[EXPAT PROFILE] The wilder side of flowers

Chris first came here in 1991 because Turkey sounded very different, an exotic alternative to Europe. “I’m a traveler, and I always like to experience new places, food, culture and natural history,” he explained, adding: “I remember seeing sea daffodils at Side and my first bee-eaters flying over the rock towers of Cappadocia; it was fabulous. I came back again in 1999 when I began working as a botanical tour leader. My first trip just happened to be to Antalya and the areas north. I never imagined I’d end up being based here; it’s mostly because of Başak. We met by chance in the Canary Islands two-and-a-half years ago and got married in September. It’s also because we can afford to buy somewhere to live in a healthy environment. The UK is going down the pan.” Asked what he likes about Turkey, he replied: “My wife! There’s also the rich flora and mountains here as well as the opportunity to discover many new places and meet hospitable people. Plus, unlike the UK these days, there are no drunken city centers; people show respect for their elders and have a good attitude towards children.”

Chris has married into a family of botanists. “Başak is both a botanist and a botanical artist and takes a mean plant photo, too,” he pointed out, adding: “Her father, Adil Güner, is a prominent and experienced botanical professor. He runs the new botanical garden in İstanbul, Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi, and has many connections with Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and Edinburgh. Başak’s sister Işik (a professional botanical artist) is preparing illustrations for a new book on Chilean flora in Edinburgh.” But what’s it like being part of a Turkish family? “A bit scary at times,” he admitted. “There are so many relatives to meet, and I can’t communicate well enough with them yet. But they’re all very welcoming, generous and friendly towards me, so that’s very reassuring.”

So what does his family think of him marrying into a Turkish family? “They’re always very supportive of me. If I’m happy, then they’re happy, although I’m sure my mom misses me. I’m sure they half expected I’d end up somewhere abroad. They all thoroughly enjoyed the wedding and meeting my other family. My brother has started to learn Turkish and has learned embarrassingly more than me so far. I’m slowly learning but fitting study in between trips abroad is tricky at times. I’m finding it challenging to pronounce many of the tongue-twisting long words, but it sounds like a nice language and I’ll get there. Başak is expecting our first child in June, and it won’t be long before he’ll embarrass me by speaking both English and Turkish very well.”

One of Chris’ many current projects is to write a book about Turkish flora with Başak. “There’s a distinct lack of accessible info on Turkish flowers,” he pointed out, adding: “It’s intended to inspire anyone with an interest in flowers. There are millions of visitors to Turkey each year, so a percentage of those must want to break out of the beach confines and discover the real Turkey.”

“Living here much of the time is a great opportunity to correct this and increase interest in the flora here to both foreigners and Turks. Besides, it’s a superb flora and deserves to be better known. We also have a trump card in Başak’s father Adil, who’s a valuable source of information,” he says.

So how much is there left to do? “We already know a lot about the area and many of the flowers, but we’ll need to pinpoint more locations. We also need to make sure we have all the photographs needed to illustrate 400 species. It will concentrate on the showiest species and is intended to inspire people to explore southwest Turkey, one of the most florally rich areas of the country. We’ll be using mainly photographs, which we’ve been compiling for the last few years. We’re both keen photographers and also hold exhibitions of work from time to time in the UK. Hopefully we’ll hold some in Turkey, too. Many of the images are on my photo Web site ‘glassfrog.’ Any paintings will be done by Başak who is a talented botanical artist.”

Chris has already co-authored a book, “The Plant Hunters,” about the men who traveled through remote and beautiful lands, often in great peril, to collect the plants that shaped Western garden design for 200 years. He’s also currently involved in writing another book, “Flowers of Asia,” which will showcase the finest flora and landscapes in Turkey, Jordan, Iran, Central Asia, northern India and western China. It should be ready by 2012.

He’s also a garden designer (he studied horticulture at Reading University) and recently started creating a Mediterranean garden at his home in Beycik. “It will probably take five years to mature; the first thing you learn about gardens is to be patient,” he highlighted, adding: “I’m going to stick with what will grow in my environment, as any good designer should. In the end there will be a fine collection of plants from other places in the world with a Mediterranean climate such as Chile, California, South Africa and southwest Australia. Mediterranean plants are typically drought resistant or drought adapted. There will be plenty of architectural succulents such as cacti, olives, herbs, palms and bulbs. It will look striking and, in season, be full of color. I’ll raise some plants from seed and cuttings and buy what’s available, too.” And are there any poisonous plants in the Antalya area? “Oleander,” he warned, adding: “It’s one of the most poisonous plants in the world, and the leaves can be deadly to people, especially young children, if eaten. The sap can also cause an allergic skin reaction. It’s planted everywhere, but I can’t stand it!”

Adventures of a botanical tour leader

Not many of us link botany with adventure, but Chris dispels that myth. So what’s so good about the job? “I get to visit some fantastic places and enjoy superb flora and fauna I couldn’t possibly afford to do otherwise,” he pointed out, adding: “I love working outside, so it suits me very well; working nine-to-five just isn’t me. So far, I’ve led botanical tours in 16 countries, with four new ones to come this year. It’s also nice when you meet up with customers from previous tours. Plus Başak and I also work together. I’ve been leading botanical tours for Greentours Natural History Holidays since 1999 and about a fifth of those have been with my girl. She’s a good botanist and her bird watching is improving, but crucially she makes a mean picnic and in Turkey of course she is the fulcrum of any tour with her language ability. She deals with hotels and drivers, asks directions when we get lost and so on.”

As with every job, there’s a downside. “Some customers can be difficult of course,” he explained, adding: “Being away from Başak is also difficult at times, but I’m used to the travelling now. Unfortunately I won’t get rich doing this job, but when you’re standing among a million flowers on a pass in eastern Turkey with the sun shining, I don’t care!”

After having led 60 tours to different places, does he have a favorite? “I like different countries for different reasons,” he replied. “But my top half dozen -- in no particular order -- would be Costa Rica, China, Greece, Chile, Sikkim and Turkey, of course. The most exciting to date has been Chile because of the amazing trekking and forests of Monkey Puzzle trees there. My first visits to Sikkim and Sichuan in 2007 were both pretty special, too. It’s hard to say which are the most beautiful places I’ve been to, but at the top of the list are Chile, China, Sikkim and some parts of Turkey. I steer clear of dangerous countries, although last year I visited Colombi, and I’m off to Socotra soon. That should be amazing as the island is considered the jewel of biodiversity in the Arabian Sea. More than a third of the 800 or so plant species there are found nowhere else.”

And is there anywhere he’d still like to go? “Tabiî ki!” he enthused. “Ladakh in northwest India, Tajikistan and maybe Peru are my current desires.”

Chris, like many of us, has led a very mobile life to date, so how does he envisage life with children? “I never like to be bored, and I’m not likely to be in the future,” he replied, adding: “Life’s been very interesting for me so far, and I think it will only get more so and give me some new perspectives. I can’t see me changing my wandering lifestyle, that’s just me, but I’ll need to consider how to get the kids into the wilds with me. I’m also open to being a part-time househusband while Başak does tours.”

For info about botanical tours with Chris visit: www.greentours.co.uk