Middle East Botanical Consultancy
Our key role in major Saudi Arabian projects
We are proud to be using our expertise to contribute to major projects in the Middle East, and particularly Saudi Arabia.
Verdant Horticulture is partnering with Dr Shahina Ghazanfar, a leading expert in the botany of the region.
Together, we are making a difference by deploying the appropriate vegetation and growing techniques to transform the landscape of one of the most arid parts of the world.
Current work in the Arabian Peninsula
We have been involved in restoration projects in the United Arab Emirates, to survey and restore land that has been degraded over time.
We are committed to using native plants for rewilding, restoration and for landscaping.
Our focus is on trees, shrubs and annuals native to the Arabian Peninsula; the selection process relies on our botanical expertise. We also help with native plant identifications, and advise on botanical gardens and setting herbaria.
Verdant Horticulture is supporting Dr Ghazanfar in her surveying work in North West Saudi Arabia.
Dr Ghazanfar is making vegetation and floral surveys with a view to the restoration of several areas. The intense heat of the region makes this a challenging process, which in turn demands considerable expertise to deliver a successful outcome.
We are assisting in the selection of suitable native species. We will also be playing an active part in advising on the nursery facilities and irrigation, as well as the collections of seeds of native plants and the planting process.
Neom
NEOM is a large area of the North West of Saudi Arabia that has been earmarked for development.
Although often called a smart city, NEOM is more accurately described as a region that will contain cities, nature reserves, resorts, and other developments, crucially involving planting millions of plants.
Verdant Horticulture is offering our expert support. We are advising on the growing of trees that should be used, setting up of nurseries, and collection and storage of seeds needed for the project.
Our focus will be on trees native to Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula, so the selection process will rely on our botanical expertise, which Dr Ghazanfar will provide.
Dr Shahina Ghazanfar
Our collaboration with Dr Ghazanfar represents the continuation of a long-standing professional relationship.
She worked for many years alongside Phil Griffiths, the owner of Verdant Horticulture ltd. at Kew Gardens, where she is currently a Research Associate.
Dr Ghazanfar is a hugely respected expert on the botany of the Middle East, having undertaken significant studies in Oman, the UAE and other Gulf States, and Iraq, and as well as Saudi Arabia. She is the author of the seminal work, Flora of the Sultanate of Oman.
She is author of the award winning book “Plants of the Qur’an: History and Culture, and is engaged in a long-term project to deliver a book about the medicinal plants of the Middle East tracing then from antiquity to the present.
