Confessions of a Plant Explorer:
With one eye on the road, the other on the roadside
Allan Taylor, Ph.D., University of Colorado, Boulder
In his talk Allan Taylor will describe some of the interesting woody plants that he has discovered and collected from the wild. He will also teach the audience how to drive with one eye on the road, the other on the roadside, looking for the next outstanding plant introduction. All for the greater glory of gardens, of course!
Taylor has always been interested in gardening, both as a scientific and spiritual exercise. Gardening for him is a superb way to commune with nature, to learn the secrets of the genetics and physiology of plants, but also to express oneself artistically in partnership with the plants. Taylor’s primary interest in gardening is to introduce plants from the wild, and to discover how they can be successfully brought under cultivation. He was practicing xeriscape gardening long before it had a name.
One of Taylor’s most spectacular introductions is a Pinus contorta, which has golden candles in the spring. This plant is propagated and sold under the cultivar name “Taylor’s Sunburst.” The tree was found at about 9,000 feet just west of Boulder, 20 years ago.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Denver Botanic Gardens – Morrison Center
6:30 – 8 p.m.
