Innes, John (1829-1904), was a British real estate dealer and philanthropist who won fame for his horticultural work. In 1909, money provided under Innes’s will was used to found the John Innes Horticultural Institution (now the John Innes Centre) in Norwich, England. This organization provides instruction in horticulture and has conducted research in plant genetics. Its work led to the development of the John Innes series of potting and seed composts. Innes was born of a Scottish family and educated in Brighton (now Brighton and Hove), England.