The son of a fruit-grower, Herbert was born in Diamond Creek, Victoria in 1898; was educated at Malvern State School and the Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, then matriculated to the University of Melbourne, from which he obtained a BSc in Biology in 1918 and a MSc in Botany in 1920.
He was a nephew of Melbourne art collector and philanthropist John Henry Connell, who helped fund his education.
He lectured on horticulture for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, judged garden competitions, and wrote for the Sunday Mail.
During World War II he helped select sites for research into chemical warfare, and co-wrote a survival manual for the Royal Australian Air Force entitled Friendly Fruits and Vegetables.
One of his sons, John Desmond, was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, and a minister in Frank Nicklin's Country Party government.