George Forrest: Plant Hunter

Description

George Forrest was a legendary plant collector in the heyday of the British Empire. His career spanned the decades before and after the First World War. 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 Sino-Himalaya. As many plants were named after him, he is well known in gardening circles yet this is the first biography of Forrest, and the first book on him for fifty years. This book, published to celebrate the centenary of Forrest's first setting out for the mountains of Yunnan, south-west China, brings Forrest to life, drawing on his own letters and those of his contemporaries. It tells of Forrest's adventures and his escape from death at the hands of warring Lamas. 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. Published in association with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Dr. Brenda McLean has been researching the life and work of George Forrest since 1987. She is a fellow of the University of Liverpool in the Department of Geography, where she was formerly a lecturer in biogeography. She was made an RBGE research associate in 2000.

"One of the most successful of all plant hunters" Roy Lancaster "The intrepid Scotsman George Forrest introduced some of the greatest garden rarities, including many rhododendrons from Western China. He is revered for his courage and perseverance in an age when plant exploration held many dangers" Penelope Hobhouse