Making your garden grow with nature in mind.

Wilf Nicholls

Director - State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Born in London, England, Wilf Nicholls graduated with a B.Sc. (Botany) from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1972 and then a Ph.D. (Botany) from the University of British Columbia in 1984.

He spent 22 years in Vancouver; first as a graduate student, then as an entrepreneur, before his 9 years as a research scientist at UBC Botanical Garden. There, he managed the Plant Introduction Scheme and bred ‘Mandarin’ honeysuckle and ‘Starbright’ mock orange. In 1997 he moved to St John’s, Newfoundland to take up the position of Director of Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden.

Wilf has taught undergraduate classes in applied biology and plant biology, established an ornamental R&D program called Plant Atlantic and joined a team to investigate the potential of native rose species as sources of food and medicines.

Wilf has spent considerable time in the wilds of Morocco & Spain, the western provinces and states, the Yukon, Alaska and Labrador collecting plant specimens for research projects.

Since joining the State Botanical Garden of Georgia Wilf has overseen a number of physical changes to the Visitor Center and the development of a new master plan that will guide the Garden through the next 10 years. Part of that will be the new Children’s Garden, The Mimsie Lanier Center for Native Plant Studies, a new front entrance and more.

“The program is brought to you by Cox Enterprises. Cox Conserves is the company’s national sustainability program that focuses on reducing waste and energy consumption, as well as conserving water.”