Dr Nigel Dunnett obituary: The Yorkshire landscape artist who left a mark on Sheffield and London
Dr Nigel Dunnett, who has died at 63, was a horticulturist, author and landscape designer who was professor of planting design at Sheffield University and widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in contemporary landscaping.
A pioneering figure in ecological planting and naturalistic design, his work transformed urban spaces across the UK, bringing naturalistic planting and vibrant wildflower meadows into cities.
In Sheffield, his influence is most visible in the award-winning Grey to Green scheme, which transformed parts of the Castlegate Quarter from a tarmacked road system into a vibrant green corridor of trees and wildflowers.
Now the UK’s longest ‘green street’ and largest retrospectively-installed sustainable drainage scheme, it helps manage flood risk, increase biodiversity and improve air quality while creating a calmer space that encourages walking and cycling.
The Royal Horticultural Society said Dr Dunnett’s influence on horticulture would be felt for generations to come.
Dunnett’s planting schemes were known for being both visually striking and environmentally sustainable, often replacing traditional flower beds with biodiverse, low-maintenance meadows.
He played a central role in landmark projects including the wildflower displays at the Tower of London moat for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, where more than 20 million seeds were sown to create a ‘Superbloom’ installation.
A decade earlier, he contributed to the transformation of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the 2012 Olympics.
His work also led to the creation of Pictorial Meadows, a Sheffield-based social enterprise inspired by his research at the University of Sheffield.
The organisation has since grown into an internationally recognised leader in urban meadow planting, supplying specialist seed mixes and delivering large-scale projects across the UK, Europe and beyond.
Through Pictorial Meadows, Dunnett helped pioneer what has been called ‘meadowology’, the science of designing sustainable, long-lasting wildflower displays tailored to urban conditions.
Beyond his design work, Dr Dunnett authored books, appeared on television programmes including Gardeners’ World and The Great Garden Revolution, and served as an RHS Ambassador from 2016.