Cynthia Fan was undertaking a pHD in plant molecular biology when her colleagues at the Edinburgh Botanics noticed how much she loved being in the greenhouses - and how she could do amazing things with a flower frog.

She’s now an artist and researcher, weaving together scientific inquiry and visual expression through one persistent question: why does a plant do that? We were delighted when Cynthia agreed not only to speak to us during a live recording at the Niwaki store in London, but also give a demonstration of her boundary-pushing floristry. Next to bearded irises and beloved twigs, Cynthia spoke to us about flowers, her family and working in a way that makes sense to you.

We loved recording with Cynthia Fan. Her book, Among Willows: Essays on Plant Form and Family, is out now, and if you enjoyed Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass I think you’ll like it. You can also see Cynthia’s work on Instagram: @_cynthiafan. Thank you to our friends at Niwaki, and to everyone who came down to Cynthia’s talk. Why Women Grow listeners can save 10% with the code: WHYWOMENGROW

If you’re new to the Why Women Grow podcast, do check out our previous episodes, including guests such as Anna Jones and Sarah Price. And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, it would mean so much if you could rate and review the podcast on whichever platform you’re listening in on, or share it with someone you think may enjoy it.

This episode was produced by Holly Fisher. The theme music is by Maria Chiara Argiro.