Christopher Gardner is a plant world all-rounder, naturalist and semi-professional photographer. Originally from Essex, England, he gained a BSc in Horticulture from Reading University, England and spent fifteen years as a professional horticulturist and garden designer.
 In 1998 he co-authored the bestselling book ‘The Plant Hunters’. However, a lifelong birdwatcher and naturalist his fascination with travel brought him into contact with the wildlife, flora and cultures of many exotic countries and in 1999 he began guiding botanical and wildlife tours. Horticulture has now taken a back seat and he guides and arranges botanical tours throughout Turkey, near and Central Asia, China, Chile, Morocco, Borneo and many other countries, having led over a hundred tours. At the same time his photographic interest and ability has grown immensely leading to the publication with his wife Basak Gardner of ‘The Flowers of the Silk Road’ (May 2014) a collection of 530 species of beautiful flowers from Turkey to China.

 

2018 - 9  Flora of the Silk Road
2021 - 9 Lycia in Lockdown