author
Grace Greylock Niles
1864–1943
A Vermont-born botanist, writer, and artist, she turned long walks through New England wetlands into lively nature writing and careful orchid study. Her books blend field observation, illustration, and a strong sense of place.
1 Audiobook
Bog-trotting for orchids
by Grace Greylock Niles
About the author
Born in Pownal, Vermont, in 1864, Grace Greylock Niles became known as an American botanist, writer, and artist. She had a special interest in native orchids, and her work brought together close scientific observation with an eye for landscape and detail.
Her best-known book, Bog-Trotting for Orchids (1904), focuses on orchids of New England and was noted for its illustrations as well as its field-based approach. She also wrote The Hoosac Valley: Its Legends and Its History (1912), showing a wider interest in the history and stories of the region she knew well.
Niles died in Brattleboro, Vermont, in 1943. Remembered today for both botanical writing and regional history, she left work that still feels grounded in direct experience of the natural world.