Seeds of Sacrifice: The Heroes of the Vavilov Institute

Behind the equestrian statue of Nikolai I near St Isaac's Cathedral is No. 4 Building of the Institute of Plant Industry

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. October 25, 2024 On this day, we turn our gaze to a dark chapter in horticultural history, one that intertwines the cruelty of war with the indomitable spirit of those who safeguard nature’s…

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Garden of Injustice: Remembering Nikolay Vavilov’s Sacrifice for Science

Vavilov. Nikolai Ivanovich (1887-1943) - Professor of Botany and Director of the Lenin All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Leningrad

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. July 9, 1941 On this day, dear readers, a most peculiar travesty of justice unfolded in the frigid chambers of a Soviet court. The esteemed Russian botanist Nikolay Vavilov—a man who dedicated his…

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