Family confirm death of John Ravenscroft
On Tuesday 26th June John Ravenscroft passed away peacefully at home Cherry Tree Park where he and his wife Liz created a 50 acre arboretum, continuing his life long passion for plants and establishing an exceptional collection in a quiet corner of north Shropshire.
A true plantsperson
John Ravenscroft was one of the outstanding figures in modern British horticulture. Widely respected as a true plantsperson, he devoted more than seventy years to growing, propagating and promoting plants, combining deep practical knowledge with remarkable entrepreneurial vision.
Together with his wife Elizabeth, he founded and built Bridgemere Garden World into Britain’s largest and best-known nursery and garden centre, inspiring generations of gardeners through its plants, display gardens and commitment to quality.
His experience with the Royal Horticultural Society reflected the high regard in which he was held across the profession. He was a longstanding member of the RHS, later became a Vice President, and received some of the Society’s highest distinctions.
He was awarded the RHS Veitch Memorial Medal for his outstanding contribution to the advancement and improvement of horticulture, and in 2008 received the RHS Victoria Medal of Honour in recognition of his plantsmanship, entrepreneurial talent and encyclopaedic knowledge of plants.
in 2019, the HTA has awarded John Ravenscroft the Pearson Memorial Medal in recognition of his outstanding services to horticulture.
Pioneer in nursery production and garden retailing
John was a pioneer in nursery production and garden retailing at a time when the industry was changing rapidly. After honing his skills in a range of nursery roles, he brought together production expertise, retail flair and a showman’s instinct for inspiring the public.
Bridgemere became famous not only for the scale and quality of its plant sales, but also for its display gardens, many of them inspired by or recreated from award-winning RHS show gardens. He also invested generously in the development of young people, sharing his knowledge freely with horticultural students and helping to shape the careers of many who later went on to succeed elsewhere in the industry.
After selling Bridgemere to Wyevale in 2006, John continued his life’s work by creating Cherry Tree Arboretum with Liz at their home in north Shropshire. There they established a fifty-acre arboretum and an exceptional collection of trees and shrubs, including magnolias, acers, betulas, cornus, prunus and sorbus, extending his lifelong passion for plants into a new and lasting landscape. Even in later years he remained actively involved in propagation and plant growing.
John Ravenscroft made a huge contribution to the garden industry. He will be remembered not only for the scale of what he built, but for the standards he set, the knowledge he shared, and the inspiration he gave to professional horticulturists and amateur gardeners alike. His legacy lives on in the gardens he created, the people he mentored and the many plants and landscapes shaped by his vision.
The funeral will be at St Luke’s Hodnet Shropshire on Monday 29th June.