Peter Seabrook dead: Legendary Sun gardening guru dies aged 86

THE Sun’s much-loved and respected gardening guru Peter Seabrook has died suddenly aged 86.

A renowned broadcaster on TV and radio, he had been writing for the paper since 1977.

Peter, who leaves behind two children and two grandchildren, suffered a heart attack at his home in Chelmsford, Essex, on Friday.

Horticulture was in his blood. He once said: “I was brought up gardening with my father and grandfather. I was always interested.

“We lived on my grandfather’s farm and just took in a little bit more field as garden when we wanted to.

"I was brought up during World War Two, so we automatically grew vegetables to feed ourselves.

“I still have my very first seed packet. They were sweet peas I sowed when I was seven or eight years old — and I’ve grown sweet peas every year since.”

Peter began working in the gardening industry aged ten, helping at a local nursery.

After leaving school he studied at Writtle Horticulture College in Essex, where he met future wife Margaret.

Peter was a broadcaster before he wrote for newspapers — on the BBC Home Service from 1965 and he then later appeared on TV’s Gardeners’ World and on Pebble Mill At One.

Features executive Jerry Holmberg convinced him to join The Sun and Peter soon became one of our best-loved columnists — receiving bags of letters every week.

He responded to as many as possible, delving into his mailbag even when flying across the Atlantic for US telly appearances.

Peter was at his happiest at the Chelsea Flower Show, which he first attended in 1952 after bunking off school.

Later he would proudly design and build exhibits for The Sun.

His first for the paper, in 1977, was Sunflower Street — four back-to-back gardens, each 16ft by 16ft.

His displays became a regular stop for the royals.

The Queen delighted in his exhibits and Peter would present her with a posy every year.

Peter was never happier than when the garden soil was between his fingers

Arthur Edwards

Victoria Newton, Editor in Chief of The Sun, said: "For 45 years, Peter Seabrook MBE was a huge part of the Sun family, helping millions of readers with their gardening queries.

 "His projects with schools helped more than three million children discover and share his passion for plants and vegetables.  The day before he died of a heart attack, age 86, he was  helping children at a school in Essex plant acorns to grow oak saplings to plant for the Queen's Jubilee Canopy.

 "Peter was adored by all, from the royal family and celebrities to ordinary people who wanted his help to grow plants, even if they had smallest plot or no garden at all. To them Peter was their gardener. 

 "He not only wrote more than 2,300 gardening columns for The Sun, never missing a single week, but he also found time to chat to anyone he met who had a question about their own plants.  

 "He will be so missed in The Sun office, where he brightened up our days by bringing in presents of flowers or apples to taste and sample.

 "Peter was devoted to his wife for 60 years, Margaret, who died in 2020 after suffering alzheimers and vascular dementia for nine years. He created a Verbena plant in her memory and raised £7,000 for the Alzheimer's society. 

 "Our thoughts are with his daughter Alison, son Roger and grandchildren Tom and Rachel."

Our legendary royal photographer Arthur Edwards worked alongside Peter for 45 years.

He said: “Peter was never happier than when the garden soil was between his fingers. My dear friend was a national treasure.”

In 2020, Peter’s beloved wife of 60 years died with Covid after living with dementia for nine years. He created in her honour the flower Margaret’s Memory, a pale pink Verbena, and donated the proceeds to Alzheimer’s Research.

Peter was an MBE and the Royal Horticultural Society gave him its top award, the Victoria Medal of Honour.

He said: “I love being The Sun’s gardening man.

“Whenever I’ve met the Editor, I’ve taken him (or her) an apple. I know that while they’re munching on that, I’m guaranteed three minutes of their time.”