David Douglas, Explorer and Botanist, Born at Scone, Perthshire.

David Douglas, renowned explorer and botanist, is born in Scone, Perthshire, Scotland, on June 25, 1799. He becomes one of the most important plant collectors of the 19th century, undertaking expeditions across North America, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.

He is best known for introducing the Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) to Europe—one of the most commercially significant timber species today. In addition, Douglas brought back a vast array of plants that would become staples of European gardens, including lupins, phlox, penstemon, sunflowers, Clarkia, Californian poppy, mimulus, flowering currant, rose of Sharon, and Mahonia.

His contributions transformed botanical science and horticulture in Britain, leaving a legacy still visible in gardens and forests around the world.