Were they intrepid explorers and suppliers of beauty and scientific advancement, or imperialist plunderers and destroyers of fragile environments? The reputation of plant-hunters as brave adventurers tracking down botanical wonders has taken something of a battering in recent years. Make your own mind up about their role and continuing importance as The Gardens Trust shares some plant-hunter stories in this new five part series. Learn about the exploits of the late-18th century ‘father’ of modern plant-hunting and the adventures of a once-celebrated woman who led botanical expeditions to the Andes. Hear tales from those who’ve followed in the footsteps of famous collectors, revisiting the native habitats of exotic plants which are now staples in the British garden, and ponder on ideas about the very different role of collectors today in plant conservation and public education. This ticket is for this individual session and costs £8. Register through Eventbrite HERE. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days (and again a few hours) prior to the start of the talk, and a link to the recorded session will be sent shortly after each session and will be available for 2 weeks.
Amongst the famous plant-hunters that Britain produced the name of Dora Stafford is ignored. Yet, in the 1930s she managed a syndicate of wealthy collectors and botanical gardens to fund her expeditions to the Andes mountains, in southern Peru. Miss Stafford’s plant-hunting exploits made sensational headlines in newspapers and amazed readers in society magazines. A plant catalogue card from Highdown Gardens sparked a three-year investigation by the speaker into related archival materials: letters, newspapers and 90-year-old pressed flowers. Each piece contributing to a larger historical jigsaw of the remarkable Miss Stafford. Discover her other surprising horticultural/botanical links with Enfield, Kew Gardens and the alpaca trade from Arequipa in Peru. This is a work in progress.
After 20 years working in museum exhibitions, Hamish MacGillivray became a curatorial freelancer evolving into a story hunter. He now helps volunteer groups in south-east England discover hidden stories in archives or museum stores. He became fascinated exploring links between horticulture, botany and social history when working at Great Dixter House and Gardens and later for the National Trust (Chartwell), Highdown Gardens and Cranleigh Heritage Trust.
For more information, please visit https://www.acmemuseumservices.co.uk/about/
