The Hunter

We visited Dawyck Botanic Garden near Peebles today. The sun shone and the colour in the trees was glorious.

This wooden statue is a memorial to David Douglas, a plant hunter who made several trips to the west coast of the US and introduced - amongst many others -  sitka spruce, ponderosa pine and Douglas fir, lupin, Californian poppy and penstemon to the UK.

His died, aged 35, in Hawaii.  He apparently fell into a pit and was killed by a wild cow which fell into the same trap. What a sad end to an interesting and adventurous life.