From Heather to Himalayas: Walking in the Footsteps of Scotland’s Plant Hunters
is a 2026 book by Caroline Bavey, the Landscape and Garden Manager of the Explorers Garden in Pitlochry.
The book serves as both a history of botanical discovery and a guided tour through the Explorers Garden, which was designed to celebrate the legacy of Scottish explorers over the last 300 years.
Key Themes and Content
The "Living Storybook": The narrative uses the physical paths, trees, and blossoms of the Pitlochry garden to tell the life stories of Scottish plant hunters.
Focus on Himalayan Flora: Dedicated sections explore the origins and cultivation of iconic species brought back from the East, specifically Meconopsis (the blue poppy), Rhododendrons, and various Himalayan shrubs.
Historical Context: It situates these explorers within the 18th and 19th-century passion for naturalism and the pursuit of "green gold".
Notable Figures Featured
The book highlights the perilous journeys of several key Scottish figures:
George Forrest (1873–1932): Often called "Scotland’s Indiana Jones," he survived violent conflicts in the Yunnan province of China to introduce over 1,200 new plant species to science.
David Douglas: A gardener from Perthshire who introduced over 200 species, including the Douglas fir, before his tragic death in Hawaii.
Archibald Menzies: Credited with introducing the monkey puzzle tree and various North American conifers.
George Sherriff: A botanist who specialized in Himalayan plants, particularly primulas and the blue poppy (Meconopsis).
The work reflects on how these explorers' curiosity transformed the British landscape, moving from native "heather" to the exotic species of the "Himalayas" that are now staples of modern gardens.