A Bowing Acquaintance with Plants

When I was a child, I often accompanied my grandfather on walks down the native wildflower trail in his garden. There he would pause, slowly bow over a plant and formally introduce us, always being sure to use the plant’s Latin name. It would be many years before I could understand the botanical names of plants, but I did fall in love with wildflowers on those walks. In her 1893 book, To Know the Wild Flowers, Mrs. William Starr Dana refers to the many benefits of being on “a bowing acquaintance with flowers.” I know just what she means, only I like the entire plant—flowering or not, and in every season. Plants have personality. And just as with people, if you take a bit of time to get to know them, you may be both surprised and delighted by what you discover. A Bowing Acquaintance With Plants is a series of black-and-white portraits in which I explore the unique characteristics that give plants their personality.