Exploration Scrolls began with something simple: questions.
I grow plants, observe them closely, and sometimes notice things that make me want to understand more. Why does one plant behave differently from another? Why does an expression repeat — or disappear? What do the names and words attached to our plants actually mean? And when something is commonly repeated in the plant community, what evidence sits behind it?
Exploration Scrolls are where I follow those questions.
Some begin with observations from the Grove. Others begin with something I encounter in horticulture, botanical literature, plant history, or the wider plant community. From there, I look for what can actually be documented and try to separate established information from horticultural usage, observation, and interpretation.
I am not trying to have the final word.
Plants are complicated, horticultural history is not always well documented, and new information can change what we understand. When stronger evidence becomes available, I am happy to revisit and revise what I have written.
The Scrolls are also written for ordinary plant people. Scientific terminology has its place, but when I use it, I try to explain what it means in plain language. Understanding plants should not require a dictionary beside you.
Most importantly, Exploration Scrolls are an invitation to stay curious — to observe our own plants carefully, question the words we encounter, look for evidence, and remain open to learning something new.
Continue Exploring
Exploration Scrolls are an invitation to explore with me — to observe our own plants closely, ask questions, follow the evidence where it leads, and remain open to what we may discover along the way.
The Scrolls below are organized by subject. Choose a category and continue exploring with me.
— Mandy Vasquez
Owner, Variegated Greens