Posts Tagged ‘Victorian Science’
June 5, 2026 Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, Anna Maria Hussey, Benington Marsh, Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, and Robert Hermann Schomburgk
Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Support The Daily Gardener Patreon Buy Me A Coffee Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community Today’s Show Notes One of my favorite garden books is A Year at Brandywine Cottage by David L. Culp. And tucked inside it is the most…
Read MoreThe Lichen Lady: Annie Lorrain Smith’s Scientific Revolution
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. October 23, 1854 Today we also celebrate the birth of the remarkable Annie Lorrain Smith, and oh my dears, what a story she has to tell us about persistence in both gardens and…
Read MoreA Naturalist in the Amazon: Henry Walter Bates and the Loneliness of Discovery
The Amazon Explorer April 14, 2020 On this day the book, A Naturalist in the Amazon: The Journals & Writings of Henry Walter Bates was published. Unlike many of his scientist friends and peers, Henry was entirely self-taught. Early in his career, Henry met the great English naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. By 1848, Henry and Alfred left…
Read MoreSir Joseph Dalton Hooker: Victorian Botanist, Explorer, and Director of Kew Gardens
“Life is short, and books are long.” December 10, 1911 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Victorian British botanist, explorer, President of the Royal Society, and director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, who died at 94. Joseph accomplished much during his long life. The botanic gardens of…
Read MoreCharles Darwin and the Landmark Release of On the Origin of Species
The Origin of Species November 24, 1859 On this day, Charles Darwin’s the Origin of Species reached bookstores. Over twenty years had passed since Charles departed on the HMS Beagle for a five-year voyage around the world. On this revelatory trip, Charles discovered the building blocks to his evolutionary theory in the fossils and diverse…
Read MoreThe Overlooked Botanist Who Shaped Darwin: Hewett Cottrell Watson
The Father of British Plant Geography Today is the anniversary of the death of the botanist and the father of British plant geography Hewett Cottrell Watson. In recognition of his significant contributions, the botanical society of the British Isles named their journal Watsonia. Beginning in 1834, Hewett was one of the first botanists to research…
Read MoreSir Joseph Dalton Hooker at 93: Celebrated Botanist Honored by King George
The World Famous Botanist The Allentown (Pennsylvania) Democrat paper reported that Joseph Hooker was 93 years old. Here’s what it said: “Sir Joseph Hooker, the world-famous botanist, received a personal note of congratulations from King George today on the occasion of his ninety-third birthday. Sir Joseph, who is still remarkably active for a man of…
Read MoreAlfred Russel Wallace: The Overlooked Father of Natural Selection
Another Theory of Natural Selection Today is the birthday of the British naturalist Alfred Wallace. Wallace developed his theory of natural selection quite independently of Charles Darwin – although he did send his theory to Darwin. Wallace’s work prompted Darwin to get serious about publishing his 20-year-old idea. In 1858, both Wallace and Darwin’s work…
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