Christopher Whitehouse is owner of Phillipskop Mountain Reserve, an area of pristine fynbos on the slopes of the Klein River Mountains near Stanford, Western Cape. The reserve is home to over 500 species of plant, including many bulbs. There is self-catering accommodation and several hiking trails into the reserve. He also offers guided walks on the property and in the local area.
Chris has had a long history with South African plants that originated with growing South African bulbs on his windowsill. He did his Ph.D. at the University of Cape Town on the genus Cliffortia (Rosaceae) before returning to the UK to work at the Royal Horticultural Society, where he was keeper of the herbarium at Wisley. During his time there he studied the genus Kniphofia in cultivation and the wild and published the complete guide to the genus. He continues to study the South African flora in the moments between welcoming guests to Phillipskop.