Death of popular gardener

Mr Thompson died in the village cottage he had lived in for the past 63 years surrounded by his wife Kathleen and children Stephen, Carol, Vivien and Michael.

A gardener for most of his life, he worked in Windmill Hill and Herstmonceux before settling with his family in Punnetts Town.

Dick and Kathleen opened their working garden to the public on several occasions to raise money for charity.

Dick's love of plants overspilled into nearby Mill Lane, where he planted up nearly 300 yards of verge with shrubs and plants a spectacular sight in the summer. The parish council was so impressed that it put up two benches in the lane so that visitors could enjoy the vista at their leisure.

The fruits of Mr Thompson's work can still be seen. Sons Stephen and Michael now tend the lane in the summer and keep the grass down.

Mr Thompson even produced his own mauve and red rhododendron called Mrs Dick Thompson. And he wrote a book, privately published, about his life and times.

His funeral took place on Tuesday at Eastbourne Crematorium.

There are plans to bury his ashes in the lane he loved so much under a new shrub near one of the benches.