Celebrating the 400th anniversary of John Evelyn’s birth
2020-10-31
The father of British forestry, John Evelyn, was born 400 years ago today, on 31st October 1620 at Wotton in Surrey. Read some papers celebrating …Continue Reading
Mississippi Yaeger – a mystery solved
2017-08-03
” . . . he says the only satisfaction you can get out of a fellow of that kind is to come out here and shoot him through the navel with a Mississippi Yangur, nobody will say anything to you; or if there is an investigation it will be broughtContinue Reading
Gifting a voice beyond the grave
2017-06-22
“Seek out gaps, as these offer opportunities for creativity”, said Hilary Mantel in her BBC Reith Lecture. I recognise this as the element which drew me towards my first biographical fiction novel. I hope botanists don’t rattle their vasculums, nor prospectors clatter their pans, in protest at my own version of history when they get their hands on GREEN GOLD.Continue Reading
No science without art
2017-06-20
Botanical art has long-played a fundamentally important role in plant science. It seems fitting, given the Victorian era of my recent book GREEN GOLD, that I’m teaming up with a very talented botanical artist.Continue Reading
The Royal Society – founded 350 years ago today
2012-11-28
Three hundred and fifty years ago today, on 28th November 1660, The Royal Society was founded, following a lecture given by Christopher Wren at Gresham College in London. The ninth man listed among the 41 founding members was John Evelyn (1620-1706). Two years after it was founded, in 1664, theContinue Reading
Endure with her triumphant oaks
2012-03-03
“Surely while Britain retains her awful situation among the nations of Europe, the ‘Sylva’ of Evelyn will endure with her triumphant oaks. It was a retired philosopher who aroused the genius of the nation, and who casting a prophetic eye towards the age in which we live, has contributed toContinue Reading
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