Podcast appearances and mentions of kathy willis

Significantly reduce your stress levels, improve your ability to concentrate, and alleviate depression, using plants. Kathy Willis, professor of biodiversity at the University of Oxford, explains the dramatic impact plants have on our mental and physical health, and shares the wealth of scientific evidence from around the world that proves the power of nature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the remarkable power of flowers to the surprising health effects of touching wood or smelling lavender, Kathy Willis blends cutting-edge research with practical advice to help us tap into the healing power of the natural world.

Oxford University Professor of biodiversity Kathy Willis thinks we should have pot plants in every office. In new book Good Nature: The New Science of How Nature Improves Our Health Kathy examines how and why nature can help make us healthier.

Do you manage to get out in nature every day for just 20 minutes? Biodiversity professor Kathy Willis joins Liz on this podcast to question whether not spending enough time outdoors is making us sick. Kathy reveals the links between the amount of green space in our lives and better health, mood and longevity, and shares practical advice on how we can get more nature into our homes to reap these benefits, too. Plus, Kathy and Liz discuss whether a lack of trees may be causing certain health conditions, how plants can enhance our lives (even helping us to fight cancer!), and why you might want to swap your carpets for wooden floors in your home. Links mentioned in the episode:Purchase Good Nature by Kathy WillisPurchase A Better Second Half by Liz EarleEmail us your questions at podcast@lizearlewellbeing.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us at the RSA and discover groundbreaking insights on how direct interactions with nature - seeing, smelling, and touching - can dramatically improve physical health. Learn how cedar boosts your immune system, pine scent calms your heart rate, and even a simple spider plant can enhance your gut health.Professor Kathy Willis, a leading expert in biodiversity and former Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew, will guide you through these discoveries. Kathy's insights show us how to integrate nature into our daily lives for better health. Whether you live in the city or the countryside, you'll leave equipped with actionable strategies to harness nature's power to transform your health and well-being.Chair: Catherine Pineo is our Head of Regenerative Learning and Design at RSASpeaker: Kathy Willis is Professor of Biodiversity in the Department of Biology, Principal of St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, and author of Good Nature.#RSAnatureBecome an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA Events on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Follow the RSA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theRSAorg Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3XPiI1k Like RSA Events on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

Pour réaliser un bilan de compétences et être accompagnée par Garance&Moi : https://urlr.me/8mBzJTu peux tenter de remporter 200€ de réduction sur ton bilan de compétences grâce à Basilic.Dans cet épisode de Basilic, Jeane vous propose une sélection Feel Good. Dans un premier temps, Jeane nous présente Kathy Willis, experte en biodiversité dont les recherches révèlent les bienfaits insoupçonnés de la nature sur notre santé physique et mentale. Jeane nous plonge dans les découvertes fascinantes de Kathy Willis, soulignant l'impact apaisant de la végétalisation de nos espaces de vie, même à petite échelle. Elle nous encourage à intégrer davantage de nature dans notre quotidien, une démarche qui pourrait bien transformer notre bien-être.Kathy Willis est professeure de biodiversité à l'université d'Oxford et à l'université de Bergen. Son dernier ouvrage explore comment l'interaction avec les plantes peut améliorer notre état d'esprit. Jeane nous partage son enthousiasme pour les travaux de Kathy Willis qui démontrent que même de petites doses de nature peuvent réduire le stress et la dépression.L'épisode se poursuit avec la présentation de Willy Anti Gaspi, une initiative visant à réduire le gaspillage alimentaire. Ces initiatives permettent de limiter le gaspillage alimentaire et réaliser des économies, notamment en période d'inflation. Enfin, Jeane partage son expérience personnelle avec un bilan de compétences Garance&Moi qui l'a aidée à redéfinir ses objectifs de vie, encourageant les auditeurs à envisager des démarches similaires pour retrouver un alignement personnel et professionnel.L'ouvrage de Kathy Willis : https://bit.ly/4eAjJjNLa Fourche* : https://bit.ly/3BzQFdHWilly Anti-Gaspi : https://willyantigaspi.fr/Garance&Moi : https://bit.ly/3zLZlNJ*Lien affiliéPour réaliser un bilan de compétences et être accompagnée par Garance&Moi : https://urlr.me/8mBzJTu peux tenter de remporter 200€ de réduction sur ton bilan de compétences grâce à Basilic.

Depuis quelques années, Kathy Willis, à travers ses recherches, prouve le lien entre notre fréquentation des espaces verts et la qualité de notre santé, notre humeur et notre longévité. « Naturel » expose ces récentes découvertes scientifiques et nous fait découvrir les changements très simples que nous pouvons tous apporter dans notre quotidien. Le livre fourmille d'idées, aussi étonnantes que pratiques, sur la façon dont la nature peut améliorer la vie. Quelques exemples : saviez-vous que le cèdre accroît le nombre de cellules anti-cancéreuses dans notre système immunitaire ? Ou que toucher du bois nous rend tout de suite plus calme (plus ce bois est noueux, plus c'est efficace) ? Ou encore que le parfum des roses aide à conduire un véhicule de façon plus sereine et plus sûre ? Une seule plante posée sur son bureau peut déjà faire la différence. On en parle avec Kate Willis, professeure de biodiversité à l'université d'Oxford qui a dirigé le département scientifique des jardins botaniques Kew de Londres. Merci pour votre écoute Tendances Première, c'est également en direct tous les jours de la semaine de 10h à 11h30 sur www.rtbf.be/lapremiere Retrouvez tous les épisodes de Tendances Première sur notre plateforme Auvio.be : https://auvio.rtbf.be/emission/11090 Et si vous avez apprécié ce podcast, n'hésitez pas à nous donner des étoiles ou des commentaires, cela nous aide à le faire connaître plus largement.

New research shows touching wood is not just for good luck, it can also have a calming effect. Wood beats stroking marble or steel and is akin to petting a cat or dog. Professor Kathy Willis from the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford - and author of 'Good Nature - The new science of how nature improves our health'.

Do you ever feel a bit stressed and think that taking a walk in the woods is just the thing to calm your mind? Maybe you take a moment to listen to the birdsong around you to lift your mood during your lunch hour. Or maybe you feel a deep sensation of relaxation when you hear the sound of a gently flowing brook. Over the past decade or so new evidence on what is going on in our bodies when we interact with nature has emerged leading to some fascinating discoveries showing how forming a deeper relationship with nature can help our mental and physical health. In this episode, we catch up with Kathy Willis, professor of biodiversity at the University of Oxford to talk about her new book Good Nature: The New Science of How Nature Improves Our Health. She tells us how smelling pine trees can slow our heart rates, how keeping houseplants can make our gut microbiomes healthier and how touching wooden furniture can help us feel calmer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kathy Willis discusses with Ivan six things which should be better known. Katherine Willis CBE is Professor of Biodiversity in the department of Biology and the Principal of St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford. She is also a Crossbench Peer in the House of Lords. Previous roles include Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and a member of the UK Government's Natural Capital Committee. In 2015, Kathy was awarded the Michael Faraday Medal for public communication of science from the Royal Society. Her new book is Good Nature: The New Science of How Nature Improves Our Health. Staring out of a window onto greenery instead of a brick wall or a general urban scene. Having a vase of yellow or roses or houseplant with green-white leaves on your desk. Even if you only have 20 minutes for your walk or run, always head for the park/urban green space. Why? Because experiments show that there is a much greater reduction in our stress hormones (salivary amylase, cortisol and adrenaline) if we exercise in green space rather than on the streets. Garden without your gloves. Why? Because experiments show when we do so the environmental microbiota (good bacteria) found in biodiverse environments, including organic soils, is transferred onto our skin and into our gut. Visit the Mediterranean garden at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. Why? Because this hidden gem at Kew has a whole host of health benefits associated with it due to the smells (volatile organic compounds) given off by the mediterranean herbs lavender, rosemary, and mint. Buy a diffuser and diffuse the scents of cypress trees in your home or office. Why? Because clinical experiments and field trials are showing that when we do so, not only are stress hormones reduced, but also it can trigger a significant increase of natural killer cells in our blood. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Se acerca el Día del Libro y en Hablemos de verde somos muy fans de los libros de plantas. Así que hemos decidido dedicar un episodio a este tema. En esta ocasión nos hemos reunido Ester, Marta, Toni y Alba para hablaros sobre libros que nos inspiran. Toni quería traer más, pero no le dejamos. En la sección “La planta de la semana” la protagonista es la orquídea más popular: la Phalaenopsis (o la típica orquídea que vemos en floristerías). Libros de los que hablamos. Flora (El mundo secreto de las plantas), de la editorial DK : https://amzn.to/4aZom4M Botanicum, de Katie Scott y Kathy Willis, Editorial Impedimenta : https://amzn.to/4aJIp7S El horticultor autosuficiente - John Seymour - BLUME : https://amzn.to/3JnNcj9 La vida en el campo - John Seymour - BLUME : https://amzn.to/3JnNcj9 Plantas para curar plantas - La Fertilidad de la tierra : https://amzn.to/3vMYMBl Orchids Simplified - An Indoor Gardening Guide : https://amzn.to/3Um0G57 Guia de orquideas - Alberto Fanfani : https://amzn.to/49J2VnN El año mágico : El Libro de las tradiciones paganas : https://amzn.to/446Cx5Y Nuestros libros : Libro de la huertina de Toni : https://amzn.to/3W6xtwn Libro de Ester : https://amzn.to/3U4pnSb Libro de Nena : https://amzn.to/49GUSYj Libros de Marta : Mini Huertos : https://amzn.to/4b0c2RI Jardines y huertos verticales para espacios reducidos : https://amzn.to/3UnA2sQ El team Hablemos de Verde: Adela⁠ ⁠@huertosinthesky⁠⁠ Alba⁠ ⁠@verdopolis⁠⁠ Ester⁠ ⁠@picaronablog⁠⁠ Marta⁠ ⁠@planteaenverde⁠⁠ Mylena⁠ ⁠@huertox⁠⁠ Nena⁠ ⁠@nenaplantsflow ⁠⁠ Toni⁠ ⁠@huertinadetoni⁠⁠ Más información en⁠ ⁠hablemosdeverde.com⁠⁠ Sintonía: Alba Núñez #huerto #huertourbano #plantasdeinterior #monstera #primavera #jardinería #podcastdeplantas #podcastdehuerto --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hablemos-de-verde/message

Dr Kathy Willis is a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Washington and CSIRO Scientific Researcher on a mission to combat plastic pollution and reframe plastic as a valuable commodity rather than a throwaway item. In Kathy's second appearance on the pod, we discuss the recent good news about plastic pollution on Australian beaches, spatial and temporal trends in plastic washing up on beaches along the US Pacific Northwest, citizen science, 'biofoul' on marine debris, and community-led informal waste management programs.Useful links:Kathy on LinkedIn (here)Ocean Protect Podcast, Season 2, Episode 10 (May 2020) "CSIRO's Kathy Willis on preventing litter entering our oceans" (here)The Conversation article Local efforts have cut plastic waste on Australia's beaches by almost 30% in 6 years (here)One Earth Journal Paper Local waste management successfully reduces coastal plastic pollution (here) The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) https://coasst.org/Clear Seas https://clearseas.org/en/ABC News article Volunteers hope efforts to remove invasive northern Pacific seastar will make a difference (here)Note: During the chat, Dr Kathy mentions that 'Saahas' was the name for a waste management program in India, but meant to say 'Swachcoop'.For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

My name is Ruth Jennings and I'm back with my podcast discussing whether you ever truly 'get over' the death of a loved one. Today's guest is a fabulous lady called Kathy Willis. She is a very busy lady working for an amazing charity called CAP (Christians against poverty) as well as running a horse livery yard and being a wife and mum to three children. In this episode, Kathy took some time to tell me about her beautiful sister, Janet who died when she was only 35 years old. We get a real flavour of what an amazing person Janet was, as well as some insight into her illness, subsequent passing and the challenges of grieving the sister she adored so much.

We all get stressed from time to time, and some times are worse than others. In this episode Shannon and Janine discuss some stress-relief techniques, as well as some ideas for keeping stress levels low. Discussion topics include: • Janine's litany of things that are stressing her out right now • Shannon's husband's recent surgery and its resulting stress • How we feel stress in our bodies • Chronic vs acute stress • The terrific talk on stress relief that Janine heard from Kathy Willis of Lewis and Clark Community College • Kathy's Stay or Go stress assessment tool • The power of recognizing those things you can change and those you can't • The physiological changes in your body created by stress and relieved by breathing • Kathy's breathing-while-counting technique • The importance of hydration, healthy eating and a good night's sleep for relieving stress • Another stress reliever: Moving your body • Becoming aware of the stressors in your life and changing the way they affect you • The value of talking or writing about the things that stress you • Releasing yourself from perfectionism and being kind to yourself in order to lower your general stress levels • How keeping your stress levels low makes it easier to handle acute stressors • Recognizing that you do have a choice about things that stress you and letting that recognition relieve some of the stress Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com for links!

Today The Evidence goes green as Claudia Hammond and her panel of experts discuss plant power, how nature and the natural environment affect our mental health. Produced in collaboration with Wellcome Collection and recorded in front of a live audience in the Reading Room at Wellcome in London, the programme addresses that widely-held view, even intuition, that plants and nature directly impact on our emotional wellbeing. As always, Claudia and her panel of experts are interested in the evidence behind such beliefs, and as they reveal, proving this link scientifically, is fiendishly difficult. The evidence base is growing (especially studies which show being in nature improves your mood) and there is much emerging research which gives tantalising glimpses into exactly which elements in nature could help to produce that green feel-good factor (and which elements can actually make us feel worse). On stage at Wellcome, Tayshan Hayden-Smith, a 25 year old semi-professional footballer shares how he first put his hands in the soil after the Grenfell Tower fire in North Kensington in London five years ago, when 72 people lost their lives and left his community traumatised. Tayshan tells Claudia that nature saved him, and many others, as they planted seeds, re-claimed spaces and built new gardens in the aftermath of the tragedy. All children and young people, he says, should have access to the healing power of nature and he calls on the horticultural establishment to open its doors much wider to enable this to happen. Beth Collier too, believes that nature should be a meaningful part of everyday life for all. The connection with nature, she says, is fundamental to healing mental distress. A psychotherapist and ethnographer, Beth founded Wild in the City to encourage those who live in urban environments, especially people of colour, to re-connect with nature. Claudia's other guests are Kathy Willis, former Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, now Professor of Biodiversity at the University of Oxford and author of a soon-to-be-published book called Prescribing Nature and Birgitta Gatersleben, Professor of Environmental Psychology at the University of Surrey and a leading researcher studying the relationship between the natural environment and human wellbeing. Produced by: Fiona Hill and Maria Simons Studio Engineers: Duncan Hannant and Emma Harth (Photo: Footpath through a forest Credit: Nik Taylor/UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images)

Dr. Kathy WillisTRUTHSOCIAL: @WillisMDNEWSPAPER ARTICLES: https://www.theepochtimes.com/monkeypox-outbreak-primarily-spreading-via-sexual-contact-who-officials_4484686.html?utm_source=mr_recommendation&utm_medium=left_stickyhttps://www.theepochtimes.com/us-starts-process-to-release-vaccine-for-monkeypox-cdc_4486158.htmlSPONSORS FOR TODAY'S VIDEO►  ReAwaken America- text the word EVENTS to 40509(Message and data rates may apply. Terms/privacy: 40509-info.com)►  Kirk Elliott PHD - http://FlyoverGold.com ►  My Pillow - https://MyPillow.com/Flyover►Z-Stack - https://flyoverhealth.com Own Your Own Business As An Option To Avoid The Jab- http://FlyoverCarpet.com https://TipTopK9.com/Want to help spread the Wake Up • Speak Up • Show Up -https://shop.flyoverconservatives.com/-------------------------------------------Follow our Social Media so we can be best friends

Tonight, on the Flyover Conservatives show we are tackling the most important things going on RIGHT NOW from a Conservative Christian perspective! Tip Top K9WEBSITE: https://tiptopk9.com/Dr Kathy WillisTRUTHSOCIAL: @WillisMDNEWSPAPER ARTICLES: https://www.theepochtimes.com/monkeypox-outbreak-primarily-spreading-via-sexual-contact-who-officials_4484686.html?utm_source=mr_recommendation&utm_medium=left_stickyhttps://www.theepochtimes.com/us-starts-process-to-release-vaccine-for-monkeypox-cdc_4486158.htmlTucker CarlsonVIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVT9ETXMCf8TO WATCH ALL FLYOVER CONSERVATIVES SHOWS -https://banned.video/playlist/61e636f26959067dbbfa11bfSPONSORS FOR TODAY'S VIDEO►  ReAwaken America- text the word EVENTS to 40509(Message and data rates may apply. Terms/privacy: 40509-info.com)►  Kirk Elliott PHD - http://FlyoverGold.com ►  My Pillow - https://MyPillow.com/Flyover►Z-Stack - https://flyoverhealth.com Own Your Own Business As An Option To Avoid The Jab- http://FlyoverCarpet.com https://TipTopK9.com/Want to help spread the Wake Up • Speak Up • Show Up -https://shop.flyoverconservatives.com/-------------------------------------------Follow our Social Media so we can be best friends

Our first guest in Series Three is former Principal Keith Gull whose great affection for Teddy Hall is apparent. Keith became Principal in 2009 and handed over the reigns to Professor Kathy Willis in 2018. Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford.

Coming Soon is Series 3 of Spirit of the Hall. On the 12th April, our first guest in Series Three is former Principal Keith Gull whose great affection for Teddy Hall is apparent. Keith became Principal in 2009 and handed over the reigns to Professor Kathy Willis in 2018. We will also hear, amongst others, from Paisley Kadison, a visiting student from the States who came over when she was just 17, the British fencer Eloise Smith who competed in the Women's individual foil event at the 2000 Summer Olympics, Richard Luddington who not only gained a first but THREE blues in his five years, Lord Mark Sedwill who served as Cabinet Secretary to Teresa May and Boris Johnson, Stuart Barnes who played rugby for both Oxford and England and Vice Principal Robert Whittaker whose retirement is looming after 32 years at Teddy Hall! Make sure you subscribe to never miss an episode.

Kathy Willis has always been a strong feminist advocate in the anti-violence movement. She is Executive Director of Huronia Transition Homes (HTH), a charitable organization in Simcoe County, working to end all violence against all women. Under Kathy's leadership, HTH has grown from a single program woman's shelter to a multi-program county-wide organization. They offer a women's shelter with specialized services for women who have been sex trafficked, a sexual assault counselling and advocacy centre, a children's program for children exposed to abuse against their mothers, and most recently, a social enterprise Operation Grow (OG)

Today we celebrate an old account of Linnaeus’s floral clock. We'll also learn about the garden life of an American actor who was best known for his brilliant performances in horror films. We hear an excerpt about the color yellow in the garden - it has the power to lift our spirits. Yellow flowers are little day-brighteners. We Grow That Garden Library™, with a book about 250 years of plant history in England. And then we’ll wrap things up with the story of a tradition involving Black-Eyed Susans, or maybe they aren’t Black-Eyed Susans...   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy.   The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf.   Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org   Curated News Grasses: A Sensory Experience | chrishowellgardens.com | Chris Howell   Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and original blog posts for yourself, you're in luck. I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you’d search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events May 27, 1873 On this day, out of Pratt’s Junction, Massachusetts, there was a detailed post about how to make a floral clock. “Please tell the girls if they think country life dull... they can pass many happy hours… studying the plants about them.  I saw it stated that Linnaeus had what he termed a floral clock, and a few of the flowers forming it were given with their time of blossoming: Yellow Goat's Beard, 3 a.m.  Chicory, 4 a.m. Sow Thistle, 5 a.m. Dandelion, 6 a.m. ;  Lettuce and White Water Lily, 7 a.m.  Pimpernel, 8 a.m.  Field Marigold, 9 a.m.    May 27, 1911 Today is the birthday of the American actor Vincent Price. Known for his performances in horror films, Vincent also enjoyed gardening. He especially loved cymbidium orchids, and he had hundreds of them growing on the shady side of his California home. He also grew wildflowers, cactus, poinsettia, and geraniums in his multi-level garden. And when he walked home in the evenings after his performances, he would keep his eyes peeled for discarded plants and trees. After bringing them back to his garden, he would nurse them back to health. Vincent had many ponds, including an old bathtub that he had repurposed as a pond. He loved the bathtub pond so much that he placed it in the center of his garden. But there was another unique aspect of Vincent’s garden: a totem pole. Vincent had bought the totem pole from the estate of John Barrymore. Barrymore stole the 40-foot tall totem pole from an abandoned Alaska village. Barrymore had his crew saw the totem pole into three pieces before loading it onto Barrymore's yacht. Once he arrived at his home in California, Barrymore removed the remains of a man that were still inside the totem. Then he reassembled it and displayed it in his garden. After buying the totem from the Barrymore estate, Vincent put the totem in his garden. The carved images of a killer whale, a raven, an eagle, and a wolf watched over his garden until he donated the totem pole to the Honolulu Museum of Art in 1981. The totem pole remained safe in a climate-controlled basement for generations until a University of Alaska professor named Steve Langdon tracked it down in Hawaii sometime after the year 2000. Steve learned about the totem pole after stumbling on an old photo of Vincent Price. He was standing next to the totem pole in his garden. Langdon had an immediate reaction to the photo. He recalled, "It was totally out of place. Here's this recognizable Hollywood figure in a backyard estate with a totem pole ... that was surrounded by cactus."  By 2015, Steve was finally able to return the totem pole back to its ancestral tribe in Alaska. When Vincent Price died from Parkinson's disease and lung cancer in 1993, his family honored his wishes and scattered his ashes in the ocean along with petals from red roses. Vincent had cautioned his family not to scatter his ashes in Santa Monica Bay. He said it was too polluted. Instead, his family found a spot off of Point Dume. At the last minute, they had decided to include Vincent’s favorite gardening hat in the service. The hat was made of straw and had a heavy wooden African necklace around the brim, and so Vincent’s ashes were scattered on the water accompanied by red rose petals and his old straw hat.   Unearthed Words “I nodded, appreciating the wisdom of her words.‘Yellow is the colour of early spring,’ she said, ‘just look at your garden!’ She gestured towards the borders, which were full of primulas, crocuses, and daffodils. ‘The most cheerful of colours,’ she continued, ‘almost reflective in its nature, and it is, of course, the colour of the mind.’ ‘That’s why we surround ourselves with it!’ laughed Phyllis, ‘in the hope that its properties will rub off.’‘Nonsense dear,’ said Mrs. Darley dismissively, ‘Yellow light simply encourages us to think more positively. It lifts our spirits and raises our self-esteem in time for summer.’I immediately made a mental note to surround myself with the colour of the season and, like Phyllis, hoped that some of its properties would rub off on me. ― Carole Carlton, English Author of the Mrs. Darley series of Pagan books and owner of Mrs. Darley's Herbal, Mrs. Darley's Pagan Whispers: A Celebration of Pagan Festivals, Sacred Days, Spirituality, and Traditions of the Year   Grow That Garden Library Plants by Kathy Willis  This book came out in 2015, and the subtitle is From Roots to Riches. In this book, Kathy Willis, the director of science at Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, writes about 250 years of England’s love affair with plants. Kathy explores the fascinating history that accompanied some of the most important plant discoveries. Using a Q&A format, Kathy reveals the impact of 100 Objects, with each chapter telling a separate story - an important aspect of remarkable science, botany. This book shares some never-before-seen photos from Kew's amazing archives, and the stories underscore just how important plants really are to our existence and advancement as a species. This book is 368 pages of the important history and future of plants. You can get a copy of Plants by Kathy Willis and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $4   Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart May 27, 1873 On this day, the First Preakness Stakes ran at the Pimlico (“PIM-luh-co”) Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The Preakness Stakes is named for the colt who won the first Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico. Held on the third Saturday in May each year, the race takes place two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes. The race is also the second jewel of the Triple Crown, and it’s nicknamed "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" in reference to the blanket of flowers placed over the winner. Black-Eyed Susans are the state flower of Maryland. Although the Preakness is sometimes referred to as "the race for the black-eyed Susans," no Black-Eyed Susan is ever used. When race organizers realized that the race's timing didn’t coincide with the late summer to early fall bloom of Black-Eyed Susan, they found some yellow daisies and hand-painted the centers of the blossoms with a little dash of black lacquer to make them look like Black-Eyed Susans. The Black-Eyed Susan was designated the state flower of Maryland in 1918. The Black-Eyed Susan or Rudbeckia Hirta's history begins in North America. After the flower was brought to Europe in the 1700s, Carl Linnaeus named them to honor his old teacher and mentor Olaus Rudbeck. On July 29, 1731, Linnaeus wrote with admiration about his old professor, Rudbeck, saying: "So long as the earth shall survive and as each spring shall see it covered with flowers, the Rudbeckia will preserve your glorious name." Black-Eyed Susans are a favorite of gardeners. They bloom continuously from about mid-July until the first frost. The Black-Eyed Susan is a great pollinator plant. As a member of the daisy family, they offer that daisy shape and give the garden a warm yellow color that is perfect for ushering in autumn. All that Black-Eyed Susans require is the sun. All gardeners need to do is enjoy them and remember to cut a few to bring indoors; they are a fantastic cut flower. Black-Eyed Susans play nice in bouquets, and they also look great as a solo flower in a vase. There have been new varieties of Black-Eyed Susans introduced over the past couple of decades. In honor of the 150th anniversary of the city of Denver, the Denver Daisy was introduced in 2008. It is a cross between the Rudbeckia hirta species and the Rudbeckia prairie sun. One of my personal favorites is the Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherry brandy.' Imagine a red Black-Eyed Susan, and that's basically Cherry brandy. Simply gorgeous. Black-Eyed Susans are important to wildlife. They offer food and shelter for birds and animals; rabbits, deer, and even slugs like to eat this plant. As most of us know that the monarch and the milkweed co-evolved together, the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly and the Black-Eyed Susan did the same. The Silvery Checkerspot lays her eggs on Black-Eyed Susans, which are the food source for the little baby caterpillars after they hatch. In floriography, Black-Eyed Susans symbolize encouragement and motivation.   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Welcome to “Spirit of the Hall”, a podcast series brought to you by the alumni of St Edmund Hall, one of the University of Oxford's oldest colleges. In this episode, Olly Belcher, President of the St Edmund Hall Alumni Association, talks to the Hall's first female Principal, Professor Kathy Willis CBE. Professor Willis is a biologist, specialising in the relationship between long-term ecosystem dynamics and environmental change. She is Professor of Biodiversity at the University's Department of Zoology and heads the Oxford Long-term Ecology Group. She is also a member of the UK Government's Natural Capital Committee, advising on the 25 Year Environmental Plan. Prior to her election as Principal of The Hall, she was Director of Science at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Hear Professor Willis talk about her research career, her thoughts on an ecologically-sustainable future for the University, and the unique challenge of steering an Oxford college through a pandemic. Spirit of the Hall podcast is produced by the St Edmund Hall Association, the voluntary alumni body independent which represents all Aularians. The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Association, St Edmund Hall or the University of Oxford

Today we celebrate a Harlem poet who loved children and flowers. We'll also learn about a newspaperman who wrote a fantastic essay about a harbinger of spring: the skunk cabbage. We’ll hear some thoughts on how to start a garden. We Grow That Garden Library™ with an extraordinary book that takes us on a tour of brilliantly curated plant life. And then we’ll wrap things up with a little obscure verse about the language of trees.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy.   The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf.   Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org   Curated News Removing Deadwood Makes For Happier, Healthier Shrubs And Trees — Here’s How To Know If Branches Are Still Alive | The Chicago Tribune | Beth Botts   Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and original blog posts for yourself, you're in luck. I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you’d search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events February 1, 1902 Today is the birthday of the American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist Langston Hughes. Langston was one of the leading voices of the 1920s. He was also part of the Harlem Renaissance Cultural Movement, and for the last twenty years of his life, Langston lived on the top floor of a Brownstone on 127th Street. And when Langston lived in Harlem, everyone knew which house was his - because it was the one covered in Boston Ivy. Langston loved the look of the Ivy, and it was planted at his request. Langston was just 5 feet and 4 inches tall, and he reportedly saw the world through the wonder-filled eyes of a child. Langston's outlook no doubt helped him relate to kids, and he loved being around children. One of the most charming details I learned about Langston was the little garden that he kept near the front steps of his home. Langston called the garden "Our Block's Children's Garden," and with the neighborhood kids there to help, he filled it with nasturtiums, asters, and marigolds. And all the neighbor kids were in charge of the watering and weeding. And if you search for Langston’s garden online, you’ll find an adorable photo of Langston from 1955 - he’s surrounded by kids (one of them is holding a watering can), and they are kneeling behind a white picket fence. On the fence pickets is a round sign that says, “Our Block’s Children’s Garden,” along with the names of 26 children. As for his writing, Langston always said that Harlem was his muse. Langston’s poem, Poet to a Bigot, is still timely, and the last line will find purchase with gardeners. I have done so little For you, And you have done so little For me, That we have good reason Never to agree. I, however, Have such meager Power, Clutching at a Moment, While you control An hour. But your hour is A stone. My moment is A flower.   February 1, 1916  On this day, the American newspaper editor, essayist, short story writer, and poet, Ben Hur Lampman, moved to Portland and began working for The Oregonian. On March 2, 1942, Ben wrote an article defending a harbinger of spring, the Skunkweed or Eastern Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), that appeared in the Medford, Oregon newspaper. In this magnificent piece, Ben compares the yellow bloom of the Skunk Cabbage to a candle. “What a flower [the Skunk Cabbage] is, to be sure. When it lifts to burn coolly in the swampy wayside, there are few wayfarers who do not exclaim to see it.  There seems to be something votive about it, as perhaps there is. The reason one is sure that people care about it... is simply because they must. There is no other choice; for the elder law is that people must always care about beauty. A Skunk Cabbage [is a] kind of calla lily, and though its odor is faintly mephitic, you don't have to sniff it. It may be supposed that the farmer who tends the cattle thinks he has little use for a Skunk Cabbage if he meditates in the least on its utility - but if ever the year should come when the golden, cool candles were not kindled, the farmer would be first to remark this and worry about it. For a farmer can't plow, and a farmer can't plant until the Skunk Cabbage is up everywhere.”   Unearthed Words As with most occupations, there are different ways to approach the garden. The absolutely right way to start a garden, for instance, is to bulldoze your whole yard, then, according to a friend of mine, a brilliant (if obsessive gardener), spend some time in it naked in the middle of the night, wandering around looking for microclimates — those slightly warmer or slightly cooler pockets of air that hover over even a tiny tract of land. After that, you start measuring and marking with stakes and string the beds and borders, and enrich the soil with different things depending on what you’re going to plant where, after installing a complicated and expensive underground sprinkling system. Meanwhile, months ago, you made careful lists of new and replacement plants you needed and ordered them all from the catalogs, early enough to make sure you got what you wanted. You’ve also been germinating and grafting plants for weeks in your greenhouse or electrically heated cold frames so that everything will be ready at the right moment, gauging by the last frost date plus a few extra days to be on the safe side, to plant outside in an orderly blooming sequence. You are armed and ready for spring. Perhaps a less desirable but still reasonably effective, way to start a garden is to notice one day that the weather is sunny and fine and to think that it might be fun to plant a few things and see what happens. — Cheryl Merser, American gardener and author, A Starter Garden, How to Start a Garden   Grow That Garden Library Botanicum by Kathy Willis  This book came out in 2017, and the subtitle is Welcome to the Museum. Designed to teach students, this oversized coffee-table book offers the chance to walk through a curated guide to plant life - and the entire experience is stunning. Katie Scott of Animalium fame provides the extraordinary artwork, which you can see even on the cover of the book - which is why it has a standing spot on the coffee table in my botanical library. The author, Kathy Willis, is the director of science at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England. And so, Kathy had the perfect background to create Botanicum, which shares a worldwide collection of diverse plant life - from perennials to exotics. In addition to the artwork, Botanicum reviews botanical scientific knowledge, including cross-sections of how plants work. As a virtual museum in book form, Botanicum features more than 160 captivating exhibits. This book is 112 pages of botanical knowledge brought to life in a virtual museum - complete with cross-sections - called Botanicum. You can get a copy of Botanicum by Kathy Willis and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $21   Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart We’re in the grips of winter now, and the trees dominate the landscape. I thought I’d close today's show with a little poem about trees that I stumbled upon doing some tree research. We’re learning more and more about trees thanks to folks like the great German forester and author Peter Wollhenben and his book The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate―Discoveries from A Secret World. Anyway, this little obscure poem is from the Scottish poet Charles MacKay, and it seemed like an excellent way to end the show for this first day of February. I heard the language of the trees, In the noons of the early summer, As the leaves were moved like rippling seas  By the wind - a constant comer. It came and it went at its wanton will, And evermore loved to dally  With branch and flower, from the cope of the hill  To the warm depths of the valley. The sunlight glowed; the waters flowed; The birds their music chanted, And the words of the trees on my senses fell, By a Spirit of Beauty haunted: Said each to each, in mystic speech, The skies our branches nourish; The world is good — the world is fair, Let us enjoy and flourish! Again I heard the steadfast trees; The wintry winds were blowing; There seemed a roar as of stormy seas, And of ships to the depths down-going. And ever a moan through the woods was blown, As the branches snapped asunder, And the long boughs swung like the frantic arms  Of a crowd in affright and wonder. Heavily rattled the driving hail; And storm and flood combining, Laid bare the roots of mighty oaks  Under the shingle twining. Said tree to tree, “These tempests free  Our sap and strength shall nourish; Though the world be hard, though the world be cold, We can endure and flourish.” — Charles MacKay, Scottish poet, The Language of the Trees   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

This is the second (and final) part of our two-part chat with Kathy Willis. Part one was released last week.Links:Kathy Willis: https://research.csiro.au/marinedebris/our-team/kathy-willis/CSIRO's marine debris research program: https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/OandA/Areas/Marine-resources-and-industries/Marine-debris2017 journal article "Differentiating littering, urban runoff and marine transport as sources of marine debris in coastal and estuarine environments": ttps://www.nature.com/articles/srep444792017 article "Microplastic Distribution at Different Sediment Depths in an Urban Estuary": https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2017.00419/full2018 article "How successful are waste abatement campaigns and government policies at reducing plastic waste into the marine environment?": https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X17305171 2019 article "The Success of Water Refill Stations Reducing Single-Use Plastic Bottle Litter": https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/19/5232/pdfEunomia report "Plastics in the marine environment": https://www.eunomia.co.uk/reports-tools/plastics-in-the-marine-environment/ For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kathy Willis is a PhD candidate at the University of Tasmania and CSIRO's Marine Debris team. Her research focuses on preventing litter from the land entering the marine system. In this chat, we discuss Australian local government waste abatement policies, outreach programs and infrastructure and their effectiveness at reducing waste in the marine environment.This is a two-part conversation, with the second (and final) part released next week.Links:Kathy Willis: https://research.csiro.au/marinedebris/our-team/kathy-willis/CSIRO's marine debris research program: https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/OandA/Areas/Marine-resources-and-industries/Marine-debris2017 journal article "Differentiating littering, urban runoff and marine transport as sources of marine debris in coastal and estuarine environments": ttps://www.nature.com/articles/srep444792017 article "Microplastic Distribution at Different Sediment Depths in an Urban Estuary": https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2017.00419/full2018 article "How successful are waste abatement campaigns and government policies at reducing plastic waste into the marine environment?": https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X17305171 2019 article "The Success of Water Refill Stations Reducing Single-Use Plastic Bottle Litter": https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/19/5232/pdf For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this year's Haldane lecture, Professor Kathy Willis examines the newly emerging 'green health' scientific evidence-base. The lecture is introduced by the College President, Sir Tim Hitchens. It has long been recognized that nature, especially in cities, is more than just street furniture. It is relatively well-known that trees, shrubs and flowers can provide shade in the summer, removal of particulate matter from polluted air, and habitats for birds, insects and other city-dwelling biodiversity. Less well-known is the fact that nature can also directly influence our health. The amount of green space, the number of healthy trees and overall color of green of a neighborhood all appear to be important for physical and mental well-being. Intriguing correlations have been emerging from a number of large studies recently to suggest that these features can be associated with reduced incidences of obesity, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases and depression. But what is it about nature that leads to these improved health outcomes? Whilst many studies have demonstrated correlations between nature and health, the vast majority do not provide the underlying scientific evidence base to determine causality and this is a recognized knowledge gap. To address this, a new scientific discipline is emerging. This is one which aims to determine the physiological and psychological responses to different kinds of nature that lead to improved health outcomes. This “green health” agenda is being driven forward not by biodiversity scientists, but primarily by the medical profession and public health professionals. They recognize the huge potential of green prescriptions. This talk examines this newly emerging ‘green health’ scientific evidence-base. In particular it discusses studies that have examined physiological and psychological responses to diversity, color, shape (fractal dimension), and smells of nature. What emerges is compelling evidence for quantifiable and significant health benefits associated with certain types of biodiversity. Professor Willis, Principal at St Edmund Hall, holds a position in the departmen of Zoology as Professor of Biodiversity and Head of the Oxford Long-term Ecology group. Her research focuses on the use of fossils and modern datasets, models and innovative technologies to determine the diversity, distribution and ambudance of plants and animals across global landscapes.

Today we celebrate the botanist who created the second botanical garden in the United States and the botanist who was a dear friend to Asa Gray and was with him as he saw first hand one of the most sought after plants of the 1800s. We'll hear some words about the falling leaves and autumn senescence. We Grow That Garden Library with a book that is so gorgeous that some folks buy copies to cut out the pages to frame them. I'll talk about the three things you need to do to winterize your pressure washer, and then we'll talk about a troublesome otter in Vancouver. But first, let's catch up on a few recent events. Who doesn't want MORE Small Garden Design Ideas on a Budget? I stumbled on a great video about this very topic by Alexandra Campbell @midsizegarden, who is the brains behind the middle-sized garden. What I love about Alexandra's video is that she culls the best tips from top garden designers she's interviewed over the years. Find out how to save money and still get the garden you’ll love. The designers share tips like designing off of the house or a tree, making your boundaries look smart, and the secret benefits of using a large pot instead of buying lots of little pots. Alexandra has pulled together a handy set of clips with commentary. It's a great video. Plus, I love her voice...    Boy, did Tom Brown @headgardenertom pick some wonderful plants for November in his article for Gardens Illustrated called "Best flowers and plants for November." There are beautiful photographs of these plants and flowers from Jason Ingram in this great post from @GdnsIllustrated.  There's plenty for gardens across all different growing zones. Northern Gardeners should check out Rosa 'Geranium' and Acer griseum - they both caught my eye.     The Irish Florist, Lamber de Bie, shared a post called A Romantic Garden Wedding at Waterford Castle.  You know those breathe/calming apps? This is basically that - but with flowers. Check out @Lamber_de_Bie & @WaterfordCastle on a private Island SE of Ireland. Lamber's woodland birch arch includes blue & pink summer hydrangea & tall plumes of pampas grass. It's a unique combination, and it's just incredible.   Now, if you'd like to check out these curated articles for yourself, you're in luck - because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community.So there’s no need to take notes or track down links - the next time you're on Facebook, just search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Brevities #OTD  Today is the anniversary of the death of the botanist Humphrey Marshall who died on this day in 1801. The Marshalls were cousins to the Bartrams - their mothers were sisters. John Bartram was known as the "Father of American Botany, and he ignited Humphrey's love of native plants. John had established the country's first botanical garden. In 1773, after Marshall inherited his family estate and a sizable inheritance from his father, he created the country's second botanical garden. He incorporated natives, naturally, but also exotics. Marshall forged a friendship with the British botanist John Fothergill who paid Marshall for his plant collecting. Fothergill was a collector and a connector, introducing Marshall to many of Europe's top botanists and a growing list of customers. Marshall's contacts helped him source new plants for his botanical garden. And Twenty-five years before Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis & Clark on an expedition to the west, it was Humphrey Marshall who first made the suggestion - in 1778, 1785, and 1792. He really wanted the United States to sponsor an expedition to explore the west. A fellow friend, Quaker, and botanist, Joseph Trimble Rothrock wrote this about Marshall: "The earth abounds in beauty, all of which is open to his chastened senses. He revels in the sunlight and the breezes. The songs of the birds fall, welcome, into his ear. The colors of the flowers attract him." Marshalltown Pennsylvania was named in honor of Humphrey Marshall. In 1785, Marshall published the very first American essay on trees and shrubs. Humphrey Marshall is also known as the "Father of American Dendrology" (or the study of woody plants, trees, and shrubs). The genus, Marshallia, is named in honor of Humphrey Marshall.     #OTD  On this day in 1896, the newspaper out of Buffalo, New York, reported that the John Redfield herbarium was looking for a home. John H Redfield was born in Middletown, Connecticut, in 1815.  In 1836, Redfield became friends with Asa Gray after joining the Lyceum of Natural History in New York, where Gray was the Librarian and Superintendent. The remained life-long friends.  When Redfield married in 1843, he moved to Philadelphia and worked for his Father-in-law's company making wheels for the railroad. During his free time,  Redfield went on plant hunting expeditions with Asa Gray and other botanists.  During the 1840's Gray was trying to locate a plant called the Shortia galacifolia (commonly known as Oconee bell). Andre Michaux had found the plant and had sent it back to Paris. In 1839, when Gray was in Paris on behalf of Harvard, he found a cabinet of unidentified plants, and there was Michaux's plant - the Oconee bell. Gray named the plant Shortia in honor of the Kentucky botanist, Charles Wilkin Short. Gray made two serious attempts in 1841 and 1843 to find the spot where Michaux had found the Shortia, but both failed. Soon every botanist wanted to find the Shortia. In 1863 Charles Short died - and still no Shortia. Botanists dealt with constant comments like "Found Shortia yet?" In May of 1877, a North Carolina teenager named George Hyams was walking beside the Catawba River when he spied a plant he couldn't name. His father was an amateur botanist, and he sent the specimen to a friend. A specimen made it to Gray, who could be heard crying 'Eureka' when he found it. In 1879, Gray organized a group to see the Shortia. Along with his dear friend, John Redfield, Gray brought his wife, Charles Sprague Sargent, and William Canby. Sure enough, they found the Shortia growing in the spot Hymans found it. It was an honor for Redfield to be there with his old friend. Redfield devoted most of the final 20 years of his life to the herbarium of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. During Redfield's lifetime, botanists would visit Torrey if they were in New York, Asa Gray, if they were at Harvard or in Boston, and John Redfield when they passed through Philadelphia. It helped that people genuinely liked Redfield; his botanist friends noted his "strong yet tender character" when they wrote about him in his obituary. Redfield's work at the Academy was both worker bee and preservationist. In the early 1800s, Philadelphia had been a major botanical hub in the country. Redfield made sure the early botanical work was indexed and mounted, preserving the precious botanical history of the city of brotherly love.   Unearthed Words "Nature is, above all, profligate. Don't believe them when they tell you how economical and thrifty nature is, whose leaves return to the soil. Wouldn't it be cheaper to leave them on the tree in the first place?" - Annie Dillard, author   "Saw the rainbow in the heaven, In the eastern sky the rainbow, Whispered, "What is that, Nokomis?" And the good Nokomis answered: "'Tis the heaven of flowers you see there; All the wild-flowers of the forest, All the lilies of the prairie, When on earth they fade and perish, Blossom in that heaven above us." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Song of Hiawatha     Today's book recommendation: Botanicum by Katie Scott and Kathy Willis I got my own copy of this book just last week, and it immediately became one of my favorites. And, it's a beautiful coffee table book with stunning pictures and heavy paper - although it actually was written for kids ages 8 -12. Don't let that dissuade you. It really is a remarkable book, and it's chock-full of information. Just seeing it on my ottoman in the family room makes me so happy. In fact, some people buy copies of this gorgeous book to cut the pages out to frame them. So just a quick heads up - they sell a Botanicum poster book too. The cover is spectacular. OK - now let me tell you about it. This book came out in 2017 and is part of Big Picture Press's Welcome to the Museum series. Botanicum is a brilliantly curated guide to plant life. The text was written by Kathy Willis, the director of science at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England. Botanicum also features artwork from the fabulous Katie Scott of Animalium fame.  Botanicum is designed to make you feel like you are having a museum experience - visiting a fascinating exhibition about the world of plants -from perennials to bulbs to tropical exotica. Like any excellent exhibit, Botanicum offers a beautiful feast of botanical knowledge complete with superb cross-sections of how plants work. This is an excellent gift book for the holidays or gift for yourself. It's undoubtedly one of my unexpected favorites this year - a treasure of art and botanical information. You can get a used copy and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for under $20.     Today's Garden Chore Take 5 minutes and winterize your pressure washer. If your pressure washer is gas-operated, you need to start with this step: First, add a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank. Then run the engine for 2 minutes to get the stabilizer to circulate through the engine's system.   If your pressure washer is electric, you begin the process here (gas pressure washer, continue): Second, hook up the pressure washer to your garden hose. Let it run to clean the detergent out of the system. Turn off the water and remove the garden hose and then spray it until no more water comes out of the system. Finally, add anti-freeze “Pump Saver” to pump inlet if the temperatures are going near or below freezing, so that your pressure washer doesn't freeze up.       Something Sweet  Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart Finally, this past week, the Global News shared a story called Koi Tremble in Fear as Otter makes a reappearance in the Vancouver Chinese garden. "Nearly a year after a hungry otter began decimating the koi population at Vancouver’s Chinese Gardens... The Vancouver Park Board said Saturday the otter was spotted in the koi pond on Wednesday morning after the carcasses of three koi were found.    Park board staff began draining the pond that same day to transfer the remaining koi to a temporary holding area off-site.   It’s not yet known whether this otter is the same one that ate 11 of the garden’s 14 prized koi fish in November of last year, including a prized 50-year-old fish named Madonna." When I shared this story in the Facebook Group, I wrote: "There Otter be a law!" In all seriousness, for pond owners, there's nothing worse than losing your koi. You should watch the measures the park is taking to prevent animals from getting into the pond area. It's pretty intense. And, it just goes to show that whether you're a big public garden or a small private garden, dealing with critters like this can require ingenuity and hard work and even then - there are no guarantees.     Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Foran et live publikum på 2018's Heartland Festival mødtes en af verdens mest citerede forskere, danske Carsten Rahbek, med biodiversitetsforsker Kathy Willis til en samtale om de udfordringer vi vil møde i fremtiden, fordi vi er ved at ændre hele klodens økosystem. Hvad er det for nogle naturressourcer, som vi lige nu tager for givet, men som måske inden for kort tid kommer til at mangle? Hvad kan vi gøre ved det, og hvad sker der, hvis vi ikke gør noget?  Samtalen var en del af Heartlands Future Talks program, der er skabt for at invitere videnskabsfolk ind i centrum af den offentlige samtale og inspirere os alle sammen til at interessere os for fremtiden. Future Talks er støttet af Lundbeckfonden.

Maria Merian was born in 1647. At the time of her birth, Shakespeare had been dead for 30 years; Galileo had only just stood trial for arguing that the Earth moved around the Sun. And yet, here in Germany, was a child who would become an important but oft-forgotten figure of science. Aged 13, she mapped out metamorphosis, catching caterpillars from her garden and painting them in exquisite detail. At that point, most believed that caterpillars spontaneously generated from cabbages and maggots materialised from rotten meat. She later voyaged to Suriname in South America to pursue pupae further, discovering not just new species but also the conditions needed for their survival. Some call her the first field ecologist; others admire her for her eloquent brushwork. However, her studies will help today’s biologists plot which insects lived where. These data are invaluable because this could help scientists predict what species will survive climate change. Naomi Alderman discusses the life and legacy of Maria Merian with biologist and historian Kay Etheridge from Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania and biologist Kathy Willis from Kew Gardens. Picture: Belly-ache bush (Jatropha gossypifolia) with metamorphosis of a giant sphinx moth (Cocytius antaeus), created by Maria Sibylla Merian and Joseph Mulder, Credit: GRI Digital Collections Producer: Graihagh Jackson

This is Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.The recent WannaCry ransom ware outbreak across the world is the latest alarm about cyber security that demands immediate efforts at different levels, including international cooperation.It has been found that measures as simple as official Microsoft patch installation and security software update can work to fend off WannaCry in the largest cyber-attack in more than a decade. The hacking highlights the need for Internet users to heighten cyber security awareness.However, it also calls for systematic efforts as well as international cooperation to tackle cross-border challenges in a digitally connected world in order to affect a universal defense.A senior research fellow on cyber policy and security at Stanford University told the Xinhua News Agency that international cooperation on cyber security will be essential for a safer and more secure cyberspace.Herb Lin deplored the fact that countries have different views on how they intend to use cyberspace and the rules they want to apply have so far made it difficult to achieve international cooperation.Some experts foresee more attacks like WannaCry, which has hit more than 200,000 computers in some 150 countries since May 12. The vast majority of successful hacks require only the most basic techniques.This is Special English.Pharmaceutical company Merck recently won approval from the China Food and Drug Administration to sell its human papillomavirus vaccine, Gardasil, to help women fight cervical cancer.Developed by the US-based company in 2006, the vaccine has proved effective in protecting against the virus, better known as HPV, the chief cause of cervical cancer. The virus is found in almost all cervical cancer cases.Gardasil is the first HPV vaccine in the world and the second to be licensed for use in China.In July, Cervarix, an HPV vaccine developed by pharmaceutical GlaxoSmithKline, received approval to be sold on the Chinese mainland after almost 10 years of seeking approval.Gardasil is expected to be commercially available on the mainland in three to six months, which means women will no longer have to seek vaccinations outside of the mainland, in places such as Hong Kong.After breast cancer, cervical cancer is the second-most common cancer in women aged between 15 and 44 in China. China reports more than 130,000 cervical cancer cases a year, accounting for 28 percent of the global total.The HPV vaccine, as the first anti-cancer vaccine in the world, has proved effective in preventing cervical cancer and is seen as a breakthrough in the fight against the condition.Today, such vaccines are in use in around 120 countries and regions, including the United States, Australia and most European countries.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.A 100-year-old medical technique could be used to achieve pregnancy in infertile women without the need for expensive in vitro fertilization treatments. That's according to researchers from the University of Adelaide and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. The often overlooked historical technique, which involves "flushing" the woman&`&s fallopian tubes with iodised poppy seed oil, has been proven to be successful in aiding fertility.Research teams in Australia and the Netherlands say that the procedure, called HSG, was first carried out in 1917 and involved flushing the tubes with the oil during an X-ray. Professor Ben Mol from the University of Adelaide says that over the past century, pregnancy rates among infertile women reportedly increased after their tubes had been flushed with either water or oil during the X-ray procedure. Until now, it has been unclear whether the type of solution used in the procedure was influencing the change in fertility.He said the results have been even more exciting than scientists could have predicted, helping to confirm that an age-old medical technique still has an important place in modern medicine.According to the results of Mol&`&s study, around 35 percent of infertile women who underwent the procedure achieved successful pregnancies within six months of the HSG being performed.This is Special English.Some 1,730 new plant species were discovered globally in the last year, some of which have food and medicinal value. That's according to an annual report released recently by the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, based in England.Involving 128 scientists from 12 countries, RBG Kew&`&s State of the Worlds Plants report presents data never seen before on patterns affecting plants in different regions.New species of Manihot were discovered in Brazil that have the potential to be developed into better food crops, and new species of the climbing vine genus Mucuna, used in the treatment of Parkinson&`&s disease, were found in South East Asia and South and Central America.Kathy Willis, director of science at RBG Kew, says they have tried to make sure that this year&`&s State of the World&`&s Plants report goes beyond the numbers to look at the natural capital of plants -- how they are relevant and valuable to all aspects of our lives.The report also reveals that plants with thicker leaves and bark, more efficient water use, deeper roots, and higher wood density are better able to cope with future climate change.The report also highlights information on how new technology is helping to speed up the discovery and classification of plants that are providing important sign posts to the next food crops and actions in protecting some of the most important plant species globally.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.Climate change is more real than ever. A new study has found a steady growth of moss in Antarctica over the past 50 years, and suggested that the continent will be greener in the future.The study was published recently in Current Biology, a scientific journal that covers all areas of biology. The research is led by Matthew Amesbury, a researcher at the University of Exeter in Britain.The Antarctic Peninsula might sound like a remote and untouched region, but the study showed that the effects of climate change are felt there, and it has been warming faster than the rest of the continent.The research team looked at 150 years&`& worth of data and found clear change points in the last 50 years, which showed the increase of moss cover. That could shift the ecosystem in Antarctica, driving it to simulate what has been observed in Arctic.Last month, the sea ice cover in the Arctic was record low, and that of Antarctic was near record low too, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.This is Special English.The World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa has been held with calls for increased support for youth and addressing unemployment and poverty.Officials during the forum at the Dead Sea said providing financial and moral support to the youth in the Middle East and reforming education were key in addressing the pressing challenges facing the region.The forum attracted more than 1,100 political and business leaders from more than 50 countries. The participants agreed that the world is facing many problems including high unemployment rate, fast population growth and political regional challenges. The problems are relentlessly seeking to thrive on the hopelessness and despair of the younger generation. The forum said providing hope and support are vital for the youth in the region.Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan said at the forum that what young people need most is for all to take a bet on them, and to support them, morally and financially, so they can create their own impact.The forum agreed that as 31 percent of young people in the region are unemployed, new initiatives and urgent action are needed. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to crienglish.com. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. Now the news continues.More than 30 national library curators and representatives from 20 countries and regions in Asia and Oceania gathered in Beijing to discuss the building of sustainable regional library networks.The participants came from countries including Australia, Japan, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. They shared their experience in international cultural exchanges at the two-day conference hosted by the National Library of China.The National Library of China is promoting the establishment of the "Silk Road" international library alliance, and most of the participating libraries are from countries along the ancient trading route.The annual conference is hosted in turn by the participating libraries. This year marks the third time that China has hosted the event.This is Special English.A Peking opera adaptation of the Western masterpiece "Faust" was staged recently in Germany's western city of Wiesbaden, starting its premiere tour in the country.The opera was co-produced by China National Peking Opera Company and Italy&`&s Emilia Romagna Theater Foundation. It was performed as part of the International May Festival, a world-known traditional theater festival.The opera is based on the Western masterpiece "Faust", written by Johann Wolfgang Goethe more than 200 years ago. The Peking Opera adaptation combines music, vocal performances, mime, dance, and acrobatics.Since its debut in 2015, the opera has been staged over 70 times worldwide. It offers a creative blend of Western classics with oriental culture as well as presents a perfect cooperation between Chinese artists and performers from Italy and Germany.The opera has been added to this year&`&s German-Chinese cultural program, a national event in Germany featuring the theme "China Today" to celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.The first International Tea Expo has been held in east China's Zhejiang province, attracting tea vendors and companies from both home and abroad.The expo is held in Hangzhou, the provincial capital, at the venue where the G20 Summit was held. Over 1,000 enterprises from more than 30 countries participated in the event.President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to be read at the opening ceremony, extending his hope that the expo would give exposure to Chinese tea culture. He said he hopes the event will grow into an important platform for exchanges and cooperation between China and the rest of the world.The letter also included a call for the expo to promote both the tea industry and tea culture.This is Special English.The first China-themed library in Mexico has opened in a bid to promote cultural exchange.Books on Chinese history, culture, medicine and music, as well as digital and video archives, can be found at the new Chinese Library at Mexico City&`&s Anahuac University.Officials from China and the prestigious private university were on hand to inaugurate the 14th library of its kind worldwide, as part of celebrations marking 45 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.Chinese officials say the library provides an opportunity for Mexico to know China better. It will also be a new platform for deepening educational, academic and cultural exchange between the two countries.The library currently has 6,000 books and 80,000 digital archives with information on China&`&s politics, economy, culture, science and technology, as well as education and history.Special software is provided, in both Spanish and English, for those who wish to learn Mandarin Chinese.This is Special English.As part of the celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, an exhibition about the revolution has opened at the British Library.（全文见周六微信。）

Today we're asking how anyone can make sense of the deluge of climate change data that is almost continually published. By the end of last month, nearly 200 countries had signed up to the Paris climate change agreement, and in doing so they were nominally committing to keep global temperatures "well below" 2C. So now comes the tricky bit: How best to do that - and what is the scientific evidence for policymakers to decide? Climate change expert Dr Tamsin Edwards of the Open University joins Adam Rutherford to help us unpick the research. Last week a major new report on the State of the World's Plants was unveiled at Kew Gardens in London. There are some 391,000 vascular plants known to science - that's ones with vessels, xylem and phloem - and over 2000 were discovered last year alone. But just over a fifth of all plants are estimated to be threatened with extinction - and global climate change forms part of this threat. Our reporter Cathy Edwards met Professor Kathy Willis, Director of Science at Kew, to find out how plants are responding to the changing climate, and also spoke to Professor Yadvinder Malhi, Oxford University, and Kay Havens, Chicago Botanic Garden. The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, headed by economist Jim O'Neill, was published today. Molecular microbiologist Professor Matt Hutchings from the University of East Anglia, gave us a brief summary. A new paper out this week looks into exactly what the act of making a phone call can reveal. The study, which was led by Patrick Mutchler and Jonathan Mayer at Stanford University in the States, is the culmination of work looking into what metadata really can show - you may have seen reports of some of their findings, as they've been revealing them in the public interest since 2013. They collected metadata volunteered by 823 participants, in total, more than 250,000 calls, and 1 million text messages. Steven Murdoch from the Information Security Research Group at University College London joined us to put this into context. As part of the BBC's Do Something Great season celebrating volunteers, Adam joined Professor Kate Jones from University College London on a Hampstead Heath bat watch, part of the citizen science project Bat Detective. Producers: Marnie Chesterton & Jen Whyntie.

As the world’s population grows and the climate challenges our ability to grow crops, how can agriculture provide enough food? Can we get more from our current food crops for less? Scientists and farmers alike have been increasingly haunted by the environmental effects of high-intensity farming over the last half century. There is now an urgent need to be more mindful of the landscape and our finite ecological resources. Professor Kathy Willis, science director of Kew Gardens, looks at how we can breed better-adapted and more efficient crops. Rice is a staple food for more than half the world’s population. To maintain this in the face of population growth and land-loss to urbanisation, rice yields will have to increase by over 50% by 2050. Kathy Willis examines an ambitious plan to turbocharge photosynthesis in rice – improving the way it captures sunlight, to produce sugar and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water in hotter dryer climates. New technology to imaging plant roots below ground is also having a profound impact on plant root architecture that breeding programmes hope to capitalise on in order to improve any crop’s ability to forage for water and nutrients. But can we achieve the necessary varieties in time? Should we re-evaluate some of the highly resilient crops we have tended to undervalue such as sorghum and cassava? (Photo: Farm workers harvesting rice. Credit: Nick Wood)

As the world’s population grows and the climate challenges our ability to grow crops, how can agriculture provide enough food? Can we get more from our current food crops for less? Scientists and farmers alike have been increasingly haunted by the environmental effects of high-intensity farming over the last half century. There is now an urgent need to be more mindful of the landscape and our finite ecological resources. Professor Kathy Willis, science director of Kew Gardens, looks at how we can breed better-adapted and more efficient crops by exploiting the wealth of natural diversity in our so-called crop wild relatives. They are the species from which all our current crops originally evolved. Many researchers now believe that these ancient relatives hold the key to future crop improvement. She finds out how the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines is breeding new varieties that can cope with droughts and floods at unpredictable times. Storm surges make farmland in coastal areas too salty for most crops to grow. Pathogens and pests evolve so rice varieties are losing resistance to new strains of pathogens or insects. Kathy Willis meets the scientists who are reassessing our crops ancient ancestors that hold the genetic diversity that is needed to give the resilience we need to cope with the extremes of climate predicted for the coming decades. (Photo: Workers on a rice plantation. Credit: Nick Wood)

"I'm determined to prove botany is not the 'Cinderella of science'". That is what Professor Kathy Willis, director of Science at the Royal Botanic Garden in Kew, told the Independent in 2014. In the two years since she took on the job at Kew she has been faced with a reduction in government funding. So, Kathy Willis has been rethinking the science that is to be done by the staff of the Gardens and has been criticised for her decisions. But as well as leading this transformation, Kathy has a distinguished academic career in biodiversity. She is currently a professor at Oxford University and, during her research career, she has studied plants and their environments all over the world, from the New Forest, when she was a student in Southampton, to the Galapagos Islands where she studied the impact of the removal of the giant tortoises on the vegetation there. (Photo: A Galapagos turtle walks in the Primicias farm in Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador, Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

"I'm determined to prove botany is not the 'Cinderella of science'". That's what Professor Kathy Willis, Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Garden in Kew, told the Independent in 2014. In the two years since she took on the job at Kew she's been faced with a reduction in government funding. So, Kathy Willis has been rethinking the science that's to be done by the staff of the Gardens - and been criticised for her decisions. But as well as leading this transformation, Kathy has a distinguished academic career in biodiversity. She is currently a professor at Oxford University and, during her research career, she's studied plants and their environments all over the world, from the New Forest, when she was a student in Southampton, to the Galapagos Islands where she studied the impact of the removal of the giant tortoises on the vegetation there. Jim al-Khalili discusses the future of biodiversity with Kathy Willis.

A special edition recorded in front of an audience at Write on Kew, the Royal Botanical Garden's new literary festival. Adam Rutherford examines the science behind the global challenges and innovative solutions to preserving the essential biodiversity of the planet. From new perspectives on how plant populations can be made more resilient, to the remarkable genetic diversity of plants just being revealed by new analytical techniques, to coffee - and how one of our most prolific yet threatened commodities be protected from a changing climate . Do we need a radical new approach - are the large scale climate fixes offered by geoengineering the right solution? Adam Rutherford is joined by panellists: Kew's Director of Science, Kathy Willis; evolutionary botanist, Ilia Leitch, Kew's research leader in plant resources, Aaron Davis and author Oliver Morton. Producer: Adrian Washbourne.

The first of five omnibus editions of Prof Kathy Willis' timely new history of our changing relationship with plants From the birth of modern plant classification, harnessing botany and imperial progress in furthering Britain's destiny as the major civilising power in the world , to establishing the laws of what grows where and why, Professor Kathy Willis, Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, examines new attitudes to plants during the 18th and early 19th century. From plants as tools to exploit to flowers as objects of beauty, Kathy Willis draws upon Kew's archives and its herbarium collection of pressed plants that was to play a pivotal role in establishing insights into plant relationships and their distribution around the world. It was to help establish the first accurate maps of the world's flora by the mid 19th century. Producer: Adrian Washbourne Presenter: KATHY WILLIS is director of science at Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. She is also professor of long-term ecology and a fellow of Merton College, both at Oxford University. Winner of several awards, she has spent over 20 years researching and teaching biodiversity and conservation at Oxford and Cambridge.

Prof Kathy Willis, Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, with the omnibus edition of her history of our changing relationship with plants during the early 20th century. Kathy Willis examines how the complete picture of photosynthesis led to new opportunities to manipulate plant growth; the ability of plants to exhibit multiple forms that shed light on why flowering plants evolved so quickly; the legacy of tree diseases during the 20th century; the hunt for wild ancestors of our domestic crops in order to maintain resilience within our future food supplies; and botanical medicines and the hunt for new medicinal cocktails at home and abroad. Producer Adrian Washbourne.

Professor Kathy Willis, director of science at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, with the final episodes of her new history of our changing relationship with plants Kathy Willis examines how the technology that helped map whole genomes in plants and animals was to revolutionise the classification of flowering plants; the evolution of our rainforests as revealed by DNA fingerprinting; plants as essential regulators of our planet's atmospheric carbon and water cycles; how green spaces and ecosystems have a positive effect on our health and well being; the future role of plants as providers of food to feed the planet's growing population. Producer Adrian Washbourne.

Prof Kathy Willis concludes her major new history series by asking how much plant biodiversity is worth, and examines new research into securing the future of our staple crops. Understanding the distribution, diversity and potential of plants for food, lay at the heart of the 18th century botanical impresario Joseph Banks' vision to "improve Britain's estates of the world". To secure future resilience of crops in today's world there's a growing need to conserve the closest wild relatives of our staple crops. Kathy Willis discovers, given climatic threats to some of our most substantial crops such as coffee - for which the industry currently depends on a single species, the economic value of wild relatives of today's domestic crops is considerable. And as we hear, some important future crops are still to be found from previously overlooked plants. With contributions from Richard Thompson, Business valuations partner at Price-Waterhouse Cooper; historian Jim Endersby; head of coffee research at Kew, Aaron Davis; Kew's head of yams Paul Wilkin. Producer Adrian Washbourne Music for the series was composed by Mark Russell.

Prof. Kathy Willis examines the different kinds of spiritual, physical and intellectual links that we have with the landscape and their diverse ecosystems and the extent to which they contribute to our health and well being. As well as providing a source of inspiration and recreation there's plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that green spaces can make a positive contribution to our health, but what kinds of landscapes are of greatest benefit? Kathy Willis assesses the some of the latest research assessing physiological and psychological benefits that ecosystems can provide from manicured botanical gardens to wild open countryside With contributions from Richard Barley, director of horticulture Kew Gardens; Rachel Bragg researcher in Green Care at Essex University, Shonil Bhagwat environmental geographer at the OU, and historian Jim Endersby Producer Adrian Washbourne.

In 2005 a landmark study was published which changed the political landscape for conservation, probably for ever. Rather than viewing biodiversity as something to be conserved for conservation's sake, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment started to assess the contributions that biodiversity makes to human livelihoods and well-being. These include regulating services ( such as modulating climate), cultural services (the spiritual, educational and recreational value) and provisioning services (the biodiversity that provides food, fresh water, and fuel). Professor Kathy Willis examines the first of these new approaches to biodiversity conservation by firstly assessing the role plants play in regulating our atmospheric carbon dioxide. She talks to Yadvinder Mahli on the importance of trees in drawing down and capturing carbon and on new understandings in where the effect is most apparent on our planet. But how we view ecosystems at the landscape scale is equally important if plants are to flourish in this capacity and recent reduction in vital plant pollination services are proving to be poorly understood . But as Kathy Willis hears from chemistry ecologist Phil Stevenson, one of several approaches in improving the memory of bees that account for 30% of plant pollination could have a dramatic and significant effect in securing this vital function. Producer: Adrian Washbourne.

Palms provide many basic necessities and are collectively one of the most important plants families after grasses and legumes. In 2007 and extraordinary new find came to light when a French plantation manager in Madagascar, came across a new species of palm tree 18metres high and with a 5m leaf span - visible from Google Earth. The palm family continues to grow at a rapid rate As new species make themselves known to science it's becoming vital to appreciate their potential uses. Discoveries are also helping to shed light on the "palm tree of life". Professor Kathy Willis meets Head of Palms at Kew, Bill Baker, to examine how new technology such as DNA sequencing has come to provide an amazing evolutionary record of palms over timescales greater than the fossil record can offer. Crucially, it's beginning to show when the diversification of palms began. In doing so, the genetic analysis is beginning to rewrite our understanding of the origins of the rainforest and looking to favour Alfred Russel Wallace's overlooked "museum model " of the evolution of ancient rainforests. With additional contributions from head of the Kew Palm House Scott Taylor, and former Head of Palms at Kew, John Dransfield Producer Adrian Washbourne.

The new science of DNA sequencing during the 1990's would not only lead to the mapping of complete human and plant genomes but it was to also revolutionise the classification for flowering plants. For the first time, rather than the 200 year old tradition of classifying plants just on their shape and structures, scientists could begin to infer how closely plants were related by examining the differences in DNA between different families and species. Kathy Willis examines the story of how new connections between plants were uncovered that appearance alone could never have suggested. She talks to Kew's Mark Chase, leader of the Angiosperm Plant Phylogeny Group - an international group of scientists who pioneered this work, and hears how this molecular analysis was to rewrite some of the many assumptions that we've made about close relationships within and between plant families. Kathy also hears from plant morphologist Paula Rudell on how detailed pollen analysis was to back up some of the controversial findings that this work was suggesting The practical implications of this new way of classifying are huge and could open the way to identifying new plants for medicinal use, and help accurately determine the ability of plants to withstand future environmental change. With additional contributions from Kew taxonomist Gwil Lewis and historian Jim Endersby Producer Adrian Washbourne.

At a glance, Arabidopsis thaliana (Mouse ear cress) looks little more than a tiny flowering weed. But this nondescript plant became a Rosetta stone for understanding the molecular processes underpinning many plant traits when in 2000 it became the first plant to have its genome fully sequenced. Professor Kathy Willis hears how Arabidopsis bagged the role in plant genetics research similar to that played by mice and fruit flies in animal research, and how amidst arguments for and against the technique of modification, it became a key to introducing new characteristics in a quicker and more targeted way than traditional plant breeding. The overall size of the Arabidopsis genome however, is not typical of many plants. We hear how a new understanding of the surprisingly diverse range of genome sizes within the plant kingdom is shedding light on the speed of a plant's ability to reproduce and adapt in changing conditions, which could play a fundamental role in decoding the patterns of plant distribution we see around the world. With contributions from historian Jim Endersby, plant scientist Prof Liam Dolan and cytogeneticist Ilia Leitch. Producer Adrian Washbourne.

By the end of the 20th century, concerns raised in the 1992 Rio Earth Summit about the fate of wild plants and their ecosystems meant that conservation in the field now needed to be complemented by methods away from a plant's natural habitat. Professor Kathy Willis pays a visit to the underground vaults of Kew's Millennium Seed Bank Partnership (MSBP), one in a network of 1300 seed banks around the world - and one of the main "ex situ" methods for conserving plant genetic material. Knowing the longevity and quality of seeds is vital if they're to be put to good use in the real world. We hear a testament to the length of seed survival as head of the MSBP reveals recent success in germinating a 200 year old packet of seeds collected from the Dutch East India Company Gardens in South Africa. And Kathy Willis discovers how research into variable climates during crop cycles on seed quality is providing new leads into which varieties of crops seeds to store, to ensure future sustainable food supplies. With contributions from seed morphologist Wolfgang Stuppy, MSB seed manager Janet Terry, Paul Smith head of the MSBP, and Hugh Pritchard head of MSBP seed conservation. Producer Adrian Washbourne.

During the early hours of October 16th 1987, hurricane force winds ripped through southern England recording gusts of 110 mph. In just a few hours 15 million trees across the country were felled. Dawn revealed over 700 of Kew's trees sprawled on their sides, their root systems spread in the cool calm air after the storm. Kathy Willis explores how one Kew oak tree - the Turner Oak - that didn't fall, helped transform the understanding of tree planting, arboreal care and provided insights into why trees stay upright. She takes a walk with arborealist Tony Kirkham around Kew Gardens to learn how this natural clearout gave a once in a generation chance to rethink Kew's arboreal canvas. It also created an opportunity for the first-ever comprehensive tree root survey, which has since transformed our approach to tree planting and long-term care that's now finding its way into horticultural practices today. Producer: Adrian Washbourne

In 1947 an ambitious project began to survey and catalogue the biodiversity of plants in East Africa. It was to take 60 years and turned out to be one of the largest regional "floras" ever assembled, involving 135 botanists from 21 countries amassing a host of new species to science. Professor Kathy Willis examines the deceptive simplicity of creating Floras - books in which plants are catalogued, described and often lavishly illustrated. She explores how they're proving powerful tools for unlocking the range of newly discovered species for plant enthusiasts and conservationists. And she unlocks the secrets of the rigorous art of botanical illustration, a tradition that goes back as far as when the botanical impresario Sir Joseph Banks first employed an illustrator on board the Endeavour. Kathy Willis discovers why this discipline is unlikely to ever be superseded by photography. With contributions from Henke Beentje, former editor of Flora of Tropical East Africa, senior botanist Iain Darbyshire, Quentin Luke of National Museum of Kenya and illustrator Lucy Smith Producer: Adrian Washbourne

When in 1934 botanist Kenneth Thimann isolated the plant hormone auxin, he put an end to one of the great botanical mysteries - how plants move and respond to their surroundings. For decades plant scientists had been mystified as to how plants, without any apparent nervous system, bent towards light, flowered at the right time of year, or grew away from other plants. Professor Kathy Willis hears from historian Jim Endersby on how the discovery of plant hormones was the culmination of a journey that had involved Charles Darwin and a series of probing experiments published in his book "The Power of Movement in Plants". They discuss how new technologies enabled successful isolation of what we now have come to recognise as a suite of hormones regulating a whole series of plant responses from stem growth to fruiting. We hear how another hormone during the 1950s went on to steal the limelight - gibberellin whose discovery owes much to Japanese rice crops that grew so tall they would simply fall over, rendering them useless. The race to harness the power of gibberellin would lead to dwarf varieties of key crops that transformed global production in what became known as the Green Revolution. Professor Nick Harberd, a plant geneticist at Oxford University, has been researching the molecular basis of plants' response to this powerful hormone and he sheds light on developing crops suitable for harsher environments in future. Producer: Adrian Washbourne

In 1947 Sir Robert Robinson received the Nobel prize for Chemistry "in recognition of his investigations of plant products of biological importance, especially the alkaloids". This powerful family of plant chemicals was proving a potent medical tool. Professor Kathy Willis traces the natural role of alkaloids in plants and the first attempts to isolate one of the best know - quinine, from chinchona bark growing in the Andes. This development gave rise to the emergence of a new kind of laboratory scientist equally able to handle botanical and chemical data. As Mark Nesbitt, Keeper of Kew's Economic Botany Collection explains, this was to eliminate the chance and guesswork in identifying "good" plants from "bad". Professor Monique Simmons of Kew's Jodrell Laboratory, assesses why chemicals from the plant kingdom are still needed in the fight against some of our most challenging diseases, from breast cancer to cardiovascular disease, and how making the nuanced connections between plant species is central to success in this field. Producer Adrian Washbourne.

Agriculture tends to favour the best food varieties but this is often a trade off with beneficial traits such as resistance to disease or tolerance to drought. During the 1920s the Russian botanist Nikolai Vavilov, having witnessed famine on a large scale, became increasingly concerned about the potential loss of locally adapted varieties and spent his life studying crop plants in their wild habitats. Professor Kathy Willis examines Vavilov's pioneering work and his search for pools of genetic variability - so called "centres of origin" amongst the wild relatives of our domesticated crops that could help sustain future plant breeding for human use. Vavilov's story has a tragic end but, as we hear, his legacy lives on in seedbanks such as Kew's Millennium Seedbank at Wakehurst Place whose Crop Wild Relatives Project is collecting and assessing new potential amongst the original progenitors of our domestic crops. With contributions from archaeobotanist Dorian Fuller, Kew's curator of economic botany Mark Nesbitt, Crop Wild Relatives Project coordinator Ruth Eastwood, and head of the Millennium Seedbank Paul Smith. Producer Adrian Washbourne.

By the end of the First World War the mysterious sudden death of elms was a common sight across Belgium and the Netherlands. Dutch researchers managed to elucidate the real culprit amidst rumours of drought or wartime gas poisoning. It was a fungus thought to originate from America, carried by a beetle and the disease rather unfairly gained its name Dutch elm disease. Diagnosis produced no cure and it soon advanced across the channel to Britain. Professor Kathy Willis talks to the head of Kew's arboretum, Tony Kirkham, on the disease's impact amidst complacency, and how the emergence of a vigorous new fungal strain was to completely transform the landscape during its peak in the 1970's. Now that the principle replacement for lost elms, ash, itself has fallen victim to the latest disease to hitch a ride on incoming nursery stock, Paul Smith, Head of Kew's Millennium Seed Bank, explains why this new disease could be easier to control. Producer Adrian Washbourne.

In 1903 a cluster of evening primrose in an abandoned potato field outside the Dutch town of Hilversum caught the eye of German botanist Hugo de Vries. Its huge blooms and large leaves appeared to suggest the sudden development of a new species. Around the same time in Kew Gardens a mysterious primula hybrid appeared. The new discipline of plant genetics soon revealed that this curious trick was being driven by multiplication of chromosomes inside the plant cell nucleus. Professor Kathy Willis examines this phenomenon - known as polyploidy ( "multiple forms") - and how insights into this peculiarity can contribute to the evolutionary success of plants. It may also hold the answer to one of the botanical world's greatest mysteries - why so soon after appearing in the fossil record did the flowering plants suddenly explode into the bewildering range of species we see today. With contributions from historian Jim Endersby, Keeper of Kew's Jodrell Lab Mark Chase, and Jodrell Laboratory geneticist Illia Leitch. Producer Adrian Washbourne.

The Nobel prize for Chemistry was awarded to German scientist Richard Willstatter in 1915 for his analysis of the green plant pigment chlorophyll. It marked a significant moment in the long history of piecing together the many elements that contribute to photosynthesis - the process by which plants draw in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and together with light and water can generate their own glucose and release oxygen back into the air. The limits of this process were now clear Kathy Willis hears from historian Jim Endersby about defining moments in photosynthesis' long history and from Kew's Head of Conservation Biotechnology about how artificially elevating levels of carbon dioxide in the air,a technique long developed by horticulturists to produce bigger fruit and vegetable crops, is now having dramatic effects on successful reintroduction of cultivated endangered plants back into the wild. And as scientists understand the different methods that plants use to photosynthesise, Kathy Willis hears from Oxford plant scientist Jane Langdale who's part of a network of international scientists who are attempting to mend a fundamental flaw in the process of photosynthesis which could improve future rice yields by 50% Producer Adrian Washbourne.

In 1900 three papers by three botanists, unknown to each other, appeared in the same scientific journal. Each had independently "rediscovered" the rules of inheritance that Gregor Mendel had found four decades earlier in his solitary investigations of pea plants. Kathy Willis reassesses Mendel's famous pea experiments in the light of his attempts to uncover what happens over several generations when hybrid plants are created. As historian Jim Endersby explains, Mendel's initial results may have stunned him and shown what plant breeders might have suspected for decades, but science now had mathematical laws to create new varieties. Historian Greg Radick sheds light on how Mendelism, in the years leading up to the First World War, became heavily promoted by Cambridge botanist William Bateson and was put into action by the first Professor of Agricultural Botany, Roland Biffen. His success in creating new wheat hybrids is explained by a unique international assembly of wheat ears from the early 1900s, curated by Mark Nesbitt, Head of Kew's economic botany collection. Producer Adrian Washbourne.

Natural rubber derived from latex had long been a curiosity. When Nelson Goodyear perfected his method of vulcanisation of rubber and showcased its applications at the Great Exhibition of 1851 the possibilities now seemed endless. But by 1860 demand was outstripping supply from Brazil. Kathy Willis examines how Kew was charged with getting seeds of this economically vital plant out of South America to germinate at Kew Gardens, and then to send seedlings off to cultivate in far flung reaches of the Empire. The historian Emma Reisz explains how Kew acted as the international clearing house for smuggled seeds out of Brazil. Historian Jim Endersby sheds light on why Kew put its faith in one man: Henry Wickham, a travelling plant hunter with dubious botanical credentials. We hear from Mark Nesbitt, curator of Kew's economic botany collection, on how, despite rubber being recognised as an economically essential plant for the British Empire's economy, the whole business of transporting and nurturing the seedlings turned out to be a comically hit and miss affair. Producer Adrian Washbourne.

By 1850 identifying and classifying plants had become far more important than mere list making. Establishing the global laws of botany - what grew where and why - occupied the well travelled naturalist Joseph Hooker - son of Kew's director William Hooker and close friend of Charles Darwin. Kathy Willis hears from historian Jim Endersby on how Hooker was to acquire species from all over the world to build up the first accurate maps of the world's flora. Mark Nesbitt, curator of Kew's economic botany collection, reveals how gifts to Hooker in the collection reveal the relationship between the amateur collector in the field and Hooker back at Kew was one built on trust and mutual understanding. But, as Jim Endersby explains, the relationships were frought with tension when it came to naming new plants. Arguments between those claiming they had found new species (often called "splitters") versus cautious botanists, such as Hooker, who would often "lump" together species as variants of the same, raised new debates about what constitutes a new species. And as Mark Chase, Keeper of Kew's Jodrell Laboratory reveals, the arguments continue today. Producer: Adrian Washbourne Presenter: Kathy Willis is director of science at Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. She is also professor of long-term ecology and a fellow of Merton College, both at Oxford University. Winner of several awards, she has spent over 20 years researching and teaching biodiversity and conservation at Oxford and Cambridge.

Out of the tragedy of the Irish potato famine was to emerge a major new discipline in science - plant pathology. Infectious micro-organisms would come to be accepted as a cause of disease rather than its result. Kathy Willis hears from Kew's head of mycology, Brin Dentinger, on the significance of German botanist Antony de Bary's experiments that would lead to a new understanding of the causes of potato blight. Insights into the life cycle and behaviour of fungal spores required detailed and repetitive observations. Some of the most important insights in the 19th century came from children's story writer and natural history illustrator Beatrix Potter. Historian Jim Endersby explains how her careful observations contributed to the controversial idea that many fungi, far from being destructive, live in symbiosis with a host of plants. Kew mycologist Martin Bidartondo studies this relationship and we hear how thanks to new technology enabling researchers to identify fungal DNA we're on the brink of elucidating the real importance of fungi in today's ecosystems. Producer Adrian Washbourne Presenter: Kathy Willis is director of science at Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. She is also professor of long-term ecology and a fellow of Merton College, both at Oxford University. Winner of several awards, she has spent over 20 years researching and teaching biodiversity and conservation at Oxford and Cambridge.

The Victorians realised that preserving the structural features of a plant was essential to classifying it, placing it on a plant family tree and building up an overall understanding of the relationships between plants. Central to this was the herbarium - a collection of dried plants documented, pressed and mounted onto identical sheets of paper. Kathy Willis examines the genesis of this process at Kew which plays host today to over 7 million specimens, and is now one of a network of herbaria around the world. If you want to know what a plant is, the herbarium is where you come. But how was the Kew collection established? Kathy Willis hears from historian Jim Endersby on the influence of William Jackson Hooker whose private plant collection forms the basis of the collection. Historian Anne Secord of Cambridge University examines the delicate relationship between artisan collectors in the field and gentlemen botanists which defied the rigid social divide to enable specimens to be gathered from far afield to advance botanical knowledge. Kathy Willis learns from Kew botanist, Bill Baker, how patterns now emerge in the herbarium that enable changing patterns of plant behaviour from flowering times to plant distribution to feed into wider questions about the effect of changing climate and land use. And in an age when the Empire was aiming to show everything to its best advantage researcher Caroline Cornish reveals how plants could be effectively displayed to a curious Victorian public through Britain's first Museum of Economic Botany. Producer: Adrian Washbourne Presenter: Kathy Willis is director of science at Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. She is also professor of long-term ecology and a fellow of Merton College, both at Oxford University. Winner of several awards, she has spent over 20 years researching and teaching biodiversity and conservation at Oxford and Cambridge.

The 18th-century botanical impresario Sir Joseph Banks was convinced that Britain's destiny was as the major civilising power in the world, and this could be achieved by harnessing botany and imperial progress to each other's mutual benefit. Professor Kathy Willis talks to Linnaean Society honorary archivist, Gina Douglas, on how Britain's acquisition of Carl Linnaeus' collection of books and specimens proved the tool to promote, identify, and trade plants across the Empire. She hears from Richard Barley, Director of Horticulture at Kew and former director of Melbourne's Botanic Gardens, who discusses Banks' influence on the choice of plants taken with the first settlers to Australia. But how central were plants to Britain's colonial project? Historian Jim Endersby weighs up Joseph Banks' 18th-century vision to use Kew as a centre to gather as many plants and plant products as possible, not only to enrich the Royal Garden's collection but for Kew to also function as a botanical exchange house between the colonies. Producer: Adrian Washbourne Presenter: Kathy Willis is director of science at Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. She is also professor of long-term ecology and a fellow of Merton College, both at Oxford University. Winner of several awards, she has spent over 20 years researching and teaching biodiversity and conservation at Oxford and Cambridge.

The 18th-century's age of travel and enlightenment meant that a vast influx of newly discovered plants into Europe was creating a botanical tower of Babel. No common language for plants and a wealth of long and localised names made communication about plant species often impossible. Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus dedicated his life to developing a proper system of naming and placing plants into a new ordered hierarchy. Professor Kathy Willis launches the series by talking to Jim Endersby, historian at Sussex University, who argues that Linnaeus' system of plant classification established the roots of botany as we now know it and revolutionised the economics and movement of plant species and their riches across the globe, and how they are referred to. She speaks with Linnaean archivist Gina Douglas and learns how in 1753 his System Naturae placed plants into a hierarchy of relationships based on the number of reproductive organs, in the hope of uncovering the machinery of nature. Whilst much of what Linnaeus developed has now been superseded by a more natural system of classification, his method of naming still dominates today. Producer: Adrian Washbourne Presenter: Kathy Willis is director of science at Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. She is also professor of long-term ecology and a fellow of Merton College, both at Oxford University. Winner of several awards, she has spent over 20 years researching and teaching biodiversity and conservation at Oxford and Cambridge.

Professor Kathy Willis, Director, Biodiversity Institute gives a talk for the Environmental Governance and Resilience series.