Julia Corden, from Pitlochry's
Explorers Garden, is a renowned plant hunter and guide who has led expeditions to diverse locations like Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, and Canada's rainforests, focusing on alpines, bulbs, and unique plants, often for seed collection or sourcing plants for the garden, inspired by historical figures like David Douglas.
Key Expeditions & Focus Areas:
Bhutan & Arunachal Pradesh: Led expeditions here for Greentours, likely collecting diverse flora.
Canadian Rainforests: Studied plant species suitable for the garden, encountering a black bear during her research for plants linked to David Douglas.
Alaskan Tundra (via Tours): Guided tours to Alaska, documenting plants like Potentilla fruticosa, Arnica frigida, and dwarf willows, as noted in the Scottish Rock Garden Club journal.
General Botanical Tours: Has guided tours to over 25 countries, including Tien Shan, Bernese Oberland, and the Stans, focusing on alpines and wildflowers.
Plant Hunting Style:
Inspiration: Influenced by historical plant hunters like David Douglas, aiming to find plants for the garden.
Specific Interests: Passionate about alpines, herbaceous, and unusual plants, often collecting seeds from challenging environments.
Mentorship: Her knowledge and enthusiasm for alpines have inspired other horticulturalists, notes The Scottish Rock Garden Club.
Julia Corden, the former manager of
The Explorers Garden in Pitlochry (also known as the Scottish Plant Hunters Garden), is an acclaimed modern-day plant hunter and horticultural consultant.
She has undertaken several botanical expeditions to collect and study plants in their natural habitats, frequently following in the footsteps of legendary Scottish plant hunters. Her key expeditions and professional travels include:
Himalayan Expeditions: She has led expeditions to Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh, India. During these trips, she has rediscovered plants not seen in the wild for decades and contributed to the discovery of new species, such as Meconopsis ludlowii.
The Himalayas (General): She has visited the Himalayas many times over the past decade, specifically to study her passion, the Blue Poppy (Meconopsis), in its native environment.
International Botanical Tours: As a professional guide for organizations like Brightwater Holidays, she has led tours to over 25 countries to observe flora. These locations include:
Costa Rica (18+ times) and Switzerland (19+ times).
New Zealand, The Falklands, Newfoundland, Japan, Chile, Greece, and South Africa.
Local Seed Collection: In addition to international trips, she has participated in regional seed collection efforts within Scotland, such as at Ben Vrackie and Loch Katrine.
Corden managed The Explorers Garden for 18 years, where she helped establish the National Collection of Meconopsis. As of 2026, she continues to lead horticultural tours, including upcoming trips to Italy, California, and the Falkland Islands.