Risking his health and safety, he set off for china in 1904 on the first of seven expeditions to the remote mountains of the sinohimalaya. The book covers his 19245 expedition to southeast tibet. The collections made during his seventh and last trip were promptly sent back to the royal botanic gardens, edinburgh, while he remains buried in the land where he made so many discoveries. In fine condition, large book 280mm x 220mmgeorge forrest was a legendary plant collector in the heyday of the british empire. A separate biography on forrest full of great photos tiled george forrest plant hunter is also a great read. It shows the influence of his patrons, describes the excitement of his plant and animal discoveries, and reveals his rivalry with other plant hunters, reginald farrer and frank kingdon ward.
It was probably his most daring and exciting trip and it contains the best descriptions of plants growing in the wild i can think of. George forest was a professional plant collector in the heyday of the british empire. Forrest, george 18731932, british plant explorer and collector. The plant hunters share book recommendations with your. Constance carter, head of the science reference section, library of congress, describes the work of the intrepid group of scientists from the u. It tells of forrests adventures and his escape from death at the hands of warring lamas. After consulting with kew royal botanic garden and edinburgh botanic garden such a. This lantern slide is from a lecture series called on the roof of the world by plant hunter, horticulturist and. George forrest, plant hunter brenda mclean antique collectors club in association with the royal botanic garden, edinburgh woodbridge 2004.
Risking his safety and health, he discovered hundreds of new species, introduced many plants to our gardens, and became one of the most. Williams thought that a british plant hunter should be employed to explore other areas of china and that british gardens should be the prime beneficiary. Plant hunter is a fascinating and beautifully illustrated book that portrays the life of a dedicated plant collector and also gives the background for the origin of many of the plants that ornament our gardens today. Legacy of the great chinese plant takeaway telegraph. Plant hunters, journeys and crossings, library of congress. Michael cunningham, horticulture, april 2005 all 32 plant hunters profiled are worthy of attention.
George forrest plant hunter oxfam gb oxfams online shop. After consulting with kew royal botanic garden and edinburgh botanic garden such a man was discovered and he was the great george forrest. Leaving school he worked as a chemist, handling dried plants used in herbal cures, this gave him a little medical knowledge. George forrest plant hunter by mclean, brenda and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. I purchase plants according to customer requests and i create facebook posts for plants that i am selling, usual.
This book tells of forrests adventures and his escape read more. The greatest collector of all was arguably george forrest, who died of. Risking his safety and health, he discovered hundreds of new species, introduced many plants to our gardens, and became one of the most outstanding. Georgeforrestplanthunter steve gallagher 20141105t09. His career spanned the decades before and after the first world war. George forrest botanist 18731932, scottish botanist and plant collector george arthur forrest born 1940, belgian businessman in the belgian congo george forrest northern ireland politician 19211968, ulster unionist member of parliament for mid ulster. Driven by an allconsuming passion, the plant hunters traveled ar. The german plant hunter philipp seibold, who gave western gardens the flowering cherry prunus x. Although much of the information textually presented by anita silvey in her middle grade the plant hunters. Specialising in indoor plants, i make weekly trips to some of melbournes best growers and can source interesting and common house plants. Topham forrest george topham forrest, 18721945, principal architect for the london county council.
Fewer may know the names of todays plant explorers or recognize the makings of a new golden age of plant discovery. When the situation worsened his tibetan helpers deserted him and he ended up trying to defend a catholic mission against a large number of armed lamas. George forrest, plant hunter robson, norman 20050401 00. Date of birth 1873 from an early age forrest was attracted to wild places. George forrest was a legendary plant hunter in the heydey of the british empire.
Aug 07, 2015 a separate biography on forrest full of great photos tiled george forrest plant hunter is also a great read. Plant collector george forrest 18731932 introduced over 300 new rhododendron species to britain but one in particular dwarfed all of these, rhododendron protistum, which is represented in our. The plant collected in the wild by george forrest was one of its parents the flamboyant rhododendrons, lilacflowered honeysuckles and sweetly fragranced viburnums are floral reminders of his far. He collected muleloads of seeds and over 31,000 herbarium specimens. Legacy of the great chinese plant takeaway british gardens owe much to george forrest, the man who collected hundreds of floral species in china. This expedition proved to be the key which opened the door to the career which he had long felt he had been born to follow.
Antique collectors club in association with the royal botanic garden, edinburgh. It shows the influence of his patrons, describes the excitement of his plant and animal discoveries, and. In early may, it will be followed by the launch of most comprehensive book on forrest to date. George forrest was a legendary plant collector in the heyday o. George forrest was born in falkirk on the th march 1873, but by the time he left school at the age of 18, he was living in kilmarnock with his eldest brother james who encouraged his love of nature and the outdoors. The royal botanic garden, edinburgh holds the largest archive of the plant hunter george forrest, who explored yunnan between 1904 and 1932. The best books on plants and plant hunting five books. It was raining when we came to tengchong, as it had rained much of the time while we explored up and down the salween.
He spent a lot of time on the hills and moors near his home in kilmarnock. Critical acclaim of the plant hunters garden ward is a knowledgeable plantsman, and here he proves himself an accomplished hunter of plant hunters. This is one of the many gems introduced by this prolific plant hunter a distinctive rowan with pearlywhite fruits and short greenblue leaflets. National botanic gardens of scotland plant explorers. Written by brenda mclean and entitled george forrest, plant hunter, the book provides a detailed history of his life and includes rare access to family archives as well as extensive material provided by rbge. Aug 24, 2018 the plant collected in the wild by george forrest was one of its parents the flamboyant rhododendrons, lilacflowered honeysuckles and sweetly fragranced viburnums are floral reminders of his far. George forrest plant hunter 1851494618 by brenda mclean. However, the archive remains relatively inaccessible. The greatest collector of all was arguably george forrest, who died of a heart attack in yunnan in.
Mandarin books on wenhua xiang sometimes has copies but be warned, it is a large coffee table style book so expensive. Collector who risked death to harvest the flowers of china. Expedition photographs of george forrest, china, c. The george forrest gazetteer of north west yunnan, china. True stories of their daring adventures to the far corners of the earth certainly is interesting enough and yes, quite exotically adventuresome in and of itself, both personally and intellectually, i have found the plant hunters. Eventually he had to flee and his group was massacred, bar forrest and one other. Risking his safety and health, he discovered hundreds of new species, introduced many plants to our gardens, and became one of the most outstanding plant collectors in. His career spanned the decades before and after the ww i. Risking his safety and health, he discovered hundreds of. These trips supplied the plant collections at grade iilisted caerhays castle gardens, cornwall. Forrest died suddenly near tengchong, in yunnan, in 1932, where he was buried. Forrest continued to work with his team assembling s of specimens, seeds, bulbs and photographs.
Many gardeners are vaguely aware of the greats of plant exploration, such as e. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Mar 04, 2015 george forrest was born in falkirk on the th march 1873, but by the time he left school at the age of 18, he was living in kilmarnock with his eldest brother james who encouraged his love of nature and the outdoors. This book tells of forrests adventures and his escape. George forrest was a legendary plant collector in the heyday of the british empire. George forrest author 19151999, american author and musician george forrest botanist 18731932, scottish botanist and plant collector george arthur forrest born 1940, belgian businessman in the belgian congo. Risking his safety and health, he discovered hundreds of new species, introduced many plants to our gardens, and became one of the most outstanding plant collectors in the sinohimalaya. Two hundred years of adventure and discovery around the world. His first job working with plant derived drugs in a pharmacy and a trip to the outback of australia further fuelled his. George forrest plant hunter by brenda mclean, hardcover. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. George forrest, plant hunter brenda mclean national. He discovered it in yunnan, china in 1921, during one of his many forays into western china.
The authors search for george forrest s grave took place during a plant hunting trip to china in 1997. George forrest march 1873 5 january 1932 was a scottish botanist, who became one of the first western explorers of chinas then remote southwestern province of yunnan, generally regarded as the most biodiverse province in the country. George forrest was a remarkably productive plant collector and explorer, who made seven major expeditions and introduced hundreds of species to western cultivation, but we are denied his own accounting of how this was done, as he never found the time to write his story down. Sorbus forrestii is a rowan that was introduced into western horticulture by the plant hunter george forrest 18731932. The authors search for george forrests grave took place during a plant hunting trip to china in 1997. Mandarin books george forrest plant hunter 1851494618 george forrest was a legendary plant collector in the heyday of the british empire.