Obituary Note: Beth Chatto

Beth Chatto, an influential British gardener and writer "who emphasized the importance of choosing the right plant for the right place," died May 13, the Guardian reported. She was 94. Her "great theme was the importance of providing garden plants with an environment as close as possible to their native habitat.... Chatto's approach was a revelation and immediately established her significance as a guide to better and more environmentally friendly gardening techniques."

Her books, which offered practical suggestions and expounded environmental themes, made her internationally famous. They include The Dry Garden (1978), The Damp Garden (1982), Plant Portraits (1985), Beth Chatto's Garden Notebook (1988), The Green Tapestry (1989), The Gravel Garden (2000) and The Woodland Garden (2002).

Dear Friend and Gardener: Letters on Life and Gardening (1998), a collection of correspondence between Chatto and Christopher Lloyd, "revealed her warm and endearing character, and the book is a moving testimony to a great friendship based not only on gardening, but wider musical and literary interests," the Guardian noted. Chatto's many honors included the Lawrence Memorial Medal, Royal Horticultural Society's Victoria Medal of Honor, the Garden Writers' Guild lifetime achievement award and an OBE. In 2015, the Beth Chatto Education Trust was established to promote her beliefs and give practical advice to future generations of young gardeners.

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