Isabella Preston

Isabella Preston, born in 1881, was a pioneering botanist and public servant who made significant contributions to the field of plant hybridization. As Canada's first female professional plant breeder, she dedicated her career to developing new varieties of plants that could thrive in the country's challenging cold climate.

Over the course of her remarkable twenty-six-year career, Preston successfully produced nearly two hundred new hardy hybrids, including lilies, lilacs, crab apples, irises, and roses. Her work not only enriched the horticultural landscape of Canada but also showcased the potential of ornamental plant breeding.

In an era when female plant breeders were a rarity, Isabella quietly defied gender biases and paved the way for future generations of women in the field. Her legacy continues to inspire new breeding programs at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa, Ontario, and beyond.