RHS mourns passing of committee stalwart

The garden and greenhouse world is remembering a prominent horticulturalist, who died recently.

Pan Schwerdt was a long-standing member of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) committee and former head gardener at Sissinghurst, where she worked with her friend of 60 years Sibylle Kreutzberger.

The RHS has paid its respects to the 78-year-old by detailing the numerous achievements and key moments in her career.

Ms Schwerdts obituary was written by the bodys floral trials assessment panellist and vice-chairman of the herbaceous committee Tony Lord.

He is an authority on her work, having written Gardening at Sissinghurst – the site at which she made her name.

Mr Lord explained that the RHS awarded Ms Schwerdt a Victoria Medal of Honour in 2006, which she added to the Associate of Honour title received in 1980.

The horticulture lover was also given an MBE in 1992 – the same year in which she won the Benetton Foundation Carlo Carpa International Award for Gardens.

Meanwhile, the RHS is asking garden and greenhouse enthusiasts to vote for their favourite design in its Great British Garden Competition.