A WELL-KNOWN York man with a long-held passion for gardening has lost his battle with cancer at the age of 70.

Stephen Pickering, who lived in Nether Poppleton, worked for Challis of York from 1962.

The company opened their first garden centre in York in 1964, at Upper Poppleton, and Stephen worked in every area of the centre. He became general manager in 1969, a role he continued to hold after Wyevale bought the centre in 1993.

In 2009, he received the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society’s Long Service Medal for 47 years’ dedicated service to the industry and it was presented to him at a ceremony at Wyevale’s Head Office at Syon Park, London, by the President of the RHS.

Stephen retired in 2012.

His daughter Sarah Kocinski said: "He was a larger than life character. He was a big man, 6ft 3”.

"His knowledge of all things to do with trees, shrubs, and anything gardening was second to none. That's why he stayed in the industry as long as he did. He was well known in the horticultural world."

She added: "Gardening was his biggest passion. If he wasn't at work he was in the green houses at home. At one point we had three big green houses at home."

In 2011, Stephen was diagnosed with cancer. Despite surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, his health deteriorated.

He was cared for at home by his family and most recently by the nursing team at St Leonard’s Hospice in York, where he died last Wednesday, surrounded by his family.

Sarah says he will be "immensely missed" by his family and all the people that knew him.

He leaves behind his wife Sue and daughter Sarah.

A burial service will be held at Mowthorpe Garden of Rest, Terrington, on August 24 at 10.30am followed by a celebration of his life at Poppleton Methodist Church, Upper Poppleton at 12.30pm.

All are welcome to attend.