The Plant Hunter | T L Mogford
Thomas Mogford’s debut historical novel is out Feb 17, and he joins us now to tell us more about the story, and how his great-uncle John influenced the theme of the novel. And pick up this week’s My Weekly which has 11 brilliant and original short stories inside, including Garden of Hope by T L Mogford.
1867
The King’s Road, Chelsea, is a sea of plant nurseries, catering to the Victorian obsession with rare and exotic flora. But each of the glossy emporiums is fuelled by the dangerous world of the plant hunters – daring adventurers sent into uncharted lands in search of untold wonders to grace England’s finest gardens.
Harry Compton, a salesman plucked from the obscurity of the nursery growing fields, is as far from a plant hunter as one could imagine.
But one small act of kindness sees him inherit a precious gift – a specimen of a fabled tree last heard of in The Travels of Marco Polo, and a map.
Seizing his chance for fame and fortune, Harry sets out to make his mark. But where there is wealth there is corruption, and soon Harry is fleeing England, rounding the Cape of Good Hope and sailing up the Yangtze alongside a young widow – both in pursuit of the plant that could transform both their lives forever.
T L Mogford reveals his 3 favourite plants, and their fascinating origins
The Plant Hunter by T L Mogford (Welbeck, HB £12.99, eBook £6.99) is available now from Amazon.
Allison Hay
I joined the "My Weekly" team thirteen years ago and, more recently, "The People's Friend". I love the variety of topics we cover both online and in the magazines. I manage the digital content for the brands, sharing features and information on the website, social media and in our digital newsletters.
