John Cushnie

Born: 14 May, 1943, in County Armagh.

Died: 31 December, 2009, in County Down, aged 66.

HE WAS a mainstay of Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time for 15 years. His wit, wisdom and gardening knowledge made his comments on the programme special. As John Cushnie began answering he would be serious and factual, then a lighter vein would be struck and with some added banter and much good humour his answer ended with general laughter. Whatever the subject – the eradication of greenfly, when to prune roses, getting rid of ground elder – Cushnie brought a homely and practical approach to the programme.

Cushnie was a landscape designer in his native Ireland but was known to a wider public through his broadcasting. In addition to Gardeners' Question Time Cushnie's radio career spanned 39 years. He was first heard on Radio Ulster and, more recently, was the Hedge Man on Radio 2's The Chris Evans Show. He wrote a popular weekly column in the Daily Telegraph.

John Alexander Montgomery Cushnie was brought up at Lurgan in Co Armagh and attended Lurgan College and Greenmount College of Agriculture and Horticulture, Antrim, then spent ten years as a civil servant, working for the Housing Executive in Belfast.

His father had introduced gardening to Cushnie by dividing the family garden in half between John and his brother. During his time in Belfast he furthered these horticultural interests by founding his own business, Cushnie Landscapes.

The business rapidly expanded and Cushnie was soon receiving commissions to landscape gardens in the UK. He was a practical gardener and had lengthy consultations with his clients as he was aware they might not be able – or have the time – to maintain the garden as he would have. His approach was invariably traditional and he seldom planted rare species that were expensive and needed special attention.

Cushnie was a born communicator and had an excellent microphone voice. From the day he joined Gardeners' Question Time in 1984 he added a sparkle and an enthusiasm for the basics and the complexities of horticulture that made him a name with many non-gardeners. After he had pulled the leg of a fellow panellist there was invariably a twinkle in his eye and a chortle at the end of a sentence. He had strongly held views which he was not shy to air, but there was never an ounce of malice in anything he uttered.

Some plants, however, were treated with less discretion. "I have a passion for trees and shrubs, tolerate perennials, accept the need for annuals and put up with hanging baskets. I detest most ornamental grasses," he once said on Gardeners' Question Time. He added for good measure: "I can tolerate a level of weeds in borders and the lawn. When they start to annoy me I use weedkillers to great effect."

His fellow panellist the organic gardener Bob Flowerdew was often the subject of Cushnie's jibes and many listeners considered Cushnie sometimes went overboard in his adverse comments about organic growing. In fact, the two were great friends. Another bte noire of Cushnie's was vegetables, of which he approved neither in the garden nor on the dinner table.

His time with Evans on Radio 2 proved hugely successful. The two got on well and on their first broadcast Evans asked Cushnie, live on air, to comment on hedges. Cushnie dryly answered: "I love yew." From there the two worked well together and Evans nicknamed him "The Hedge Man".

Cushnie contributed to many gardening magazines and wrote one of the most comprehensive books on the subject, How to Garden, which he subtitled The Only Gardening Book You Will Ever Need. That did not stop him writing further books, including, recently, the well-received Gardening for Small Spaces.

But he was happiest in the garden, planting and pruning. As he wrote: "I love a dander in the garden first thing in the morning before breakfast at any time of the year. Trust me and try it. You will find something in flower every day of the year. I love the fragrance of plants, with lavender, sarcococca, mahonia, sweet pea and an autumn bonfire top of the list." That captures Cushnie's own love of everything to do with gardening and gardeners.

John Cushnie married Wilma Taylor in 1969, She and their two sons and a daughter survive him.