The Wardian Case by Luke Keogh
As Heard on The Daily Gardener Podcast:
The Wardian Case by Luke Keogh
This book came out late in 2020, and the subtitle is How a Simple Box Moved Plants and Changed the World.
When Australian Luke Keogh ("Key-oh") set out to tackle the topic of the Wardian case, he was working in Munich on an Anthropocene Exhibit and curating a piece about how goods had been moved around the globe. This led him to the Wardian Case.
Luke Keogh’s The Wardian Case is a delightful botanical adventure that reveals how a simple glass box revolutionized the world of horticulture and beyond. It’s a story of luck, innovation, and the enduring power of nature.
Imagine a time when transporting plants across oceans was difficult, with many succumbing to the harsh conditions of the journey. Enter Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward, a surgeon with a green thumb who stumbled upon a remarkable discovery.
While observing a moth pupa in a sealed glass case, he noticed that ferns and grasses had sprouted from the soil within. This accidental finding led to the creation of the Wardian case, a revolutionary invention that would forever change how plants were transported and cultivated.
Wardian Cases are a great topic.
Original Wardian Cases are getting harder and harder to find.
For all their miraculous functionality, Wardian cases are pretty simple. They essentially are wood boxes with a glass top. The box could be filled with potted plants or layered with bricks, moss, and soil, and plants could then be potted directly into the box.
Luke's book is a look back at the cases, the inventor of the Wardian case, and the man they were named for: Nathanial Bagshaw Ward.
Nathaniel's story began in 1829 when he was struggling to grow plants. A lifelong naturalist, Nathaniel lived close to the London docks, and there was a lot of air pollution, which wasn't suitable for plants or people.
One day, Nathaniel decided to create the perfect environment for a moth to grow in. He settled on using a large bottle and putting the moth pupa in it along with some plants.
As he was waiting for the moth to hatch, he realized that he had a beautiful little fern growing in the little biosphere he created, and he was suddenly struck by how well the fern had grown in that sealed environment (as opposed to his home garden). And that was the inspiration for the Wardian case, which was essentially the precursor to the terrarium.
Nathaniel experimented for years before finally creating a Wardian case that could be used on ships and long voyages, allowing explorers to bring back live specimens.
His first case went all the way to Australia.
Nathaniel waited seven months for the ship to return, and he was pleased to hear from the captain that his case was a grand success. Halfway through the journey, the plants were doing so well that they had to prune back some of the growth during the voyage. And the rest is history.
Luke’s writing is engaging and informative, and he paints a vivid picture of the case’s significance. One of the most fascinating aspects of the Wardian case is its unintended consequences.
The case facilitated the global exchange of plants and helped develop commercial nurseries and botanical gardens. However, cases also contributed to the spread of invasive species. Luke explores this double-edged sword, highlighting both the benefits and drawbacks of the invention.
The Wardian Case is a must-read for anyone interested in gardening, history, or the natural world. It’s a captivating tale of ingenuity, perseverance, and the enduring power of nature.
So, grab a cup of tea, settle into your favorite armchair, and embark on a botanical adventure with Luke as your guide.
SI HORTUM IN HORTORIA PODCASTA IN BIBLIOTEHCA HABES, NIHIL DEERIT.
