What if learning to identify plants felt less like memorizing scientific names and more like solving a fascinating puzzle?
That’s the invitation botanical illustrator Wendy Hollender extends in a recent New York Times feature highlighting her newest book, The Album of Plant Families: An Illustrated Exploration of Nature’s Beauty and Bounty. Through breathtaking illustrations and years of careful observation, Wendy helps readers discover the remarkable connections between plants that many of us walk past every day.
Rather than relying on photographs, Wendy studies and illustrates real plant specimens, spending hours observing their flowers, leaves, stems, roots, and even their scent. Over time, she’s learned to recognize the unique characteristics that connect plants within the same family—turning every walk through a garden, meadow, or forest into an exciting botanical treasure hunt.
Did you know that broccoli, kale, radishes, and garlic mustard all belong to the same plant family? Or that onions, daffodils, and amaryllis are closely related? Even more surprising, poison ivy shares a family with pistachios, mangoes, and cashews.
It’s this sense of discovery that makes learning about plants so rewarding.
At The Ashokan Center, we believe that some of the best learning happens outdoors, where curiosity naturally takes root. Whether students are exploring our 385-acre preserve during a school field trip, families are hiking our trails, or visitors are simply taking in the beauty of the Catskills, every walk offers an opportunity to notice something new.
Wendy’s work reminds us that slowing down and truly observing the natural world can transform an ordinary hike into an unforgettable experience. The more we understand about the plants around us, the more connected we become to the landscapes we call home.
The next time you’re visiting Ashokan, take a closer look. Notice the shape of a flower, the texture of a leaf, or the arrangement of stems. You may begin to recognize patterns that reveal surprising family connections—and discover that nature has been telling a story all along.
Interested in learning more? We highly recommend reading the full New York Times article about Wendy Hollender’s work here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/28/realestate/plant-family-botanical-illustrations.html