Popular radio gardener Brian Kidd dies aged 82

Brian Kidd shared growing tips from his allotment on BBC Radio Solent

A popular gardener who appeared on local radio phone-ins for almost 50 years has died.

Brian Kidd was affectionately known as "Mr Gardening" in Portsmouth, where he had been the city council's head of parks and gardens and even had a road named after him in honour of his work.

He died aged 82 in an Isle of Wight care home, his family said.

He was a regular on-air expert and panellist on BBC Radio Solent's gardening programmes.

As head of the Portsmouth City Council's parks and gardens, Mr Kidd was in charge of 1,600 acres of green spaces in the city and also wrote a weekly horticultural column for the Portsmouth News newspaper.

He was made a freeman of the city on his retirement in 2003.

Brian Kidd Way was named in his honour

Mr Kidd was a regular panellist on BBC Radio Solent's gardening shows, answering listeners' gardening questions since the station began broadcasting in 1970, and last appeared on air in 2019.

In recent years, he passed on growing tips from his allotment on the station.

Presenter of the Kitchen Garden programme Rebecca Parker said: "Whenever he was on the show we used to refer to it as 'The Brian Kidd effect' because the phone lines would light up.

"He has been a much-loved and valued contributor and I will always remember him with huge affection and fondness.

"He brought warmth, kindness and humour to everything he did and I will miss teasing him about his annual growing of over 70 Brussels sprout plants."

Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Rob Wood, added: "Brian's horticultural expertise and his flair for designing colourful and artistic planting schemes have been enjoyed by generations of residents and visitors to the city.

"Brian's infectious enthusiasm inspired thousands of people to get behind Portsmouth's Britain in Bloom entries over many years."