Death of Beth Chatto OBE VMH

[Maggi Young]

From The Beth Chatto Gardens


Date 14th May 2018

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Beth Chatto OBE VMH, the acclaimed gardener, writer and plantswoman.

Beth Chatto, who was born on 27 June 1923, died peacefully at home with her family by her side, on the evening of 13th May 2018, aged 94. There will be a private funeral with a memorial service to follow.

In a gardening career spanning six decades, Beth Chatto’s many awards included ten successive Gold Medals at RHS Chelsea, the RHS’s highest award, the Victoria Medal of Honour, and the RHS Lawrence Medal both in 1987, the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 from the Garden Writers Guild (now the Garden Media Guild), and two honorary doctorates, from Essex University in 1987, and from Anglia Ruskin University in 2009.

In 2002, Beth Chatto was awarded the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours, and her most recent honour came in 2014 when she received The John Brookes Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Garden Designers.

Beth’s spirit will live on in the gardens and her gardening ethos will continue through the work of the Beth Chatto Education Trust, established to inspire the next generation of gardeners.

She leaves behind her two daughters, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.



Beth Chatto was known to gardeners far andwide - she will be missed. We send condolences to her family.

[fleurbleue]

Sad news ; I had read with a lot of interest and amusement its exchange of conversations with Christopher Lloyd

[Maggi Young]

Obituary of Beth Chatto from the Guardian newspaper:
 https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/may/14/beth-chatto-obituary

[P. Kohn]

Very sad news. She was inspirational.

[Otto Fauser]

it is with great sadness that I learn of the passing of my dear friend Beth Chatto.  who enriched my life for nearly 30 years . Many features in her garden ,in particular her Dry Garden influenced my taste in garden design and plant combinations . I first met her when she came to Melbourne in 1989 to give a lecture at a garden design conference . and some years later
had the great pleasure to spend a few days with her and her husband Andrew in her home .
     
                                Dear Beth  , we will all miss you a lot.

[Maggi Young]

 Such a charming lady -but a long life, well-lived. I particularly remember a meeting with Beth Chatto and Christopher Lloyd in a beautiful Scottish garden on a lovely day - fond memories!

[Michael J Barrett]

It has said, we only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. And so it is demonstrated here in the life of this remarkable individual. Vale Beth Chatto.
What a marvellous legacy left by Beth, educating and inspiring generations of gardeners, some simply through her wonderful writing, myself included. I have only a tiny fraction of knowledge and plant varieties, but share her passion for understanding more, and appreciation of a balanced ecology.

There is a most beautiful interview-documentary on the garden museum.org.uk website. Well worth watching anytime.

[Maggi Young]

The link mentioned by Michael  is  https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/beth-chatto-obe-vmh-1923-2018/

 Thank you for that, Michael!