The Plant Hunter's Garden: The New Explorers and Their Discoveries

About this book

Many gardeners are vaguely aware of the "greats" of plant exploration such as E. H. Wilson George Forrest or John Tradescant. Fewer may know the names of todays plant explorers or recognize the makings of a new golden age of plant discovery. Nonetheless a quick visit to almost any nursery will reveal the bounty of these intrepid plant collectors whose handiwork enriches gardens everywhere. The Plant Hunters Garden profiles 32 of todays more prolific plant hunters. From the Czech Republic to the Rocky Mountains Bobby Ward has sought out those explorers in the private sphere who are collecting plants specifically for horticultural introduction. While providing interesting details on the lives and careers of these new explorers the real focus of the book is on the plants themselves. Ward asked each of the hunters to choose the very best treasures from their years of collecting and has sumptuously illustrated these jewels in stunning photos. Many plants in these pages became bestsellers quickly after introduction from the wild but hundreds more underappreciated gems are sure to entice and surprise any reader of this book. From the comfort of the armchair or the potting-shed table readers of The Plant Hunters Garden can embark on their own voyages of discovery in these delightful pages.