Conservative Ken Norman won last night's by-election for the Westdene ward seat on Brighton and Hove City Council.
The vacancy was caused by the death of Tory councillor John Drake.
Mr Norman, a retired mechanical engineer, worked for many years in the physics department at Sussex University.
He is president of Brighton Pavilion Conservatives. His wife Ann, already a Westdene councillor, is chairman.
Mr Norman has won four Chelsea Flower Show gold medals for bonsai and is one of the leading bonsai lecturers in the country. He is also a horticultural judge at Chelsea and other shows.
A Tory since 1967, he has previously stood in safe Labour wards.
He said: "I just hope I can live up to the standard set by John Drake, who was a good friend. He was a gentleman."
Brighton Pavilion Labour MP David Lepper said: "Considering we are into the second term of a Labour government, our vote held up very well.
"We had an energetic and excellent candidate in Malcolm Prescott."
The full result was: Elected: Ken Norman (Con) 1,347. Not elected: Malcolm Prescott (Lab) 645, Don McBeth (Lib-Dem) 234, Richard Mallender (Green) 199.
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