Thread by @hobbb

#FlashHistories19 @NTPamelaSmith on how to tell the stories of the plants in National Trust gardens?

Photos of plants at one season make them unrecognizable at other seasons

Labels spoil the look of historic gardens, people visit gardens to get away from tech, and often a poor signal in countryside

Taxonomies as flash histories, names often contain histories of beliefs, uses

Then Linnaeus and his classification of plants, his names still contained those same histories (but in Latin)

Visitor surveys say people want info -- but how? Beautiful labels, but often explanations need explaining. Can make labels more attractive, almost works of art. Put plant names in cafes, shops

Birmingham, related plants to local histories, e.g. cocoa plants and Cadbury in Bournville

Fresh Eyes project, local people gave their own names to plants, the labels were put on the plants for 2 months

She worked with local people, businesses, bringing out the stories of goods sold, leaves in architectural features etc

Opportunistic creative projects telling the plant stories of places, e.g. disused Typhoo tea factory

reading between the lines of plant labels