Tag Archives: kew

Welwitschia mirabilis: “the ugliest plant in creation”?

Posted on 20/08/2016 by The Garden History Blog

What a mouthful that is! Even worse when you realise it’s the Latin name of a bizarre plant ‘discovered’ by a man born in the Austrian Empire of Slovak origin, who worked for the Portuguese monarchy in one of their African … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged kew, Namibia, South Africa | Leave a comment

Lady Dorothy and Dangstein’s ‘aerial orchestra’

Posted on 16/07/2016 by The Garden History Blog

It could have been the headline in a red-top scandal-sheet: Earl’s young daughter found in ‘a compromising situation’ in the summer house. Today no-one would care, but in 1846 by being found hidden away in the garden, unchaperoned and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged chamberlain, conservatory, Dangstein, Darwin, dorothy neville, hothouse, Humphry Repton, kew, music, National Trust, pigeons, silkworm, william sawrey gilpin | Leave a comment

The further adventures of Francis Masson – the man with itchy feet

Posted on 02/07/2016 by The Garden History Blog

Last week’s post finished with Francis Masson returning to Kew in 1775 after a successful plant collecting expedition to the Cape of Good Hope. But he was clearly a man with itchy feet so the following year he was off again … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Azores, bulbs, Canada, Curtis's Botanical Magazine, Dutch, DUtch East India Compnay, Francis Masson, George III, geranium, Gladiolus, heaths, herbarium, Holland, Hortus Kewensis, houseplant, James Lee, James Smith, Joseph Banks, kew, Linnaeus, Linnean Society, Montreal, Mrs Delany, pelargonium, plant hunters, pot plants, Royal Society, South Africa, succulents, Thunberg, Willaim Aiton | 1 Comment

How Francis Masson found the world’s oldest pot plant…and a few other things

Posted on 25/06/2016 by The Garden History Blog

“The country is encompassed on all sides with very high mountains, almost perpendicular, consisting of bare rocks, without the last appearance of vegetation; and upon the whole, has a most melancholy effect on the mind.” So wrote Francis Masson … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Anders Sparrman, captain cook, cycad, Dutch, Dutch East India Company, Francis Masson, George III, Holland, Hortus Kewensis, James Lee, Joseph Banks, kew, L'Heritier, Lee & Keneddy, Linnaeus, Oldenburg, plant hunters, pot plants, Royal Society, Scotland, Scottish, South Africa, succulents, Thunberg, William Aiton | Leave a comment

Harry Higgott Thomas

Posted on 14/05/2016 by The Garden History Blog

Harry Higgott Thomas was a man you probably haven’t heard of. If he’d stuck to his first career choice – working in a bank – there’s no reason why you ever would have done. But, he changed careers, went to train … Continue reading →