The Gardens Trust is saddened to learn of the passing of English landscape historian Professor John Dixon Hunt (1936–2026), a renowned scholar, pioneer of garden history and landscape theory, and a valued Life Member of the Gardens Trust.
John Dixon Hunt joined the University of Pennsylvania in 1994 and served as the department chair of landscape architecture and regional planning until June 2000, later becoming emeritus. One aspect of his work focused on the time between the turn of the 17th through the end of the 18th centuries in France and England.
Throughout his academic career, Professor Hunt transformed the way we understand designed landscapes. In his seminal work Greater Perfections: The Practice of Garden Theory (2000), he described the core essence of the discipline, noting that: “Gardens are concentrated or perfected forms of place-making.”
His scholarship consistently highlighted the relationship between nature, human creativity, and time and his writings reminded us that true landscape beauty emerges from cooperation with natural elements rather than forceful imposition, inspiring spaces designed to evoke wonder and deep connection. Hunt’s uniquely inquisitive approach to landscapes is reflected in his last book, Walking & Talking on the Here and Elsewhere (2025). He posed poignant questions such as “When visiting a designed landscape… to what extent does our sense of what lies behind or beyond the material elements direct or colour a visit, then or in retrospect?”.
His commitment to garden history remained active throughout his life. Selected as one of the featured authors for the 50th anniversary edition of Garden History, Hunt reflected on Peter Goodchild’s landmark 1991 paper on John Evelyn.
John Dixon Hunt’s profound intellectual legacy, generosity, and passion for place-making leave an indelible mark on the field of garden history. We extend our warmest condolences to his family, colleagues, and friends.
Image credit: John Dixon Hunt by Henning Schlottmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
