Once upon a time, being a naturalist, or a botanist, was one of the coolest careers there was. Every ship had a naturalist and he (sadly they were almost exclusively men back then) collected and cataloged all the plants and animals found in the new lands explored. Naturalists usually made drawings of the plants they discovered, these old botanical illustrations are prized for their beauty and detail today.
Naturalists often took their samples home and often grew them in huge greenhouses. Many became famous for their discoveries. There are still hundreds or even thousands of undiscovered plants around the world, mostly in remote forests. But today, unfortunately, discovering them doesn’t seem to be big news or big money. I can’t even describe to you how excited I would be to discover a new species- that would be the ultimate adventure!
Plants are the base for all life on earth. Without plants, no animal can survive. Plants turn water, oxygen & sunlight into usable energy. Without this energy, life on earth doesn’t exist. Yet, for the most part, people take plants for granted and don’t think about them too much. I’m here to change that. I want you to love and enjoy plants as much as I do. And if you’re already a plant nerd like me, then you’re in the right place!
About Me
Hi, I’m Heather and I’m a plant nerd. When I was 3 my parents taught me to say “photosynthesis” I think it was just a fun parlor trick for a little kid, but then someone asked me what it meant, and my dad told me “it’s when the sunshine and the rain hit plants and then the plants can use the light and water to make their own food” I probably said that word for word to hundreds of people over the next couple of years. Maybe that set the stage for me to learn and enjoy gardening my entire life.
Eventually, I taught college Biology courses and got to teach the process of photosynthesis in a whole lot more detail! I have lived and gardened in Illinois, Texas, and now Hawaii, so I have a pretty diverse understanding of different growing zones. In Hawaii, I have a year-round growing season and the opportunity to grow some really interesting and unique plants. I can’t wait to share my Adventures in Botany with you.
