NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
A NEWSLETTER from LUCRETIA WEEMS
STORIES: Mary Delany, 1700-1782
A lifelong devotion to plants, evident in her gardens and in her spectacular embroidered clothing, led Mary Delany to create a new art form that would make a very large contribution to the botanical world. She embarked on that endeavor at the age of 72. READ MORE
ANCIENT CHESTNUT TREE
This spectacular chestnut tree lives at Croft Castle, Herefordshire England. I've been steeping myself in images of our elders in the plant kingdom as I will be presenting on Ancient Plants in 2024. It is a wondrous journey and I will post more on these amazing life forms in the coming months. For now I include a link to the wonderful Archangel Ancient Tree Archive.
GATHERING MOSS
Moss is one of the oldest surviving life forms, and the subject of Robin Wall Kimmerer's first book. Author of Braiding Sweetgrass and a true modern-day heroine, how lovely to know we have the opportunity to spend more time with her and learn about this remarkable and unique plant.
PAPER MOSAICKS
This month's photo gallery features the fabulous "Paper Mosaicks" of Mary Delany. She created over 950 of them, and they are preserved though sparingly exhibited at the British Museum. Take a look at her spectacular creations.
THIS WILD LIFE
Heroines in the History of Botany 1650-1850
The women in these pages led amazing lives. Some encountered pirates, some witnessed historic earthquakes, some received visits from the Queen.
Each was a true heroine who contributed dramatically to our knowledge of plants before the term botany even existed.
They explored, collected and propagated plants alongside men. Courage, determination and intelligence underscored their work yet their historic endeavors were too often barely acknowledged.
Hundreds of years have passed, and their names have been largely forgotten. Here are the remarkable stories of their lives and work, that we may know them and that their stature be reclaimed and celebrated anew.
