“Heartbreaking news.”

The garden designer from Castledermot, Kildare won the top prize last week and displayed his winning garden at the Bloom festival over the weekend.

Thousands of people got the chance to see his creation over the weekend and many tributes were paid following the news he had passed.

John is survived by his wife Liz, brothers, sisters, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends.

RTÉ Super Garden winner dies just days after winning show

John’s death notice on RIP.ie has filled with condolences, with one saying: “Like so many others, we watched John and his wife Liz on the TV garden program and ‘warmed’ to them and their beautiful look on life.

“It was sad to read the news of his passing. Our heart goes out to Liz on her loss of her ‘best friend’ John.

“You’re in our prayers this day.”

Another said: “I loved his passion for gardening on the program and the love he had for you Liz shone through our TV screens.

“May he rest in peace in God’s eternal garden.”

A third mourner said: “Having watched John’s great triumph on Super Garden only last night it was so sad to hear of his passing.

“My heart goes out to Liz and also to John’s family and friends. Heartbreaking news.”

John said he didn’t have the confidence to sign up to the Super Garden competition and it was his wife that entered him in the end.

“I said to Liz I was glad she did it because if we had have spoken about it first I would have said ‘no way, I wouldn’t be able for it,'” he said.

“But when she put me in I was in shock first but then I said, ‘we’ll give it a go and see’.”

After his win, John described it as a “dream come true”.

All elements of John’s winning garden, titled ‘Back to the Future’, will go to Castledermot National School in Kildare.

READ MORE:

• Family left heartbroken after £12,000 cruise holiday cancelled due to social media error
• Adam Sandler sends Jennifer Aniston flowers every year for Mother’s Day after her fertility struggles
• Keelin Moncrieff: ‘Irish women should use their privilege to highlight the voices of other women’