Vale Ben Swane

Legend, Hero and Champion are all very true descriptions of Ben Swane but Brave Trail Blazer and Immensely Practical Nurseryman are also very accurate.

He was a trail blazer in helping the nursery industry progress in so many new ways & brave in taking on challenges at personal cost & at the risk of condemnation by others.  Never one to be other than strong about his beliefs,  he worked hard on many fronts & eventually turned condemnation to appreciation & became a leader of the industry.  As a leader, his achievements were many; particularly in bringing various plant growers in the garden industry together as friends rather than as competitors. In all of his activities he made a great many friends who enjoyed his caring & good-humoured personality.  He laboured hard and long to continue improving the garden industry.  Our main involvement with Ben was as a garden lover. Details of his activities within the Nursery Industry Association and many other key organisations such as the Royal Agricultural Society are amazing &  well documented.

All of us at Burke’s Backyard who knew & admired him and  had the good fortune to spend time with him will miss and remember Ben Swane for many years to come.

Our sincere condolences go to all the members of the Swane family for their loss of such a wonderful man.

Don & Marea Burke