David Douglas was a Scottish botanist active in the early-19th century. He was born in 1799 in Scone, Scotland and started his career as an apprentice gardener on the Earl of Mansfield's estate at Scone Palace. Douglas later moved to Vallyfield House estate, working for Sir Robert Preston before becoming under-gardener at the old Glasgow Botanic Garden. Here Douglas worked with Sir Joseph Hooker while, at the same time, studying at Glasgow University.
In 1823 Douglas moved to the Horticultural Society of London, England and began his travels. His first trips were to North America, collecting plants and introducing them to the UK. The Douglas Fir was named after him and he is reputed to have introduced over 200 new plant species to the UK.
Douglas died on the islands of Hawaii in 1834 while on another plant-hunting trip and is buried in Honolulu. There is a memorial to him in the grounds of the old church at Scone.