Hello, I’m a botanist and educator with a lifelong fascination with plants and the natural world, and I love to share that enthusiasm with others. My botanical journey has taken me from studying Biology at the University of Oxford, to researching agroforestry and food security in Botswana, followed by a PhD in wheat genetics at the John Innes Centre. I later moved into science communication and education, becoming Head of Education at Cambridge University Botanic Garden, where I spent eight happy years helping people of all ages and backgrounds discover the fascinating world of plants.

Now based in The Chilterns, I work as a freelance botanist, educator and speaker. I teach and develop botany courses, train volunteer botanical surveyors for the Chilterns National Landscape, lead guided walks exploring the connections between botany, geology and the history of our landscapes, and undertake botanical survey work.

As a speaker, I particularly enjoy bringing together botany, natural history, history and stories of people and places. My talks range from exploring the remarkable plants and landscapes on our doorstep to botanical stories gathered through my travels around the world. I speak to Natural History Societies, U3A and WI groups and many other organisations, and can deliver talks in person or online.

Closer to home, I volunteer with my local environmental group, where I lead walks, help manage a pollinator-friendly garden and community orchard, and serve on the Board of Trustees.

Whether I’m talking about a familiar plant growing at the side of the road or a landscape thousands of miles away, I hope to encourage people to look a little closer, ask questions and discover just how fascinating the natural world can be.