Thomas Moore

Today is the anniversary of the death of the gardener, naturalist, and Chelsea Physic Garden curator Thomas Moore.

Before Moore worked at Chelsea Physic Garden @ChelsPhysicGdn, he spent four years at Fraser’s Lea Bridge Nurseries, Leyton from 1839-1842.
Moore wrote several books on horticulture - many reflected his lifelong passion for ferns. In 1848, the year he started at Chelsea Physic Garden, he wrote the 'Handbook of British Ferns.’ His maniacal focus on ferns led to the creation of a Fernery in the garden and inspired the Victorian Fern craze or "Pteridomania". Twelve years after his first book on ferns, his love was still going strong and he wrote British Ferns and Their Allies in 1869.
Thomas is remembered for these wonderful quips like:

“The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden,” or “Garden as though you will live forever.”

My favorite Thomas Moore quote is about rosemary. He wrote,

“As for rosemary, I let it run all over my garden walls...because it is the herb sacred to remembrance and to friendship.”