SG582: Plant Explorers with Karen Rexrode

I’m so delighted to have Karen Rexrode on the show today. Karen is giving an encore presentation of her keynote presentation, Plant Explorers, heard Saturday night at the 2017 Garden Blogger’s Fling.

Karen is a gem of horticultural wisdom - she's quite a find in her own right! Karen is a Northern Virginia Gardener, a popular garden speaker and she’s my favorite kind of subject matter expert when it comes to plants - she’s an owner operator.  Karen built Windy Hill Plant Farm, in Loudoun County, from the ground up. For 25 years, she specialized in perennials and unusual annuals.

Today, Karen is giving us an encore of her presentation on the Plant Explorers.  Karen covers 18 different Plant Explorers (or Plant Hunters as they are often called) focusing mainly on the 18th through the 20th century explorers.  Driven, brave, and curious - Plant Hunters sacrificed plenty in their quest for new species and rare specimens.  Karen does a marvelous job of bringing these fascinating explorers to life - sharing their successes, their connections, and their humanity.

Karen’s research on the Plant Explorers reminds us all about the often overlooked, yet completely enthralling  history of plant exploration.  I know I have a renewed appreciation for so many plants after listening to Karen’s keynote - and I’m hoping you will discover that same excitement - that same recognition of the history of some of the plants right in your own garden. I’m certain that you will have a new feeling a gratitude for the sacrifice and the outrageous lengths that were taken to bring the plants we know today out of the wild, out of obscurity, and into our gardens... and our hearts.

Prominent horticulturist, garden speaker and creative force, Karen Rexrode and her presentation Plant Explorers  - that's the topic of today’s show and it’s coming up after:

An update on the Listener Community for the show and this week's Garden News Roundup.