Bringing Great Plants to the West:  E.H. Wilson and the Heyday of Plant Exploration

Morris Arboretum’s 2018-2019 Lecture Series will feature renowned horticulturist, Tony Kirkham, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s Head of the Arboretum and Horticultural Services. The lecture is titled, Bringing Great Plants to the West:  E.H. Wilson and the Heyday of Plant Exploration, and will take place onTuesday, March 5 at 2pm, at Temple University’s Ambler Campus at the Center Auditorium.

E. H. Wilson (1876-1930) was one of the most distinguished plant collectors of his generation.  He was responsible for introducing more than a thousand plant species, such as the dove tree, kiwi fruit, and the Chinese dogwood.  In this lecture, Tony Kirkham will highlight his recent bookWilson’s China: A Century On.  Kirkham, with co-author Mark Flanagan, retraced several of Wilson’s journeys to create a fascinating series of breathtaking ‘then and now’ images of the remote Sichuan landscape, providing a unique insight into the changes that have taken place in China during the past 100 years.  Kirkham’s talk follows in the footsteps of this intrepid plant hunter; to reveal and connect with the China that Wilson once knew.

Tony Kirkham started his career as an apprentice at Tilhill Forestry Nursery in Frensham, England. He attended Merrist Wood Agricultural College and was awarded the Kew diploma in Horticulture. He was appointed manager of Kew’s North Arboretum and became Head of the Arboretum and Horticultural Services at Kew in 2001.

The lecture will be held at Temple University’s Ambler Campus Learning Center Auditorium, 580 Meetinghouse Road, Ambler and is presented by Morris Arboretum in partnership with Temple University Ambler.

Lectures are supported in part by the Klein Lecture Endowment given in memory of Dr. William M. Klein who served from 1977-1990 as the Arboretum’s first full-time director; the Laura L. Barnes Lecture Endowment of The Philadelphia Foundation, given in memory of Laura Barnes by students and alumni of her school of horticulture; and the Byron Lukens Lecture Endowment, given in memory of educator and Arboretum volunteer, Byron Lukens and his wife Elizabeth.

A reception with refreshments will follow this 2 pm talk.  The cost is $20 for non-members and $15 for Arboretum members, Temple alumni, and partner institutions.  Advanced registration and payment are required.  To register, please call 215-247-5777, ext. 125 or visit http://bit.ly/morrislectures to make your reservation.  Don’t delay.  The last several lectures sold out!

Morris Arboretum is a 92-acre horticultural display garden that features a spectacular collection of mature trees in a beautiful and colorful landscape.  The official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, effective 1988, Morris Arboretum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and accredited by the American Association of Museums.  For more information, visit: www.morrisarboretum.org

Photo Credit:  Courtesy, Tony Kirkham

Photo Caption:  On Tuesday, March 5 at 2pm, Morris Arboretum presents a lecture by Tony Kirkham, Head of the Arboretum and Horticultural Services, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Bringing Great Plants to the West:  E.H. Wilson and the Heyday of Plant Exploration.  This event will be held at Temple University’s Ambler Campus Learning Center Auditorium, 580 Meetinghouse Road, Ambler and is presented by Morris Arboretum in partnership with Temple University Ambler. A reception with refreshments will follow this 2pm talk.  The cost for each lecture is $20 for non-members and $15 for Arboretum members, Temple alumni, and partner institutions.  Advanced registration and payment are required.  To register, please call 215-247-5777, ext. 125 or visit http://bit.ly/morrislectures to make your reservation.