Category Archives: Botany

Brother of the More Famous Jan

Posted on 24/02/2022 by carolinemmurray

One of the treasures of the Fairhaven Bequest at the Fitzwilliam Museum is the series of twelve flower paintings, one for each month of the year, by van Huysum. Until a few days ago, I had assumed that the artist … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Bibliography, Biography, Botany, Cambridge, Gardens, History, London, Museums and Galleries, Natural history, Printing and Publishing, The Netherlands, Uncategorized | Tagged flower paintings, Jacob van Huysum, Jan Van Huysum, John Martyn, Robert Walpole, South Sea Compnay | Leave a comment

The Nuremberg Hesperides

Posted on 05/01/2022 by carolinemmurray

This blog was going to be called ‘The Hand of Buddha’, but, as so often, one thing led to another. The inspiration was found in the Chinese herbal garden at the Hortus in Leiden, which was in good autumnal form … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Bibliography, Biography, Botany, Gardens, History, Italy, Museums and Galleries, Natural history, Printing and Publishing, Venice | Tagged Citrus fruit, Hand of Buddha, history of gardening, J.C. Volkamer, Nuremberg | 9 Comments

Dawson Turner

Posted on 29/10/2021 by carolinemmurray

I have just discovered, down the side of the metaphorical sofa, another large piece in the fascinating jigsaw of who knew whom in the Victorian artistic and scientific community. Dawson Turner (1775–1858) was a Great Yarmouth man, his father being … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Bibliography, Biography, Botany, France, History, Natural history, Printing and Publishing | Tagged botany, Brompton Cemetery, ceramics, Dawson Turner, Lewis Dillwyn, seaweed, Yarmouth | 5 Comments

Plant of the Month: September 2021

Posted on 15/09/2021 by carolinemmurray

At this time of year, the colchicums are at their best, spreading out (usually under trees) in Cambridge University Botanic Garden in an apparently effortless, though brief, display. Come to think of it, I am not sure if I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Botany, Cambridge, Gardens, History, Natural history | Tagged Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Catherine Wilson poisoner, Colchicum, taxonomy | 2 Comments

Plant of the Month: August 2021

Posted on 30/08/2021 by carolinemmurray

When I was at school, a sign that autumn (and therefore the end of the holidays) was on its way was that buddleia started flowering – i.e. the end of August to early September. These days, it seems to start … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography, Botany, Gardens, History, Natural history | Tagged Adam Buddle, autumn, buddleja, gardens, Linnaeus, Père David | 9 Comments

The Duke of Argyll’s Tea Tree

Posted on 15/05/2021 by carolinemmurray

In a recent stroll around the Systematic Beds in the Botanic Gardens, I was intrigued to spot this label:

Posted in Biography, Botany, Gardens, History, London, Natural history | Tagged Act of Union, botany, duke of Argyll, goji berry, greenhouse, Richmond, tea plant, Whitton Place | 2 Comments

Mr Kick and Mr Frankcom

Posted on 16/04/2021 by carolinemmurray

Mary Capel (1630–1715, also spelled Capell), was the daughter of Arthur Capel, first Baron Capel of Hadham, Herts. (1604–49). He was already, by inheritance, a very rich man, but by his marriage in 1627 to Elizabeth Morrison, heiress of Cassiobury, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Bibliography, Biography, Botany, Gardens, History, London, Museums and Galleries, Natural history, Printing and Publishing, The Netherlands | Tagged Badminton, botany, Daniel Frankcom, Everard Kick, flower paintings, gardens, Mary duchess of Beaufort, Restoration, Sir Hans Sloane | 3 Comments

Virtual Knowledge

Posted on 12/03/2021 by carolinemmurray

Now that The End may be in sight (touching wood, not counting my chickens, not jinxing it by booking holidays, etc. etc.), I’ve been pondering what, if anything, about life in lockdown I might actually miss. It is of course … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Bibliography, Biography, Botany, Cambridge, Gardens, History, London, Museums and Galleries, Natural history, Venice | Tagged Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Charterhouse, daffodils, Dr Twigs Way, Mrs Delany, online lecture | Leave a comment

Litter

Posted on 06/01/2021 by carolinemmurray

A couple of months ago, I became a signed-up, official Volunteer Litter-Picker for Cambridge City Council. This came about because I get furious about litter all the time, but had no idea what to do about it in any systematic … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Botany, Cambridge, Natural history | Tagged Cambridge, Detectorists, litter, Microsoft, rubbish | 13 Comments

2020 in the Research Plots

Posted on 03/01/2021 by carolinemmurray

Not all of 2020, in fact, as the Cambridge University Botanic Garden was sadly but inevitably closed between March and June … I began following a particular plant or hedge throughout the year in 2017, with varying degrees of success … Continue reading →

Posted in Botany, Cambridge, Gardens, Natural history | Tagged a year's growth, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Research Plots | 7 Comments