Victorian Plant Hunters: Adventure, Danger & Discovery
A talk as part of the Explorer Season at Pippbrook House
Have you ever wondered where the plants in our gardens really came from? Britain's native flora is surprisingly limited, and many of the trees, shrubs and flowers we now take for granted were once rare and exotic discoveries from distant lands.
Join us for a fascinating journey into the world of the Victorian plant hunters: the adventurous explorers who travelled to some of the most remote and dangerous corners of the globe in search of spectacular new species. From mountain ranges and dense forests to unfamiliar cultures and harsh conditions, these remarkable individuals risked their lives to satisfy Britain's growing appetite for exotic plants. Discover how plant hunting evolved from the haphazard collection of seeds by travellers and sailors into a highly organised and competitive profession, and how institutions such as Kew Gardens, commercial nurseries and wealthy patrons sponsored expeditions that transformed British gardens forever.
Filled with stories of adventure, ambition, peril and discovery, this talk also reveals the unexpected role that Dorking and Pippbrook played in Britain's great Victorian plant-hunting craze.
About David Marsh
After a career as a head teacher, David turned his passion for garden history into a second career, earning a PhD and becoming one of Britain's leading garden historians. He lectures widely on the history of gardens, landscapes and plants, is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Buckingham, and writes the popular weekly blog The Garden History Blog.
Tickets: £13 | Friends: £11
Have you ever wondered where the plants in our gardens really came from? Britain's native flora is surprisingly limited, and many of the trees, shrubs and flowers we now take for granted were once rare and exotic discoveries from distant lands.
Join us for a fascinating journey into the world of the Victorian plant hunters: the adventurous explorers who travelled to some of the most remote and dangerous corners of the globe in search of spectacular new species. From mountain ranges and dense forests to unfamiliar cultures and harsh conditions, these remarkable individuals risked their lives to satisfy Britain's growing appetite for exotic plants. Discover how plant hunting evolved from the haphazard collection of seeds by travellers and sailors into a highly organised and competitive profession, and how institutions such as Kew Gardens, commercial nurseries and wealthy patrons sponsored expeditions that transformed British gardens forever.
Filled with stories of adventure, ambition, peril and discovery, this talk also reveals the unexpected role that Dorking and Pippbrook played in Britain's great Victorian plant-hunting craze.
About David Marsh
After a career as a head teacher, David turned his passion for garden history into a second career, earning a PhD and becoming one of Britain's leading garden historians. He lectures widely on the history of gardens, landscapes and plants, is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Buckingham, and writes the popular weekly blog The Garden History Blog.
Tickets: £13 | Friends: £11
Run Time: 1 hour plus Q&A
Ticket Price: £11 - £13
Venue: Pippbrook House
