This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

The Flower of Empire

Tatiana Holway comes to us with an expertise in Victorian society
and a lighthearted appreciation for its unique characters and their
endearing personalities.  Among their memorable qualities was an ardent
appreciation for beautiful flowers and a determination to track them
down in all parts of the inhabited world, especially in sparsely
inhabited parts.  In The Flower of Empire, she takes us to
British Guiana, where, in 1837, Robert Hermann Schomburgk, in the employ
of the Royal Geographic Society, stumbled onto an eight foot wide water
lily in the jungle.  To garner the most attention possible, he named it
after the new Queen, as Victoria regia.  The author has
many illustrations to help us imagine how astonished he must have been. 
She will also take us back to the days when the horticulturists who
stayed at home in Britain were just as eager to see the wonderful plant
and to dedicate years, often in competition with each other, to making
it bloom in the temperate zone. Spoiler alert:  They may or may not have
been successful, but attendees should listen carefully at the end of
the lecture to discover how their work continued at the Massachusetts
Horticultural Society.

     While light refreshments are being offered, the Mass Hort Library will display its rare 1851 book, The Royal Water-Lily, and Tatiana Holway’s The Flower of Empire may be purchased.


     The cost of the event is $10.00 for members and $15.00 for non-members.

Find out what's happening in Westboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

To Register: Click Here or Visit our website at www.masshort.org


Find out what's happening in Westboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?