Ecuador Brings New Possibilities
Gary continually searched internationally to discover new aromatic plants that could be distilled and shared around the world. His exploration took a unique turn when he was invited to develop a natural medicine curriculum and an agricultural program for Asuay University in Cuenca, Ecuador. Gary drove to Guayaquil on the coast to see what farming might be available there. He found a warmer climate with a year-round growing season and a wealth of yet-unidentified plants and trees with essential oil potential.
Outside the town of Chongon, Ecuador, on the edge of the jungle, Gary built a 2,300-acre farm, which now cultivates ylang ylang, lemongrass, ocotea, pala santo, and many other familiar essential oil botanicals, as well as new botanicals discovered by Gary, such as dorado azul and plectranthus oregano.
