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Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · 2d

🌳Exciting news! Our own Caroline Cornish & Christina Hourigan guest edited a special issue of Plant Perspectives on Tree Cultures & Arboreal Humanities.

From Kew tree biographies to literary & cultural stories, discover how trees can inspire both research and imagination👇

@treeseeker.bsky.social

The White Horse Press @whitehorsepress.bsky.social · 5d

‘Plant Perspectives’ 2.2 is now available online – entirely #openaccess thanks to our #subscribetoopen supporters and our generous individual donors. #plantstudies @plantperspectives.bsky.social

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Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · 6d

Botanist or poet? For National Poetry Day, we discovered poetry hidden amongst the personal papers of botanists - from J. Fraser’s 1919 poem on poppies to H.M Ward’s critique’s on his mother’s poetry!
#KewLA

Close up of letter from H.M. Ward to his mother, reading: ‘July 20: I have just got the second batch of your poems. I strongly advise you to be careful, the ideas are…& poetical to a degree; but you…too apt to lose the on the metre on you…in technical construction.

Handwritten poem by J Fraser, titled ‘The Corn Poppy’ with a sentence crossed out then four stanzas reading:
“The scarlet poppy reddens daily, Amongst the cornfields blossoms gaily, Makes comely neighbours wanton palely, and dazzles all beneath the skies, But beckons me with swanting [sic] eyes.
Uh! Could I like the gliding swallow, Explore the vale and upland follows, No more in smoky dens I’d swallow, No longer breathe the air that falls Midst crowded streets and staring walls.
Then would I bid adieu to collow, And scour the…height and hollow, Un…the downs and blithely follow, along the fields where bright corn rose – The glorious flaming poppy – glows.
To-day would have no room for sorrow, No boding thoughts to gloom to-morrow, And each day after fair would borrow Another glide along the plain, to search amongst the bended grain’”

Loose papers, with handwritten poem on top of five stanzas, the second of which is crossed out then rewritten underneath. It reads:
“The transport bent by wholesome breezes, Where charming guise of landscape pleases, Brings life amend, as man can…., and genders thanks for flow’r so fair, That smile and make my errand there.
I love to see the wild bee settle, Upon the smooth and silky petal, And laugh to view its ardent mettle, When tumbling round the…flow’r, Collecting bee bread hour by hour.
The longest day draws with gloaming, And puts an end to handsome roaming; I grieve to mark its shadows coming, But more to think when day is blind, that I must leave my flow’r behind.
The corn, the poppy, bee and ether, And birds that wing on airy feather, all choose the wilds and hang together, Beneath the great and blue sky-dome, And I must visit them at home”
Signed at end: J.F., March 15th 1919

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Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · 7d

🌷New exhibition open - this was such a great experience to co-curate with @shabnambalouch.bsky.social and learn more about Persia. We have chosen to highlight the non-botanical, the cultural and social histories often tucked away in botanists' papers. 🌷

www.kew.org/kew-gardens/...

Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · 8d

We have an exciting new exhibition in our Library & Archives Reading Room: 'Persia Reimagined: From Herbarium to Heritage' takes a closer look at the social and cultural histories tucked away inside our Persian collections.
Free admission, no booking required. #KewLA

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Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · 20d

Another week, another beautiful item spotted in our Reading Room at Kew! These incredible drawings of 'submersed algae' are from Sir William Hooker's collection (safely stored within our Archives). Check out the incredible detail in each line 👇
#KewLA

A close-up of a coloured illustration of a brown algae. There is a central 'stem' with equally thick sections branching off from it.

A coloured illustration of an algae that resembles a bushel of grass. The stems are tightly packed towards the bottom of the illustration and branch outwards towards the top, much like wheat or grass.

Two partial coloured illustrations on overlaying pages. The page on the top shows an illustration at the bototm of the picture, which could be a close-up or a cross-section of an algae. Small green squares are grouped, resembling illustrations of cells, and small black circular specs are grouped together across the surface. The illustration on the page below is only partial and also shows a cross section of a beige-brown algae.

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Heather Froehlich @heatherfro.bsky.social · 23d

Call for applications: Endangered Archives Programme
eap.bl.uk/applicants

For Applicants

eap.bl.uk

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Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · 27d

As the Last Night of the Proms approaches, we'd like to introduce you to the Trumpet Tree (Cecropia peltata L.) 🎺
Native to tropical South America, its hollow branches have been used to craft musical instruments. This original painting by Marianne North captures a sloth feeding on said tree! #KewLA

An oil on paper painting of a landscape depicting Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro, with trees and shrubs in the foreground. A sloth is seen feeding on a Trumpet Tree on the left.

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ARA International @arainternational.bsky.social · Sep 8

Reflecting on our first ARA conference session, our speakers wanted to share a few words:

"Thank you very much to ARA for the opportunity to speak and to introduce the International Group to the wider sector. It was great to see so many people in the room and on a Friday afternoon at that!"

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New School of the Anthropocene @nsota.bsky.social · Sep 6

A small good thing, also beautiful.

www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/s...

“It’s a secret garden”: National Theatre turns roof into a riot of colour with dye plants

Textile artists are reshaping how the theatre makes its costumes with the aim of replacing harsh synthetic dyes

www.theguardian.com

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Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚨Come and join our team! A great opportunity to open up colonial collections and do community engagement and outreach work!

Full-time fixed term (12 months)
Salary: £32.9k - £34.5k
Closing date: 21/09/2025

Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚨With the Archives Revealed funding, an exciting opportunity has arisen to join our team as Assistant Archivist on the project. This will be a great opportunity to make our archive more accessible to new audiences. #KewLA

Closing: 21 Sept

Find out more here: careers.kew.org/vacancy/assi...

four bays in a shelving unit holding numerous bound volumes and archival boxes.

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Orkney Library & Archive @orkneylibrary.bsky.social · Aug 28

Try to imagine life in 2641. This is why archives, museums and libraries are AMAZING.

End.

A shelf of large and very old leather books

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Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · Aug 29

If you've made it this far through #ARA2025 do join us after lunch for an introduction to our International Group, what we do and hope to do, and what's coming up next for us! 🌍

ARA International @arainternational.bsky.social · Aug 29

Going live soon!

Join us for Forming International Connections at #ARA2025 Session D9 at 2:05 PM BST. Let’s talk about building a stronger global archives community. 🌍

#InternationalArchives #ARAConference

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Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · Aug 29

Congratulations are also in order for our ARA International Group's Chair Chloe for winning Record Keeper of the Year award at this year's ARA Excellence Awards! 🎉
@arainternational.bsky.social
@jcnarchives.bsky.social
www.archives.org.uk/news/ara-exc...

ARA Excellence Awards 2025 - winners announced — Archives & Records Association

ARA Excellence Awards 2025 The annual ARA Excellence awards are a chance to celebrate the best the record-keeping sector and to raise the profile of archivists, conservators and records managers ac...

www.archives.org.uk

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Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · Aug 29

Final day of #ARA2025 has started with a truly inspiring keynote "Archives for All!" from purpleSTARS, all about multi sensory approaches to heritage collections. Something we should really incorporate a lot more of where possible and seek opportunities!

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Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · Aug 28

Our team recently came across these beautiful drawings of wild flowers in Libya. They were made by Jocelyn Russell in 1940s. Her Mechanised Transport Corps was stationed in North Africa during WWII and it was during this time that she made illustrations of the plants she saw. #KewLA #Wildflowers

Media (75): A cropped section from a page of a notebook, with handwriting in lines to the left of a coloured sketch. The cropped writing reads: "Sinapsis arvensis. Charlock specimen. ..., spreading plant … with numerous form-petalled … clear yellow flowers. 6 stamens… arranged 4 long, 2 short, leaves variable, .... stem leaves at the base of ... each branch deeply ... toothed, radical leaves...much cut. Stem covered ... with stiff hairs. In damp places grows to 2 feet in height. Brassica specimen ... 🐡

Media (76): A cropped section from a page of a notebook, with a coloured illustration in the bottom left corner of a written page. The cropped text reads: "in lenth ... is water. Flowers ... closely packed clusters ... 12 together, on short pedicels. Leaves with ... stalks, and three broad, toothed leaflets. Seedpods medium, much wrinkled. Very common on gravelly desert, forming brilliant yellow patches, as it flowers most prolifically, January to March. Vetch specimen. Handsome plant growing in most places. Flowers yellowish white, medium size, with standard ... delicate deck vein... leaves with 7-9 ... of leaflets, ending... forked tendril... small, dark ... Seedpod.

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Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · Aug 28

Fed and caffeinated, ready for the afternoon sessions. Heard some very interesting perspectives on barriers to accessibility when providing an archive service and the importance of 'radical imagination' in engagement work! #ARA2025

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Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · Aug 28

A sunny start to a second day at #ARA2025 and looking forward to to sessions all around outreach, engagement, and appraisal. Have tried to attend talks on AI as well to perhaps broaden my cynical mind a bit! 🌄

A sunny sky with a few clouds photographed through a window.

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Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · Aug 27

First morning done at #ARA2025 and lots to reflect on in terms of what inclusion means, how we can challenge existing systems and practices, and how best to develop skills in the workplace 🥸

A PowerPoint slide from the Archives & Records Association. A banner across an orange tinted picture of the Clifton Suspension Bridge reads "Welcome to Archives & Records Association Conference, Bristol 2025". On either side of the slides are logos of the conference sponsors: ARA, ancestry, bruynzeel, and Historic Records.

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Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · Aug 21

For this month’s #ExploreYourArchive theme #EYAHumour, we found the 1976 journal of the ‘Gilbert and Succulent Society’ in our Kewensia ephemeral collections. Seemingly only ‘published’ once, it contains humorous poems and articles – we enjoyed this one about a cactus’s haircare routine. #KewLA

A image from a handmade journal, with a typescript poem titled ‘On the Showing of Oreocereus’. First stanza reads: “The best thing for this cactus/when he’s going to a show,/is to apply a shampoo – thus:”. Underneath is drawing of cactus hidden beneath shampoo suds and bubbles. The second stanza reads: “-From topmost spine to toe./A most refreshing feeling this-/When you have hair as long as his!”. Underneath is a second drawing of a smiling cactus, with all of its spikes standing on end. 🐡 #SciArt

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Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · Aug 19

We’re thrilled to be a recipient of the latest Archives Revealed grant to catalogue & make accessible the personal papers of individuals in our collections! 🎉

This will help us uncover the hidden voices of women, Indigenous peoples & names less commonly associated with botany 🌱

👉 ow.ly/5TTb50WI3tj

Black-and-white photograph labelled “Plate 31” showing a field camp in the Kirkia forests between Tutumi and Bushman Mine. Two vehicles are parked in a grassy clearing, with one person standing between them and supplies scattered on the ground. Sparse trees surround the scene.

Page from a historical botanical notebook featuring handwritten descriptions of plant species. The text is written in cursive.

Another page from a historical botanical notebook featuring handwritten descriptions of plant species. The text is written in cursive.

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ARA International @arainternational.bsky.social · Aug 15

Don't miss our session, "Forming International Connections," if you're attending the 2025 ARA Annual Conference! We will showcase our progress since launching, share stories from members across the globe, and invite new collaborations.

Conference details: openingdoors.eventsair.com/ara2025/

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Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · Aug 13

A great line up and interesting topic 🌍

ARA International @arainternational.bsky.social · Aug 13

Join us for a session bringing together archival leaders from Catalonia, Saxony, and the UK to discuss the challenges and benefits of regional groups in professional archive associations that operate at a national-scale.

Mon 1 Sept
14:00–15:40 BST
Online via Teams

More info: bit.ly/4fwvY2e

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Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · Aug 7

With the Palm House set for restoration in 2027, we dipped into the archives to see how our iconic glasshouse has been cared for over time. One surprising find? The coronation arches from the Mall in 1953 were considered for a past restoration!

Missed the announcement? 👉 www.kew.org/kew-gardens/...

A typed report from section titled “Section 2: Survey and Investigation of the Structural Condition”. Text on the left-hand side of the image describes the need for a structural survey of Palm House, beginning in December 1980, which “highlighted certain areas which are in a critical condition”. Two photos (of “Clerestory Pilaster Damage” and “Lantern Structure”) on the right hand side of the image. The photo is taken diagonally across the page so that sections of the lines are not within frame.

An architectural drawing showing 4 glasshouses plus surrounding gardens. The arches within the drawing are those found on the Mall during the 1953 Coronation, as noted on caption found on the back of the drawing.

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Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · Jul 30

Many friendships have been made at Kew Gardens! To celebrate #InternationalFriendshipDay here is an image of our female gardeners during WWII, sharing a hot drink together in their break from gardening duties! #KewLA

A black and white photograph of six women in traditional 1940s gardening clothing, sitting in a glasshouse, drinking from mugs.

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British History Online @bho.bsky.social · Jul 29

Two new #DigitalHistory #MedicalHistory projects:

The People's Dispensary
Case Notes from the early years of the Edinburgh Public Dispensary
www.rcpe.ac.uk/peoplesdispe...

Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries
Enhancing the discoverabilityof medieval medical recipes
www.lib.cam.ac.uk/curiouscures

The People's Dispensary

www.rcpe.ac.uk

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Kew Gardens @rbgkew.bsky.social · Jul 26

At this time of the year sometimes there is nothing better than enjoying a vanilla ice cream. This illustration from Kew's Library shows an image of Vanilla planifolia from Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen 1887 featuring pod and flowers #KewLA #Vanilla #BotanicalIllustration

Illustrated book plate showing the light yellow flowers and green leaves of Vanilla planifolia. The plant is illustrated in a diagonal sweep across the page with a seed pod shown to the right-hand side. Several cross-sections and plant parts are depicted #KewLA #Vanilla #BotanicalIllustration #SciArt

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