“Adagio d’Amore” (Adagio from Oboe Concerto in D Minor by Alessandro Marcello), performed by Hauser and London Symphony Orchestra:
Courtesy of Iryna Palok:
Some years ago, courtesy of my daughter Samantha, an alumna of this college, I attended a seminar on early plant hunters held at Christ Church, Oxford. The magnificent architecture of Christ Church holds you spellbound, with its ancient quadrangles, the sweeping staircase that leads to the stately dining room where you share your cordon-bleu meals with the greats of this country, looking down at the diners from the portraits lining all the walls. Among the poets, writers, and philosophers, there are also thirteen Prime Ministers, including Peel and Gladstone.
The founder, Cardinal Wolsey started work on Cardinal College in 1525 and by 1528, one of his assistants wrote: “Every man thinks the like was never seen for largeness, beauty, sumptuous, curious and substantial building.” After failing to secure Henry VIII’s divorce, Cardinal Wolsey fell from grace and his work stopped. Henry VIII re-founded the college as Christ Church that unusually included the cathedral. I particularly like to visit there the ancient sarcophagus of the knight John de Nawers, who rests for eternity with his faithful companion, his dog at his feet.
The Great Tom, the gate-tower entry to the Christ Church, has a bell that chimes while students hurry along to their lectures. It is at Christ Church that Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) wrote about the dream world of Alice in Through the Looking-Glass. I write so much about Christ Church because any seminar held there becomes a much grander, more inspiring event that intensifies the whole experience. And one last thing – the locations for Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films were inspired by Christ Church hall and the Divinity School.
“Hedwig’s Theme” (from Harry Potter) by John Williams, performed by Vienna Philharmonic (courtesy of Sony Classical):
Joseph Hooker
The plant hunters seminar included the work of Joseph Hooker born in 1817. At that time there were no scientists as the word had not even been invented. By the time he died, the concept of, and the word, ‘scientist’ was well established. This was the time of enlightenment and discovery. After graduating with a degree in medicine, he enlisted as an assistant surgeon and botanist on HMS Erebus for a four-year expedition to the Antarctic. From that voyage, he came back with 1,500 preserved plant species. In 1847 he embarked on a second expedition, lasting three years, this time to India and the Himalayas of Nepal and Tibet.
He brought back a unique collection of 7000 plant species, including 25 new species of rhododendrons, then almost unknown in British gardens. After publishing his findings in Himalayan Journals, dedicated to Darwin, he was appointed the assistant director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, becoming a director in 1865. During his many expeditions, he identified more than 12,000 new plant species in his lifetime. He died at age 94 and is buried in St Anne’s Church on Kew Green, just outside the gates of Kew Gardens.
Courtesy of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew:
Joseph Hooker was by his own description, an enthusiastic amateur, who like Darwin his closest friend, could unrestrainedly pursue what he wanted when he wanted and where he wanted. There was just one problem, and that was a lack of income. He struggled financially until he became the assistant director at Kew. Over the years he developed life-long friendships with other enthusiasts living in far-flung parts of the globe, who too shared his love of plants and supplied him with many plant species. In his published journals are included his precise sketches/drawings of plants he collected and the places he visited. Joseph Hooker was called a botanical trailblazer; it was fully justified, as his passion for plants and his dedication to finding them was unsurpassed. During his expedition to the Himalayas, he found the rarest of orchids, a blue-flowering one that grows in woods of dwarf oak. The orchid mania at that time was at its highest. At one London auction, the orchids were sold complete with human skulls in which they were grown, as promised to the original owners, a tribe in Colombia.
“Den Reisende (The Traveller)” by Debbie Wiseman, performed by The National Symphony Orchestra of London:
In Whitby – the replica of Captain Cook’s ship The Endeavour and his statue
During my stay at Whitby a few years back, I visited Captain Cook’s museum as Whitby was his hometown. His home is preserved exactly as it was when he lived there, with the dining room table beautifully set and a dish of roasted chicken (not real!) served. The top floor is full of his maps, and many finds he brought back from his travels. Among them is a life-size figure of a penguin. During the Antarctic expedition, there was a pet penguin on board the ship. He was tame, ran around the sailors and shared their meals from their plates. The harbour in the town is dominated by Captain Cook’s ship, the replica of HMS Endeavour and the statue of the great explorer looking wistfully out to sea.
Courtesy of British Library:
When Captain James Cook in 1768 embarked on the Endeavour to start a four-year expedition to the Pacific islands, he had with him a wealthy naturalist philosopher Joseph Banks, a botanist. He brought with him on the voyage a retinue of nine people, including two talented draughtsmen. Only two out of the nine returned to Britain; Sydney Parkinson who painted 1332 drawings of Banks’ plants, was among those who never made it home. Well connected and wealthy, Banks was instrumental in creating Kew, and supplying it with many plant species from far away places. Joseph Banks was the product of Harrow School, Eton, and Christ Church, Oxford. When he left after graduation, he had extensive knowledge of natural history, in particular, botany.
Joseph Banks, by Sir Joshua Reynolds
His travels, enthusiastic plant collecting, and studies of the natural history of Newfoundland and Labrador, and his expedition with Captain Cook to the Pacific Ocean brought him recognition. He became the President of The Royal Society in 1777 where he remained until his death in 1820. He was knighted in 1781 in recognition of his achievements. He introduced to Britain and Europe acacia, mimosa, eucalyptus, and Banksie, a genus named after him.
The 18th century was a time of an explosion of interest in natural history and social changes. In the period between the death of Carl Linneaus and the rise of Darwin, an unknown artist of humble beginnings emerged who was to be established as the best of the botanical artists (on a par with Redoute), and the most knowledgeable natural historian, called James Sowerby. His books on flora and fauna and other studies made him greatly sought after by plant collectors and scientists.
And now to the last great plant hunt, and the worldwide famous, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London. The exquisitely presented book – ‘The Last Great Plant Hunt, the story of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank’ tells a fascinating story. The quest of the scientific team there is to preserve the seeds of all plant species. David Attenborough described this as ‘perhaps the most significant conservation initiative ever.’ In ten years more than 3.5 billion seeds from nearly 25,000 species have been collected, in partnership with 120 institutions in 54 countries. As Patron of the Foundation and Friends of The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, His Royal Highness Prince Charles wrote in the Foreword: ‘Seeds are one of Nature’s marvels; they are cunning and highly evolved to meet all manner of environmental challenge’, and later on: ‘Increasingly, seeds play a vital role, not only in ensuring the survival of the plants that expand enormous energies to produce them, but in the survival of our planet and humankind itself.’
“Myrtle” by Debbie Wiseman; Myrtle was first described by Swedish botanist Linnaeus in 1753 (courtesy of ViolinAround):
Dr. Eric Chivian, the Nobel Peace Prize winner from Harvard Medical School who specializes in biodiversity, concluded that: ‘Plants are absolutely fundamental to life; they provide us with the air we breathe, help to supply our water, the houses we live in, the food we eat and the medicines that heal us.’ It would not be possible to present here the incredible work carried out by Kew scientists in all corners of the world. By chance, a friend, Violetta Rybak once visited the Botanic Garden in Chicago, where Kew’s work is also carried out, and sent me some pictures of this beautiful place. Among the pictures of flowers, there is a sculpture of Carl Linneaus, sitting among some of the thousands of plants that he catalogued.
Courtesy of chicagobotanicgarden:
The last word has to go to Paul Smith, Kew’s Head of Seed Conservation, about the work that is carried out: ‘A quest to save biodiversity before it is too late.’
Courtesy of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew:
“Chi Mai” by Ennio Morricone (courtesy of Nikos D):
naturetails 
Beautiful post Joanna. Where would we be without the dreamers, explorers and scientists? Without curiosity, nothing is discovered or accomplished. I fear the curiosity about the good things in the world is quickly disappearing. Have a lovely day. Allan
LikeLike
Thank you, Allan, for your wonderfully thoughtful comments! Yes, dreams are essential as long as they are followed by action.
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful post. As always, I learned a great deal, and I loved your description of Christ Church. I had heard about the Millennium Seed Bank, and I think that it is a very necessary “insurance policy” to protect plants from any sort of current (or future) threat.
LikeLike
Thank you, Diana, for your beautiful comments, which are greatly appreciated. I wholly agree with your wise words, we need to think and act for the benefit of our planet’s future.
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
You always post such delightful music and wonderful videos, so your posts are such a treat. My mother would have loved this one, being so devoted to flowers. The last centuries of the 2nd Millennium must have been a wonderful time for the great explorers, with so much still to discover. I can only imagine the excitement of finding a new species of animal or plant.
A also have to say what a privilege it must be to study at a place like Oxford or Cambridge with their great histories. Thank you once again, Joanna!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Carolyn, for your wonderfully thoughtful comments! You are right about studying at Oxford and Cambridge. Apart from knowledge, one can have many doors open, which one wouldn’t see otherwise. One of my daughters is a professor at Oxford, and the other was invited to work at NASA in California after both obtained their doctorates at Cambridge.
Thank you again, Carolyn, your thoughts are much appreciated!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fascinating information, Joanna – thank you! I would love to read the book The Last Great Plant Hunt, must see how I can get hold of it. Yes, what would the world be without plants?!
LikeLike
Dear Joanna, once again I have to say that I have no words to express how fascinated I am by your wonderful article.
I enjoyed every single piece of information, as well as the beautiful images and photos, music and videos.
I found it all so inspiring.
🙏💕🙏
LikeLike
Thank you, dear Luisa, for your wonderful comments, which are greatly appreciated!
Joanna x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oops, it costs a bomb!
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Harini, for your wonderful comments! I think that the only way to save our planet is to plant as much as possible. I know that your beautiful farm has many plants, and you understand well the importance of planting.
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
Even on Amazon, Harini?
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fabulous essay. Let’s hope that the seeds of every plant species will be collected and preserved. Biodiversity is intrinsic to the natural world.
LikeLike
Yes 🙁
LikeLike
Kindle version?!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you for the lovely music & video🙏🏼🌳🌹🌳🙏🏼
LikeLike
Thank you, Neil, for your wonderful comments, which are much appreciated!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are more than welcome, Swadharma9.
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
No kindle version, Joanna, at least not in India.
LikeLike
Shame on Amazon!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
🤗 My pleasure as always my dear friend.🥰💖
LikeLike
XXX!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fascinating post! Thank you so much Joanna!
LikeLike
Thank you, Dorothy, for your beautiful comments, which are much appreciated!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Joanna, I really enjoyed your description of Christ Church, especially with the video showcasing its magnificent architecture. It was fascinating to learn about its connection to the Harry Potter films as well.
The life journey of Joseph Hooker is truly remarkable, particularly his expeditions to Antarctica, India, and the Himalayas, during which he collected over 8,500 species, including orchids. Over his lifetime, he identified more than 12,000 new plant species. Perhaps his deep and passionate association with plants contributed to his long life. Despite his extraordinary achievements, he humbly regarded himself as merely an enthusiastic amateur, though he was truly a pioneering figure in botany.
I’m delighted you visited Captain Cook’s Museum; your vivid description will surely be valuable to many of your readers and followers. Likewise, the story of Joseph Banks, a Christ Church alumnus, is captivating. His introduction of plants like acacia and eucalyptus was significant, though it’s saddening to hear that only two out of nine returned from that voyage.
Finally, the book The Last Great Plant Hunt, recounting the story of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, is indeed fascinating, conserving more than 3.5 billion seeds from nearly 25,000 species. Prince Charles’ foreword is filled with wisdom, and Dr. Eric Chivian’s concluding remarks perfectly sum it up: plants are absolutely fundamental to life.
Thank you once again, Joanna, for another interesting and informative piece on plants, enriched with relevant pictures, audios, and videos.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, dear Kaushal, for your wonderfully analytical comments, which are much appreciated! I write about these subjects a few times because of their importance, and because I have a few new readers.
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
💚🌿
LikeLike
Thank you, Filipa for your kind comment, which is much appreciated!
Joanna x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Joanna, it’s always a pleasure reading your lovely articles! They are inspiring and so well illustrated. We’ll done!
LikeLike
Thank you, Filipa, you are very kind!
Joanna x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Joanna, another amazing post, with pictures and music and so much wonderful information! We learn so much! 💌🤗💐💓
LikeLike
Thank you, Ashley, for your wonderful comments, which are much appreciated! With readers as kind as you are, it is a pleasure to write my posts!
Joanna x
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s truly my pleasure, Joanna. You’re welcome, always!
LikeLike
Thank you, Kaushal!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think one reading can do justice to this beautifully researched, painstakingly put together and lovingly written post.
Thanks, Joanna, for enriching our lives.
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Punam, for your wonderful comments, which are greatly appreciated! I love your poems written with a talented hand!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome, Joanna.
Thank you for your lovely words.
LikeLike
Thank you, Punam, and likewise!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
Joanna! What an amazing and interesting read. You add enjoyment to my day ❣️ Morag xx
LikeLike
PS my WiFi is in bad shape today so I wasn’t able to listen to your links yet.
LikeLike
Thank you, Morag, for your wonderful comments! Take your time with links. Your kind words are greatly appreciated!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are most welcome 🤗
LikeLike
Joanna another amazing post .I saw pictures and music
Thanks Anita
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Anita, for your wonderful comments, which are much appreciated!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a remarkable post, Joanna!! Well written and thoroughly researched. Hats off to your incredible work!
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Jyothi, for your wonderful comments, which are deeply appreciated!
Joanna x
LikeLike
Another of your painstaking post with remarkable descriptions, images & great videos so pleasing to the eyes & ears !Your description of the journey of Joseph Hooker regarding his expeditionto the Antatica ,India ,Himalayas(Nepal) collecting mammoth amounts of plant species was simply an absorbing tale as well the four year expedition fo Captain James Cook to the Pacific Islands !Your visit to Christ Church College, Oxford & Captain Cooks museum at Whitby was well described !Thanks Joanna for sharing !Namaste !
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Dhirendra, for your wonderfully thoughtful comments, which are greatly appreciated!
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure 🙏
LikeLike
Thank you, Dhirendra. Namaste
Joanna
LikeLiked by 1 person