Cynthia Fan on how plants work
2026-07-07
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.
Why Women Grow
Alice Vincent- No. of episodes
- 40
- Latest episode
- 2026-07-07
Where can you listen?
Apple Podcasts
Podtail
Google Podcasts
RSS
'These rich and intimate conversations offer new perspectives on our interactions with nature' - The FT
I’m Alice Vincent and I’ve been on a quest to understand why women go to ground when there’s so much else to do. In Why Women Grow I have inspiring conversations with designers, chefs, entrepreneurs, and writers in their gardens.
This isn’t a podcast about gardening. Sure there’s bit of that but we discuss resistance, motherhood, spirituality, saving the planet and much more. These stories made me think differently about what it is to grow, and I think they’ll do that for you, too.