In the fourth Online Lecture of our 2023 series, Professor Tim Entwisle will talk about his life as a botanist and in botanic gardens, based on his memoir published last year by Thames & Hudson, Evergreen: The Botanical Life of a Plant Punk. Tim Entwisle believes botanic gardens address the key threats of our time, such as climate change and plant extinction, while simultaneously serving up gorgeous landscapes and offering a balm to the weary human spirit. After 25 years as a director at some of the world’s finest botanic gardens – in Sydney, London and Melbourne – his conclusion is that botanic gardens are a cure for the world’s ills. Evergreen also reveals the noisy soundtrack to Tim Entwisle’s life, why he prefers nature found kerbside rather than in the wild, and how he comes to have an alga (seaweed) named after him. Above all, it’s an ode to what Tim describes as a powerful mix of nature, science and culture.
Professor Tim Entwisle is an author, botanist and botanic gardens director. He has been Director and Chief Executive of Royal Botanic Gardens since 2013, following two years in a senior role at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and eight years as Executive Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust in Sydney. Tim is an Honorary Professorial Fellow at The University of Melbourne and an expert in freshwater algae but has a broad interest in plants and public gardens. Tim is a regular contributor to Australian radio and writes for science, nature and garden magazines. He is active on social media, including a weekly blog (talkingplants.blogspot.com), and recently published a memoir, Evergreen: the Botanical Life of a Plant Punk.