A GARDENER’S World star has died after being diagnosed with a fatal brain illness – with Monty Don leading tributes.
“Courageous” David J.C. Austin passed away aged 67 after being diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).
The famed gardener and rose grower – who showed Queen Camilla around the Royal Chelsea Flower Show in May 2023 – died at his Shropshire home.
He died after a lengthy battle with CJD – an illness described by the US Centre for Disease Control as “always fatal”.
In a touching tribute on social media, Monty wrote: “I am so sorry to hear this. My regards and condolences to all his family.
“But what legacy he leaves – millions of exquisite roses that will live on for so many, enriching all our lives.”
David – who owned one of the country’s best known rose growers and sellers, his namesake brand David Austin Roses – was also hailed for his “enjoyment for life” and “kindness” by his heartbroken family.
They wrote: “First and foremost, Dad was a gardener. That was at the heart of who he was.
“He carried our grandfather’s vision with humility and an unwavering sense of responsibility, always putting the roses, the family business and its people before himself.
“He was kind and modest, with a playful spirit, a sense of adventure and a real enjoyment of life.
“He faced his illness with the same courage and dignity that he brought to life.
“Above all, he was our Dad, and words cannot express how much we will miss him. We couldn’t be more proud of him.”
David oversaw the creation of the Sir David Rose, in honour of the former England captain, chosen by daughter Harper.
King Charles lead the admirers of the shrub and even had a sniff as it was proudly showed off at the annual Chelsea Flower Show.
Mr Austin has also previously created the William and Catherine rose, designed to celebrate the royal couple’s 2011 wedding.
Born in 1958, rose grower David joined the family business – based in Albrighton, Shropshire – in 1990.
His dad, David C. H. Austin, had built up a reputation in the area for his work growing English Roses.
And following in the footsteps of his father, he went on to take charge of the business for more than three decades.
In a statement, the Royal Horticultural Society said they were “deeply saddened” by the news of David’s death.
He often featured as a guest on Monty Don’s BBC show, in the Gardener’s World magazine and at live events.
CJD, which often develops sporadically, causes proteins in the brain to fold, leading to brain damage and death.
But the rare killer condition can also be inherited if one parent carries a mutation that causes prions to form in their brain during adulthood.
The inherited form of the disease only affects about one in every nine million people in the UK, according to the NHS.
Most people die within a year of the first symptoms, including memory loss, impaired thinking, personality changes, and jerky movements.
