

Matt was fascinated by Warley Place and although several times life conspired against his visiting, he always wanted to know what was going on there, and this typifies the generosity of this extraordinary man. He was genuinely interested in all gardens and all people and saw the good in everything and everyone. I will miss him badly.

Thanks to Matt Pottage for the splendid selfie, taken at a GQT postbag recording from Great Dixter in August 2023, with Fergus Garrett, Kathy Clugston, Juliet Sargent, Matt Biggs and Dominic Tyerman