Famous Botanists from England

Reference
Updated October 14, 201846 items

List of notable or famous botanists from England, with bios and photos, including the top botanists born in England and even some popular botanists who immigrated to England. If you're trying to find out the names of famous English botanists then this list is the perfect resource for you. These botanists are among the most prominent in their field, and information about each well-known botanist from England is included when available.

People on this list include Beatrix Potter and James Edward Smith.

This historic botanists from England list can help answer the questions "Who are some English botanists of note?" and "Who are the most famous botanists from England?" These prominent botanists of England may or may not be currently alive, but what they all have in common is that they're all respected English botanists.

Use this list of renowned English botanists to discover some new botanists that you aren't familiar with. Don't forget to share this list by clicking one of the social media icons at the top or bottom of the page. {#nodes}
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  • Beatrix Potter

    Beatrix Potter

    Dec. at 77 (1866-1943)
    • Birthplace: Kensington, London, United Kingdom
    Beatrix Potter (, US , 28 July 1866 – 22 December 1943) was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist best known for her children's books featuring animals, such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Born into an upper-middle-class household, Potter was educated by governesses and grew up isolated from other children. She had numerous pets and spent holidays in Scotland and the Lake District, developing a love of landscape, flora, and fauna, all of which she closely observed and painted. Though Potter was typical of women of her generation in having limited opportunities for higher education, her study and watercolours of fungi led to her being widely respected in the field of mycology. In her thirties, Potter self-published the highly successful children's book The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Following this, Potter began writing and illustrating children's books full-time. In all, Potter wrote thirty books; the best known being her twenty-three children's tales. With the proceeds from the books and a legacy from an aunt, in 1905 Potter bought Hill Top Farm in Near Sawrey, a village in the Lake District which at that time was in Lancashire. Over the following decades, she purchased additional farms to preserve the unique hill country landscape. In 1913, at the age of 47, she married William Heelis, a respected local solicitor from Hawkshead. Potter was also a prize-winning breeder of Herdwick sheep and a prosperous farmer keenly interested in land preservation. She continued to write and illustrate, and to design spin-off merchandise based on her children's books for British publisher Warne, until the duties of land management and her diminishing eyesight made it difficult to continue. Potter died of pneumonia and heart disease on 22 December 1943 at her home in Near Sawrey at the age of 77, leaving almost all her property to the National Trust. She is credited with preserving much of the land that now constitutes the Lake District National Park. Potter's books continue to sell throughout the world in many languages with her stories being retold in song, film, ballet, and animation, and her life depicted in a feature film and television film.
  • Charles Abbot

    Charles Abbot

    Dec. at 56 (1761-1817)
    Charles Abbott (24 March 1761 – 8 September 1817) was a British botanist and entomologist.
  • Charles Christopher Parry

    Charles Christopher Parry

    Dec. at 66 (1823-1890)
    • Birthplace: Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
    Charles Christopher Parry (August 28, 1823 – February 20, 1890) was a British-American botanist and mountaineer.
  • Charles Howard-Bury

    Charles Howard-Bury

    Dec. at 82 (1881-1963)
    • Birthplace: United Kingdom
    Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury DSO, DL, JP (15 August 1881 – 20 September 1963) was a British soldier, explorer, botanist and Conservative politician.
  • David Bellamy
    • Birthplace: London, England
    David James Bellamy (born 18 January 1933) is an English author, broadcaster, environmental campaigner and botanist. He has lived in County Durham since 1960.
  • Dawson Turner

    Dawson Turner

    Dec. at 82 (1775-1858)
    • Birthplace: Great Yarmouth, United Kingdom
    Dawson Turner (18 October 1775 – 21 June 1858) was an English banker, botanist and antiquary.