Dr Steve Furness B.Sc. (Hons.), Ph.D.
Passionately interested in flowers from childhood, Dr
Furness has spent all his adult life growing plants and teaching people
about them. Educated at Sheffield University, he studied botany for his
degree and botanical ecology for MSc and PhD. Subsequently he worked for the
University and the Unit of Comparative Plant Ecology (NERC) in various roles
including demonstrator, tutor, post-doctoral research assistant and
lecturer. Living in the midst of the Peak District, he also runs a specialist
nursery growing one of the largest selections of alpine plants in Europe.
His self built garden is one of the few in the National Park in the Good
Gardens Guide and attracts visitors from all over the world. He is author of
many articles and papers on botanical science, natural history, gardening
and photography. He lectures widely and has appeared on TV in Britain and
USA. He has taught for Sheffield University and the Peak District National
Park Authority and also runs professional training courses and specialist
holidays for a wide variety of groups including specialist magazines, local
authorities, tourists and foreign university groups.