Plant Based

The science of botany flourished in the 18th century as travel became more common. Botanists were able to voyage far beyond their countries of origin to study and collect new – to them – plants from around the world. Because live plants were unlikely to survive the salty air and the lack of fresh water and light on a long ocean journey, botanists initially relied on dried plant specimens and seeds when presenting their findings. Published in 1842, Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward’s treatise, On the Growth of Plants in Closely Glazed Cases, outlines how live plants could be transported across oceans in enclosed cases. These Wardian cases changed how botanists conducted and shared their studies, and became the forerunners of modern terrariums.