Fiona Davison is the Head of Libraries and Exhibitions at the Royal Horticultural Society and the author of two books uncovering stories of fascinating yet unsung people from our gardening past. In The Hidden Horticulturists, a book that is part detective story and part history, Fiona traced the stories of young men who trained at a remarkable garden owned by the RHS in the early 19th c, following their careers encompassing worldwide botanical wonders, scandals, spying and intrigue. The Hidden Horticulturalists was published in 2019 and named as one of the Gardening Books of the Year by the Daily Telegraph. Her second book, An Almost Impossible Thing, uncovered the stories of pioneering women gardeners who battled prejudice and social preconceptions to craft careers in the all-male world of professional horticulture. Fiona is a regular presenter on the RHS podcast and is in high demand as a speaker by gardening and history societies up and down the length of the British Isles. She is currently working on a new book set in the 1920s and 30s, exploring the unexpected role of gardening and gardeners in a time of great social, political and cultural upheaval and change.
X: @fjd65