About the Author

Daniel J. Hinkley's fascination with plants goes back to his childhood in Michigan, where he studied horticulture before moving west to Washington to earn his master's degree. He writes for numerous horticultural publications and is in high demand as a speaker throughout North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Dan has been awarded the Scott Medal, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Award, and the Veitch Memorial Medal, among others. Founder of the original Heronswood Nursery in Kingston, Washington, with his partner, Robert L. Jones, he now brings his expertise to Monrovia Growers as well as to several design firms, including Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, Portico, and the Berger Partnership, where he serves as horticultural consultant. He currently gardens at Windcliff, their home in Indianola, Washington, on five acres of high bluff overlooking Puget Sound.

Reviews

Hinkley ... addresses his plant-collection procedures and standards to assure readers he's taken pains to avoid introducing pests, diseases or invasive species. -- Mary Beth Breckenridge Akron Beacon Journal 20090613 Hinkley is in the old breed of plant-hunter, one who hoofs about the globe with little more than a trowel and a trusty leather carry-all to hold his botanic treasures. -- Mary-Liz Shaw Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 20090621 [Hinkley] traps us with his eloquent, spot-on descriptions as cleverly as a Dutchman's pipe bloom lures, traps, then releases its pollinators. -- Kathy Huber Houston Chronicle 20090711 What sets Dan apart from the crowd is his understanding of how to grow plants well. His careful observations of plants in the wild give this book an edge and provide us with a better understanding of how to cultivate many of these wonderful shrubs and vines. -- Mat Reese Gardens Illustrated 20090801 Scores of exciting plants still await wider use by gardeners, and The Explorer's Garden is a masterful guide to this cornucopia. Michigan Gardener 20090901 A diverting read on chilly nights to come, when we can share, from a safe distance, Hinkley's "near-lunatic" passion for exotic plants and places. -- Maureen McCarthy Minneapolis Star Tribune 20091027 The armchair traveler will relish the quotes from [Hinkley's] travel journal which introduce each chapter; the horticulturalist will be caught up in the text, which describes the origins and hybrids of an array of perennials. SciTech Book News 20091201