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Tom Mitchell put in 14 miserable years selling junk bonds to pension companies before he bailed out of banking ("I did my bit for the recession," he recalls cheerily). Sadly, his exit wasn't so much a golden parachute as a leadweighted nosedive. Diagnosed as clinically depressed, he had to spend some time in "a loonybin for people with health insurance", as he puts it, to get back on his feet. Once Tom had semi-recovered, his former employer put him, auspiciously enough, on gardening leave. For a long-time gardener and plant geek, this was just what he needed and, five years later, he is chief plant hunter, marketing director and pot washer at Evolution Plants, his new mail order nursery based near Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire.

Having studied Biology at Cambridge to PhD level, Mitchell was fascinated by plant biodiversity, and was therefore well equipped to return to his undergraduate dream of becoming a plant hunter. A specialist nursery was just the excuse he needed to support his passion for visiting far-flung corners of the world in search of plants - and his commercial background still comes in handy: "Bankers know how to borrow money," he says, archly. The website has similarities with those of other well-known contemporary plant hunters: Dan Hinkley of Heronswood nursery in Seattle, and Sue and Bleddyn Wynn-Jones of Crug Farm Plants. Idiosyncratic, erudite plant descriptions are a selling point, based on first-hand experience of collecting seed in the wild and growing the plants on site. In Tom's case, he also swaps plants with a global network of plantspeople, such as Tony Avent of Plant Delights nursery in North Carolina and the garden designer Peter Janke in Germany.

"Why is it that people think nothing of paying £20 for a bottle of wine that is gone in half an hour but suck in their cheeks at the idea of paying the same for a snowdrop that will multiply for years and you can give to your grandchildren?"

His question was treated as rhetorical by all the plantaholics present (preaching to the converted) but there were some sceptical rumblings: "A botanist running a nursery - fatal mistake," muttered someone.

However, the tour of immaculate polytunnels and display beds did not disappoint. Tom pointed out several new specimens. First was a Cissus he collected in Vietnam with Bleddyn Wynn Jones on one of his early trips. Christened 'Bloody Grape', this was not so much a reference to the colour of the fruit as a verbatim quote from BWJ trying to rein in the less-experienced Mitchell. As in: "Stop chasing after that bloody grape."

_{Foliage of Cissus 'Bloody Grape', above}

There were also a couple of choice woodland plants Tom found in Tennessee in the company of friend Aaron Floden, US botanist. This unsung hot spot for horticulturists and plant hunters had turned up Trautvetteria, a Thalictrum relative, and a plant for shady or woodland gardens. Its attractive white flowers have a veil-like transparency - the holy grail for naturalistic planting. The race must be on to get these into a Chelsea show garden in 2014.

_{Trautvetteria has attractive white flowers, above}

Growing alongside the Trautvetteria the pair also found the striking Parnassia grandifolia, which has large, bright white flowers veined green with bright orange anthers borne in profusion in October and November. The glossy, bright green leaves, reminiscent of Asarum europaeum, provide a good foil for the flowers. Both are now on sale in this country for the first time from Evolution Plants.

_{The striking flower of Parnassia grandifolia, also a Tennessee native}

Although plant breeding isn't Tom's priority, he does make an exception for hellebores, focusing on the small-flowered, daintier types rather than the more familiar hybrids derived mainly from H. orientalis. He also plans to experiment with epimediums and his beloved snowdrops.

At a time when small specialist nurseries are finding it difficult to survive, you can only admire Tom Mitchell's undaunted and entrepreneurial spirit and hope the allure of a new plant will throw down the gauntlet to adventurous British gardeners.

Evolution Plants offers free shipping on orders over £20 until Christmas. A mail order nursery, it is not open to the public, although visits by appointment can be arranged (01225 867761; evolution-plants.com).