Dr. Charles Nelson is a native of Northern Ireland. He graduated in botany (1st class honors) from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1971. After completing his doctoral research at the Australian National University, Canberra, he was appointed horticultural taxonomist in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin. His numerous publications include several beautifully illustrated, award-winning books about the history of Irish botany and gardening. Now a freelance author and editor living in Norfolk, England, Charles was Honorary Editor of Archives of natural history from 1999 until 2012 and was awarded the Founders' Medal of the Society for the History of Natural History in 2013. In February 2015 he was awarded The Royal Horticultural Society's Veitch Memorial Medal for his outstanding contribution to the advancement of the science and practice of horticulture. For his research on the history of Ireland's gardens and for raising the profile of Irish plantsmen, plantswomen, plants and gardens, in 2016 he was one of three recipients of the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland's gold Medal of Honour.
