Death of John Bennett, long-time colleague in landscape architecture
6th September 2023
We are sad to report the recent death of John Bennett, formerly horticultural technician who retired a few years ago. He came to GlosCAT at Oxstalls in the mid 80s to support the planting design teaching and develop external plant collections. The move to FCH in the 90s enabled him to create an extensive teaching garden but staff and students alike will remember him most for his enthusiastic involvement in plant identification and selection for various design projects. He was ever-present, always cheerful and with wide interests, notably music. He was also at the forefront of computer introduction to landscape architecture, an advocate of CAD but especially plant selection programs such as Helios for which he provided many images. He helped develop the related technology of video recording of student ideas related to urban design often using sophisticated physical models. In 2011 he helped organise a 50th anniversary of the landscape course, a course for ever grateful for his contribution during periods of degree accreditation, modular restructuring and university aspiration. He will be remembered most for the practical help given willingly to students learning about plant species and horticultural applications.
Bob Moore
Thank you Bob for writing this about my Dad and his work at the University. He was so proud of the work he did there. I’ve recently been going through his belongings and found the huge box of photo slides he made for the Helios program and his notes. His computer also has pictures of the many field trips and times with the students who he cared for so much ‘his babies’ he used to say referring to the plants and the students. Thank you all for caring and being his friend. By the way I think he was referring to himself in the photo, my fantastic Dads sence of humour.