Green Gold: The Epic True Story of Victorian Plant Hunter John Jeffrey

by Gabriel Hemery

In 1850, young Scottish plant hunter John Jeffrey was despatched by an elite group of Victorian subscribers to seek highly-prized exotic trees in North America. An early letter home told of a 1,200-mile transcontinental journey by small boat and on foot.

Later, tantalising collections of seeds and plants arrived from British Columbia, Oregon and California, yet early promise soon withered. Four years after setting out, John Jeffrey, and his journals, disappeared without a trace.

Was he lost to love, violence or the Gold Rush? In this biography, Gabriel Hemery combines meticulous research with a fictional narrative in Jeffrey’s lost journals, revealing an extraordinary adventure.

Genres: Fiction

302 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 2019

About the author

Gabriel Hemery writes, lives, and breathes trees. He writes fiction and non-fiction books, while his tree photography has adorned books and international advertising campaigns. A forest scientist by training, he cofounded the Sylva Foundation to help nurture a wood culture.

NON-FICTION
THE NEW SYLVA, is a major reference work published to wide acclaim by Bloomsbury. Its 400 pages feature more than 100 tree species, accompanied by 200 stunningly beautiful pen and ink drawings.
His next work of non-fiction coming 2023 is THE FOREST GUIDE: SCOTLAND published by Bloomsbury Wildlife, with editions coming for Wales (2025) and England (2026).

FICTION
THE WOLF, THE WALNUT AND THE WOODSMAN - an epic fantasy novel.
TALL TREES SHORT STORIES Vol21
TALL TREES SHORT STORIES Vol20
GREEN GOLD is a fictional biography following the Epic True Story of Victorian Plant Hunter John Jeffrey.
His short stories have been selected for two anthologies. 'The Man Who Harvested Trees (And Gifted Life)' was selected for the Everyman's Library TREE STORIES, and 'Don't Look Back' was included in the ARBOREAL anthology published by Little Toller Books.

Reviews

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts of this book I enjoyed, and there were parts that didn't work for me at all. The story told through the expedition journals (mainly fiction) I enjoyed a lot. The inclusion of the genuine historical documents, and the fictional present day chapters, I did not. I found it made the story choppy and interrupted the flow. I honestly started to skip them so I could get back to the fictional story being told via the journals. Based on my enjoyment of that alone, I will give this one three stars. However, I think author could have done a better job of melding the fiction with the non-fiction, and doing away with the "present time" all together. 

 

 

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the middle of the 19th century, the fervour amongst the great and the good was reaching fever pitch for the plants that were yet to be discovered. A committee was formed, the Oregon Association, with the intention of sending someone out to North America where the riches pickings were available, and potentially the wealthiest return. A gardener from Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden called John Jeffery was interviewed and appointed and charged with the collection of seeds and cones and to be returned to the subscribers of the Association. He was asked to keep two journals and to send regular correspondence and packages back to the UK.

Jeffery left the UK in mid-1850 and headed northwards. After a stop in Orkney, he arrived on the North America Continent in August. He wrote to the Association saying that he had arrived and then the toughest part of his journey was about to begin as he was to travel 1200 miles across snow, mountains and harsh landscape towards the Columbia River where he could begin his great commission. Over the next four years, carefully curated packages of seeds along with notes of the plants and their locations would arrive back in Scotland for the subscribers to the Association to share amongst themselves. Apart from the odd letter though, he never kept his promise to supply the journals of his travels. Eventually, the Association, who thought they were going to get untold botanical riches from their collector were disappointed with the packages sent back. They set about dismissing him from his post. Before anyone representing the Association could find Jefferies to inform him of this decision, he had vanished off the face of the earth when travelling from San Diego across the Colorado Desert.

I have never been a huge fan of docu-dramas, so when I first realised that this was a fictionalised account of John Jeffrey my heart sunk a little. However, Hemery has worked wonders here. Relying on extensive research combined with reproductions of the correspondence between all the interested parties his has written a compelling story of what Jeffrey’s might have been in the lost journals about his travels across the very much Wild West in the search of plants for his employers. At the time of his collections, the disappointment of the Association was very evident, though they did not cover themselves in glory with the organisation of the trip, it turns out that his discoveries were more significant they realised. An unexpected good read.

[Catalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

After a rather awkward start, with the author trying to be witty and make all sort of plants references that just made me want to roll my eyes( For example: Raising his glasses, Ben rested them on the savannah of his expansive forehead) plus my own fears that the format was resembling Salmon Fishing in the Yemen too much(what with all the dairy entries, meeting minutes, letters etc); this turned out be a gorgeous read. I truly loved following John Jeffrey's adventures, all his hardships and how he surmounted all the challenges of such a monumental journey. I loved all the botanical details and in fact I've searched all the plants he collected and would have loved illustrations to go along with the text. While the format is indeed a collection of diary entries, meeting minutes, letters and the occasional "modern day" text; I felt they were well balanced: the more boring minutes were immediately followed by the rich diary entries, or letters showing the readers details and other points of view, making the text a rather full, complex one.

The half a start I've detracted is fist because the "modern day" parts of the novel annoyed me to no end: the plant references that were forced and felt unnatural; then the constant flirting between the intern and the professor, with really cringe worthy phrase/details that had nothing to do with the actually story. Therefore I totally failed to understand the reason why the authors included them. And secondly I believe some of Jeffrey thoughts were more like modern day ideas put into his mouth(for example his hate for the gold rush and its damage on the environment; his attitude regarding indigenous tribes) , than what I'd expect a person of that time to think. Plus the fact he married an indigenous girl is a bit stereotypical even if it makes for a beautiful love story.
Bottom line: it is a lovely read, that I would recommend, especially to nature lovers and to those interested in historical personalities, but not only. My only regret is that this is actually a novel and not a true account. I mean: I know many details are true, and he was indeed a real life person, but I so wished it was his true diary and not a reconstruction.

* read as a serialization on The Pigeonhole

[Lel Budge · Rating 4 out of 5]

PUBLISHERS BLURB

In 1850, young Scottish plant hunter John Jeffrey was despatched by an elite group of Victorian subscribers to seek highly-prized exotic trees in North America. An early letter home told of a 1,200-mile transcontinental journey by small boat and on foot.

Later, tantalising collections of seeds and plants arrived from British Columbia, Oregon and California, yet early promise soon withered. Four years after setting out, John Jeffrey, and his journals, disappeared without a trace.

Was he lost to love, violence or the Gold Rush? In this biography, Gabriel Hemery combines meticulous research with a fictional narrative in Jeffrey’s lost journals, revealing an extraordinary adventure



MY REVIEW

This is a slow burn of a read, something to take your time over and enjoy.

Told by using the journal (fictional) and letters to and from the explorer John Jeffrey, the author Gabriel Hemery takes you back to a time when botany explorers searched for natural plant treasures that the wealthy would flock to see, plants and seeds from distant lands.

These journals and letters were found by a woman during her internship and she realised the interest and importance of the documents and this is where the story begins, as she starts to read and piece together the life of John Jeffrey.

I loved the descriptive writing, bring the wildness of the environment to life, along with the love and tragedy that befell Mr Jeffrey. A real adventure in the written form. Marvellous.

I would like to thank the Pigeonhole, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book for free and this is my honest and unbiased review



Published by Unbound 18 April 2019

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 5 out of 5]

The golden-age of plant hunting – I kind of like that way of describing what our Victorian plant hunter does. I can imagine what plant hunters did seems quite uninteresting to the younger generations, perhaps even plenty of the older ones, but fact is without people like John Jeffrey we wouldn’t know half the things we do about the flora in regions other than our own native ones.

Travelling all over the world, in this case predominantly North America, to discover new species of plant life. Walking, climbing, documenting and taking samples. It was also common practice to draw or sketch pictures to document each new plant or animal species. In fact I would suggest looking at some of those sketches, a lot of which are in the public domain, to see how detailed they are and how much work the artists put into them.

John Jeffrey was tasked with discovering and procuring the seeds of useful trees, shrubs and flowers to enhance or suited to the climate of the Britain. Advancing the arboriculture and horticulture was seen by many private benefactors as a way to enhance the beauty of their landscapes, gardens or surroundings in general. Of course this aspect of scientific exploration opened up the doorway to examining the potential for more profitable endeavours, such as finding multi-purpose plants.

Indeed, we now consume genetically adapted food groups, which are manipulated to acclimatise and grow to withstand conditions their original DNA wouldn’t have survived or thrived in. Centuries ago the research was fuelled by the curious nature of rich patrons wanting to see exotic trees and plants in their gardens. Now research is about combating world hunger and feeding an over-populated planet.

I must say I have a new appreciation for this kind of read since reading At the Edge of the Orchard by Chevalier. I learnt so much about arboriculture, pomology and the breeding and pollination in climates foreign to certain species or seedlings.

It becomes clear that what is planned in theory by affluent men behind the closed doors of renowned societies is not the same as the practical application and reality of said plans. Given that Jeffrey was a botanist, a naturalist, a gardener sent out into the unknown frontier on the basis of often undecided terms dictated by a less than stellar communication flow of aforementioned affluent men, perhaps it isn’t a surprise that the arrangement didn’t work out as expected. The money men never felt as if he sent enough samples, his journals were never sent home as agreed or found at all, and Jeffrey was probably in way over his head. He simply disappeared whilst travelling. John Jeffrey was last seen in 1854 in San Fransisco and was thought to be heading to New Mexico.

Hemery has used old archives, letters, communication and articles on John Jeffrey and his expedition, and then filled in the blanks with a fictional narrative and story. I enjoyed the contradiction of the two sides of the coin, because it’s a realistic representation of formal business communication and personal journals. John Jeffrey is deserving of high praise and I think his fellow colleagues and employers did and have done him a great disservice. It’s easy to be critical from the confines of a plushy office or stately home, whilst someone else is braving the harsh weather, brutal and murderous climate of the gold rush, and the dangers of the wilderness.

It’s a biographical story and it’s also historical fiction, a story with blank spaces which Hemery has filled with the fictional emotions and experiences of a man who has earned his mention in the history books of botanical exploration and achievements. A man who collected at least 400 plant specimens and the seeds of 199 species, including 35 conifer tree species. How can anyone say that he did not fulfil his designated role, because he certainly left his mark on our landscapes with his botanical achievements.
*I received a courtesy copy.*

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on historical documentation, "Green Gold" proposes a solution to a real-life mystery: what happened to Scottish botanical explorer John Jeffrey after he was last seen in San Francisco in 1854? The young man, sent to the American Northwest by the specially formed Oregon Botanical Association 4 years earlier, had recently been summarily dismissed from his post as Collector for "desertion of duty." How did such a diligent, enthusiastic young man disappoint his patrons so acutely in carrying out his seed-gathering mission?

The novel's main structure consists in an assortment of clearly identified, genuine historical documents such as letters, minutes, instructions and plant labels — these last cleverly used as signposts along Jeffrey's route to show that "J.J. was here." To bridge the gaps between these records, Hemery imagined what Jeffrey might have set down in his expedition journals and created present-day scenes recounting the fortuitous discovery of these journals by Helen, a new intern at the Boston arboretum.

Alas, these fictional sections didn't work at all for me... The style of Jeffrey's writing isn't credible as coming from the pen of a mid-19th-century Scot, and sounds nothing like his actual letters that are reproduced in this novel. The dramatic incidents that supposedly lead Jeffrey to neglect the work he was initially so eager to perform are described matter-of-factly, without any emotional depth behind them. And to top it all off, we're treated to the usual clichés about Native Americans — one of which, you've guessed it, involves a pretty Indian girl coming to our European explorer's bed. (At least she's not an Indian princess.)

As for the present-day "plot," its superficial characters and stilted dialogue are only minor annoyances when compared with its regrettable lack of complexity. We're presented with a handful of bare branches that, with a little care, could have been turned into verdant boughs. Why does the author skim over Helen's investigative work, which could have been the most fascinating part of the story? Instead, we leap from Helen finding the journals (in the very first box she opens on the very first day of her internship, how convenient) to her travelling to Scotland (for no clear purpose) to her curating a great exhibition on John Jeffrey — all in a few sketchily drawn scenes and short emails. We learn nothing about her (save that she likes exclamation marks!) or why she's so fascinated by Jeffrey.

The writing of biographical fiction is a perilous endeavour. Crafting a story around selected sources demands remarkable skill. Stitching together the real and the imagined requires a deft hand, and though many attempt it, few succeed with any kind of credit. This novel, despite its claim at "epicness," is little more than large pieces of old yet sturdy material patched with scraps of dull, threadbare cloth.

I was provided with a free electronic copy of this book through NetGalley by the publisher, Unbound, in exchange for an honest review.

[Mrsk Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Green Gold: The Epic True Story of Victorian Plant Hunter John Jeffrey by Gabriel Hemery is based on thorough research on behalf of the author. John Jeffery was a young Scotsman who was hired to travel to the “New World” to identify and collect seeds from species of trees, and other plants, as yet unknown in Great Britain. Like most of the early explorers Jeffery endured many hardships due to both weather and terrain in order to reach the west coast of North America, his assigned area for study and collection.
Hemery describes both Jeffery's trials and tribulations as well as the development of society during the mid 1800s in a newly settled, and mostly unknown wild territory. This reviewer appreciated the way Hemery described the Indigenous people with both dignity and respect, while describing their culture, life styles and habits. John Jeffery lived an amazing life of adventure and discovery.
This novel will be of especial interest to historians, botanists and geologists.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Pip · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book for history lovers. It gives a good insight into the problems faced by pioneering plant hunters alongside a very human story. It is revealing about the issues in the American West at this time; the Gold Rush and the settlers' distrust of the native Americans. I really enjoyed the contrasts between the enthusiasm and optimism of the young hero that you find in his letters and journals and the stuffy formality in the documents of the organisation that sends him off on his mission. I was less convinced by the present day sections of the novel, although I can see that this was a necessary device to frame the story. Reading about the plants that were seen and collected, made me wish I knew more about botany.

[Angela Emery · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Jeffrey, a young botanist, is engaged by the Oregon Botanical Association to make an arduous journey of thousands of miles in the early 1850s for the purpose of collecting seeds from the far western regions of Canada and America for its shareholders. Through his recently discovered journals in the present day by an intern at the Boston Arboretum and letters between members of the Association at the time of the expedition, his incredible story unfolds.

A book based partly on fact and using some genuine archival material, readers need not have a love of gardening, botany or history (although I do), to enjoy an adventure and landscape brought vividly to life by Gabriel Hemery.

Thankyou to Pigeonhole for this reading opportunity; I enjoyed it!

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book on The Pigeonhole in daily instalments and it was in fact quite the best way to read it. I felt at first that the writing was a little stilted as it began in the present day. However, as I started to read John Jeffrey’s journals I felt that the writing style rang true. I had never considered the tribulations and difficulties of botanical expeditions in Victorian times and this was very well portrayed. Gabriel Hemery has used existing letters of subscribers, Kew, John Jeffrey and eye witnesses to scaffold his fictional journals. He certainly knows his trees and has researched the Hudson Bay Company, the gold rush and the period meticulously. Well worth reading.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fictional account of the adventures of John Jeffrey, a botanist who was sent to the western part of North America in 1850 to gather specimens of the exotic plant life of the emerging continent. These specimens were sent to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Jeffrey disappeared without a trace in 1854, and this book provides a possible account of what actually occurred on his travels.
I highly enjoyed the account, and am drawn to the life of this explorer, primarily because of our sharing of the same last name, and because of my love of the pine tree that was named after him, the Jeffrey Pine.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel imaging the unknown story of Scottish botanist John Jeffery, who apparently perished whilst exploring the flora of California in the 1850s.

I must admit that initially I found some of the botanical detail a bit boring, but overall found the book to be very interesting and at times really moving.

[Juliet Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1850, John Jeffrey, a young Scottish plant hunter, was sent to find exotic trees in North America and send their seeds back to an elite group of subscribers in Scotland. Jeffery sent collections of seeds and plants and the occasional letter to Scotland, but never sent any journals (which he had promised to do). Eventually he disappeared.

Green Gold is made up of the fictionalised journals of Jeffrey, along with archive letters, labels from his plant collections and minutes from meetings to build a picture of what happened during his travels.

Helpfully the archive materials are marked as such throughout this book, so preventing annoying confusion between fact and fiction.

The fictionalised journals are engrossing and written in a believable style, bringing to life this intriguing early botanist, though some of his attitudes towards environmental concerns and indigenous peoples may be a little more modern than they would in reality have been. The archive materials tend to break the flow of the narrative a little, but add in the historical context for the journal.

As a botanist myself I was particularly interested in how such an early plant hunters trip would have been carried out and the obstacles that Jeffrey's found along the way.

I also love the fact that this book is crowd funded, given that Jeffrey's trip was funded by subscribers, who were given rewards in the form of plant seeds, an early form of crowd funding!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

While slow at times, this book ended up being a really good read.

Using a fictional journal of explorer John Jeffrey, author Gabriel Hemery brings us into a world where botany explorers searched for “green gold” - natural treasures that wealthy patrons would flock to. The inclusion of official letters and meeting minutes, which are actual contemporary records, tends to bog down the story. I also didn’t like the bouncing back between the present day and the exploration, circa 1850-1853. The real treasure here is the parts that make up Jeffrey’s journal, although it is nearly midway through before we really start to get a sense of Jeffrey’s personality and relationships. Before that it tends to focus more of scientific facts that come off as dry, though clearly well-researched and descriptive.

It isn’t until his relationship with Lily-Wokas, a Native American woman, that the story really gets interesting. The ending was just perfect.

[Maxine Anders · Rating 3 out of 5]

New from author, Gabriel Hemery, Green Gold: The Epic True Story of Victorian Plant Hunter John Jeffery is a travelogue presentation for any natural history buff. The novel follows Scottish botanist, John Jeffery, as he travels across the Atlantic in service of the Oregon Botanical Association, a UK collective of wealthy patrons and investors. What begins as a formulated presentation of letters, meeting minutes, and journal entries develops into a deeper, unexpected story. For the era, Jeffery is presented as being very conscious of the impending doom that will come with American westward expansion. While he travels across Canada and down the western shores of America, he begins to foster a deeper appreciation for the land and its people. This will change his life, and his family’s, forever.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful book! Unbelievable to be able to follow the actual steps of this Scottish explorer; going over his path towards botanic discoveries, his meeting his Indian wife . A lovely but also sad marriage. All very human and authentic. Jeffrey seems to have been a good person, a bit immature, perhaps, but he was so young when he left Scotland. I have enjoyed reading about his life!