The Wardian Case with Luke Keogh

04/12/21 • 30 min

How did the diversity of plants that we enjoy today on our dinner plates come to be cultivated across the world? Initially, valuable crops were transported by ship, but many of these specimens died in transit. Invention of the Wardian case—a glass topped plant box—was a game changer in keeping plants alive on long sea voyages. I speak with Luke Keogh, historian and author of The Wardian Case: How a simple Box Moved Plants and Changed the World to learn more about the fascinating history of this innovation.

#plants #crops #botany

#plants #crops #botany

Previous Episode

Ecosystem Restoration & Sustainable Agriculture with Pavlos Georgiadis

How do people connect with the land? What role do initiatives in sustainable agriculture and ecosystem restoration play in climate action? I explore these questions and more with Greek ethnobotanist Pavlos Georgiadis. In addition to his research in the field of ethnobotany, Pavlos is an international consultant in the areas of Resilient Development, Agriculture and Climate Policy and Biodiversity Conservation with experience across the public, private and civil society sectors in 20 countries in Europe, Asia and America. He shares some great insights into the roles that agrobiodiversity, crop varieties, and innovations in sustainable agriculture can foster resilience in foods systems.

#ethnobotany #biodiversity #agriculture

Next Episode

The Business of Botanicals with Dr. Ann Armbrecht

If you use botanical teas and dietary supplements, this episode is for you! I speak with Dr. Ann Armbrecht, director of the Sustainable Herbs Program and author of her latest book, The Business of Botanicals. We dive in to the business of herbal medicines, dietary supplements, and all of the different ways that medicinal plants enter the marketplace. We discuss how plants move from global sources to the grocery store aisle. Follow her on twitter at @AnnArmbrecht for news on upcoming webinars!

#supplement #botanical #herbal