“Botanica Jones: Scientist, Merchant or Thief?” is a fun and educational exhibit designed for the whole family to enjoy. It is on display through November 17.

Botanica Jones delves into the world of plant explorers. Differing from plant hunters in that they are more about discovery than acquisition, plant explorers are today’s botanists or botanical photographers and painters, but they can be anyone with a real love for nature and plants.

By definition, plant explorers ask many questions like, “What is it?” “How does it grow?” and “What does it do?” The merchant will consider the profitability of a plant’s production or trade or whether there is a possibility that it is the beginning of a new crop that can open new markets.

This exhibit allows a glimpse into the world of a wealthy Englishman’s garden, showcasing plants brought back by “Botanica Jones,” a plant explorer of the late 1800s through early 1900s. Enjoy the manor’s formal flower garden, informal shrub border, and fern and hosta glen while you view exotic specimens and discover fascinating episodes of daring and peril that real plant hunters endured. By the end of your visit, you can decide whether you have the passion to join these botanical elite.

Whether you are willing to travel to the ends of the earth to find the right subject for a photograph or painting, or if you just want to grow the plants in your own garden, the Botanica Jones exhibit at Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory is a rich source of education and fun.