Kate Teltscher
@kateteltscher.bsky.social
Cultural historian and writer. Author of Palace of Palms, a Times and New Statesman Book of the Year. https://kateteltscher.com/
Lovely article on the Biodiversity Heritage Library, one of the great online resources, now sadly at risk: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
A bonanza for fans of the natural world: the digital library sharing 64m pages of scientific knowledge with everyone
The Biodiversity Heritage Library is an invaluable online archive of historic texts on species living and lost supplied by the world’s leading museums and universities. Now its future is in doubt
theguardian.com
“In his view, the medal is not a forgery. A forgery implies that there is a genuine medal. As the genuine philology medal does not exist, his medal cannot be a forgery".
The Guardian@theguardian.com · 3mo agoFrench professor accused of ‘gigantic hoax’ after inventing Nobel-style prize
'Every single bramley apple ever eaten can be traced back to the tree, which was planted from a pip by a young girl, Mary Ann Brailsford, in the early 19th century.' www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...
‘It’s a special tree’: campaign to save mother of beloved bramley apple for nation
Appeal launched to buy Nottinghamshire cottage, where tree was planted in 19th century, and turn it into heritage centre
theguardian.com
Just stumbled on this extraordinary tragicomic image. Dancing on the grave of a giant redwood, 4 July 1853. 'Upon this stump ... thirty-two persons were engaged in dancing four sets of cotillions at one time', J. M. Hutchings, Scenes of Wonder and Curiosity in California, 1862.
Only a few more days to catch the Garden Museum's wonderful Seeds of Exchange exhibition about botanical art and the plant trade in 18th-century Canton (Guangzhou) and London (closes 10 May). Check out this delightful 1790s painting of a florist on his smoking break.
Steve McQueen’s new project on the plants of Grenada: ‘I wanted to see what the Arawaks, the Caribs, the Europeans, the Africans, the migrant Chinese and Indian workers would have seen within the one constant thing which would have brought attention to their gaze, a thing of beauty’
The Guardian@theguardian.com · 4mo ago‘These flowers have witnessed horrific things’: Steve McQueen’s bountiful Grenada – in pictures
Preserved for 200 years, these watercolour illustrations used by Darwin’s mentor, John Henslow, have been featured for the first time in today’s Guardian. And they will soon be used again as teaching materials in the Garden’s new Certificate in Botany course. Find out more: https://shorturl.at/SxCej
Puzzle Binding! Tricky! These are almost as rare as hen's teeth, and we just... Had One??? And, it includes HOW Many Books? (Five from Germany c. 1601 and a blank one at last count...) #Vexierbuch #DosADos @newberrylibrary.bsky.social (Case C 823 .966)
The research guide on Environmental History that I wrote for The National Archives, UK is now live! Includes research advice and resources on colonial environments, pollution, agriculture, and animal histories. Available here: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-yo... #envhist #envhum
Researching eighteenth-century garden labour. Apparently all the work is done by charming putti!
Enjoying account of a 1784 Royal Society meeting by French geologist, Faujas de Saint-Fond. Members were 'pretty much enlivened' after a dinner with vast quantities of drink. Joseph Banks presided in a 'colossal' ugly chair at a table covered by a huge red velvet cushion ('one cannot tell why').
Great to see recent posts on 'Tree Cultures' issue of Plant Perspectives. Delighted that importance of Heather Craddock's essay is noted (and nice summary of my own!) @hcraddock.bsky.social @treeseeker.bsky.social @planthums-uk.bsky.social @whitehorsepress.bsky.social herbariumworld.wordpress.com
Herbarium World
Exploring herbaria and their importance
herbariumworld.wordpress.com
The London Mayor's Office recently announced a scheme to reintroduce storks to London. From 1890 storks formed one of the attractions of Kew Gardens:'their quaint appearance and philosophical habits make them rather in keeping with a botanical garden' (Journal of the Kew Guild, 1902).
New seminars on Instructing Colonial Natural History 🌿 We can look forward to papers by Yunting Gu, Adriana Craciun and @nulybranch.bsky.social. For more info see instructingnaturalhistory.com (more info will be added). #skystorians #museums #collecting #histsci #envhist
Come listen to this talk by Dr Heather Craddock, my brilliant former PhD student. It's next Tues Jan 27, 10-11.30 GMT.
Heather Craddock@hcraddock.bsky.social · 7mo agoI'll be talking about the Hope Botanic Gardens in Jamaica on 27th Jan, using records from the colonial archives at Kew Gardens 🌴 Signup here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/empires-pl...
#KEW in #JAMAICA by @hcraddock.bsky.social - 2nd talk in #Gardens-Trust #online seminar series #Empires, #Plants & #Gardening' Jan 27 10-11:30 GMT More info & booking: eventbrite.co.uk/e/empires-pl... @kewgardens.bsky.social @UkNatArchives
A real pleasure to talk to Ian Brown from Toronto about the vital renovation of Kew's Palm House in The Globe and Mail @rbgkew.bsky.social
The Globe and Mail@theglobeandmail.com · 7mo agoCharming open-the-flap cover of 1950 guide to Kew. The wintery scene in the Palm House transforms to summer and a view of the Pagoda when the door opens. Truly, a garden for all seasons!
This looks great! The wonderful Vinita Damodaran speaking on Tuesday, Feb 10 at 5:30 pm (GMT). www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/decolonisi...
Decolonising the Natural History Collections of Empire (in person)
Join us for the third annual Royal Historical Society / German Historical Institute Lecture in Global History given by Vinita Damodaran.
eventbrite.co.uk
An excellent resource:
Remaking Britain: South Asian Connections and Networks@remakingbritain.bsky.social · 10mo agoDelve into the rich tapestry of South Asian experiences in the UK through our 13 theme pages. Each theme offers a blend of context, timelines and stories, linking individual lives and events across generations and geographies. southasianbritain.org/themes/ @UoBArtsMatter @BL_Learning @QMULsed
If anyone needs cheering up, here are three jolly dancing gardeners. Edward Bawden's illustration from Robert Herring's wonderful Adam and Evelyn at Kew (1930).
Great thread from Sadiah Qureshi with some excellent suggestions for historical starter packs.
Sadiah Qureshi 🦈@sadiahqureshi.bsky.social · 7mo agoAs people move away from the other place, here’s a starter pack of historians from @drlindseyfitz.bsky.social, who is also worth a follow. go.bsky.app/Fpw6Tvr
Delighted to see this recent article in the @smithsonianmag.bsky.social by @donnalferguson.bsky.social on some of the research outputs for the Naming Species in the South Pacific project: www.smithsonianmag.com/history/newl... With thanks to our collaborators, @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social
Newly Digitized Records Reveal How Indigenous People Shared Their Knowledge of New Zealand's Plants With Captain Cook's Crew
Long-overlooked documents housed at London's Natural History Museum testify to the exchange of information between 18th-century European botanists and their Indigenous counterparts
smithsonianmag.com
Thank you for this lovely obituary, Andrew. John supervised my DPhil. However witty and acerbic as a reviewer, he was gentleness itself with his students. He had the gift of appearing interested in whatever you had to say. I’m very grateful for his support and cherish the memory of his wry smile.
Andrew Holgate@andrewholgate.bsky.social · 8mo agoA tribute in today’s Sunday Times to John Carey, who taught me more than I can say about books and the proper way to live… www.thetimes.com/article/34bd...
We are incredibly sad to learn of the death of John Carey, whose last three books we were proud to publish at Yale. One of our greatest literary critics, John was a strong advocate for poetry and making it accessible. He was diligent and superb at what he did, but always with a sense of fun.
What a fantastic article and brilliant idea! George Monbiot on ‘soilsmology’ and the birth of the Earth Rover Program: //www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/05/agriculture-revolution-soil-farming-earth-rover-program?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Over a pint in Oxford, we may have stumbled upon the holy grail of agriculture | George Monbiot
I knew that a revolution in our understanding of soil could change the world. Then came a eureka moment – and the birth of the Earth Rover Program, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
theguardian.com
Thrilled to see Ruthless reviewed in the FT by Linda Colley, and to be placed among the FT's books of the week too! 😊 www.ft.com/content/67c1...
Ruthless by Edmond Smith — the brutal rise of Britain’s industrial power
The historian’s splendid account sets out the ideas, inventions and relentless exploitation that drove the nation’s growth from 1660-1800
ft.com
The Chinese fan palm and cobra lily by Vishnuprasad from Henry Noltie’s Flora Indica, a masterpiece of botanical-art-historical detective work. The book accompanies a stunning exhibition at Kew Gardens. @rbgkew.bsky.social @willdalrymple.bsky.social @sathnam.bsky.social @eicathomefinn.bsky.social
The village women turned astro-ambassadors. A good news story from Ladakh: www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
‘The universe has opened up for us’: meet the astro-ambassadors who welcome stargazers to the Himalayas
A tourism initiative in India’s first dark sky reserve has brought new hope to a community as employment means they can stay close to their roots and culture
theguardian.com