Dirt on our hands: Overcoming botany’s hidden legacy of inequality 

In this special episode of Unearthed, professional plant geek, author, and broadcaster James Wong explores the histories of inequality and personal experiences that lie behind a seemingly democratic and wholesome world of plants. 

From the colonial history of plant collections and our perceptions of what form a ‘traditional’ garden should take, to accessing education, careers, and green spaces themselves, our relationship with nature is not without its barriers, some of which are still to be overcome.

Joined by a panel of contributors, James debates what could be done to make the garden, and all that comes with it, open to all.

Historians, practitioners, plant scientists and horticulturalists share their observations and knowledge on how the past and present are complicated by racial inequality, legacy of empire and an exploitation of land and people.

In turn, RBG Kew is committed to revealing and restoring a story that has not often been told, and making its spaces more welcoming and reflective for the communities that are represented in the collections.  

This episode features: 

Advolly Richmond – a garden landscape and social historian and BBC Gardener’s World presenter. 

Richard Choksey – a graduate of Kew’s diploma in botanical horticulture and landscape gardener who is currently studying for a Masters in global history. 

Renee Cawthorne – Manager of First Nations Education and Engagement at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. 

Kew botanist Sophie Richards leads an open conversation with Kew’s Director Richard Deverell on the path ahead.  

And Tayshan Hayden-Smith tells James how his community gardening initiative created a vital place for connection in a West London housing estate, in the wake of Grenfell.  

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Grow2Know is empowering more diverse communities through horticulture http://www.grow2know.org.uk

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au

Richard Choksey https://richardchoksey.wixsite.com/variationsoneden

Advolly Richmond https://advolly.co.uk

Find out more about the work Kew is doing at https://www.kew.org

 

Dirt on our hands: Overcoming botany&rsquo;s hidden legacy of inequality&nbsp;
In this special episode of Unearthed, professional plant geek, author, and broadcaster James Wong explores the histories of inequality and personal experiences that lie behind a seemingly democratic and wholesome world of plants.&nbsp;
From the colonial history of plant collections and our perceptions of what form a &lsquo;traditional&rsquo; garden should take, to accessing education, careers, and green spaces themselves, our relationship with nature is not without its barriers, some of which are still to be overcome.
Joined by a panel of contributors, James debates what could be done to make the garden, and all that comes with it, open to all.
Historians, practitioners, plant scientists and horticulturalists share their observations and knowledge on how the past and present are complicated by racial inequality, legacy of empire and an exploitation of land and people.
In turn, RBG Kew is committed to revealing and restoring a story that has not often been told, and making its spaces more welcoming and reflective for the communities that are represented in the collections. &nbsp;
This episode features:&nbsp;
Advolly Richmond &ndash; a garden landscape and social historian and BBC Gardener&rsquo;s World presenter.&nbsp;
Richard Choksey &ndash; a graduate of Kew&rsquo;s diploma in botanical horticulture and landscape gardener who is currently studying for a Masters in global history.&nbsp;
Renee Cawthorne &ndash; Manager of First Nations Education and Engagement at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney.&nbsp;
Kew botanist Sophie Richards leads an open conversation with Kew&rsquo;s Director Richard Deverell on the path ahead. &nbsp;
And Tayshan Hayden-Smith tells James how his community gardening initiative created a vital place for connection in a West London housing estate, in the wake of Grenfell.&nbsp;&nbsp;
LINKS OF INTEREST:
Grow2Know is empowering more diverse communities through horticulture <a href="http://www.grow2know.org.uk/">http://www.grow2know.org.uk</a>
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney <a href="https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/">https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au</a>
Richard Choksey <a href="https://richardchoksey.wixsite.com/variationsoneden">https://richardchoksey.wixsite.com/variationsoneden</a>
Advolly Richmond <a href="https://advolly.co.uk/">https://advolly.co.uk</a>
Find out more about the work Kew is doing at <a href="https://www.kew.org/">https://www.kew.org</a>
&nbsp;

The way we produce and consume food is having a devastating impact on our natural world.

How can we avoid disaster, and feed the world well?

Unearthed: Journeys into the future of food, from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, explores our contemporary relationship with food: what are we eating? What is it doing to our health and the health of the planet? And how are livelihoods and agriculture changing before our eyes?

Take a journey around the world: from farming practises and biodiversity loss, to finding crops that can thrive in the face of climate change, all the way to our own shopping baskets and kitchens.

James Wong, Advolly Richmond and Poppy Okocha bring you insights, ideas and inspirational actions from artists, thinkers, chefs and  plant scientists who are all helping to make sure food and nature are secure and healthy for future generations.

Episodes 1 and 2 of this series will be released on Thursday 6th October 2022. You can catch up on the previous series of Unearthed - Mysteries From an Unseen World - right now on this podcast channel.

You can find out more about how Kew Science is helping to protect global food security by visiting kew.org.

Inspired by this series? Get involved online with #KewUnearthed

@kewgardens on Twitter

@kewgardens on Instagram

The way we produce and consume food is having a devastating impact on our natural world.
How can we avoid disaster, and feed the world well?
Unearthed: Journeys into the future of food, from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, explores our contemporary relationship with food: what are we eating? What is it doing to our health and the health of the planet? And how are livelihoods and agriculture changing before our eyes?
Take a journey around the world: from farming practises and biodiversity loss, to finding crops that can thrive in the face of climate change, all the way to our own shopping baskets and kitchens.
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/botanygeek/?hl=en-gb">James Wong</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/AdvollyR">Advolly Richmond</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/poppyokocha/?hl=en-gb">Poppy Okocha</a> bring you insights, ideas and inspirational actions from artists, thinkers, chefs and  plant scientists who are all helping to make sure food and nature are secure and healthy for future generations.
Episodes 1 and 2 of this series will be released on Thursday 6th October 2022. You can catch up on the previous series of Unearthed - Mysteries From an Unseen World - right now on this podcast channel.
You can find out more about how Kew Science is helping to protect global food security by visiting <a href="https://www.kew.org/">kew.org.</a>
Inspired by this series? Get involved online with #KewUnearthed
<a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/kewgardens">@kewgardens</a> on Twitter
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kewgardens/?hl=en">@kewgardens</a> on Instagram

Unearthed - Journeys into the Future of Food

The way we produce and consume food is having a devastating impact on our natural world.
How can we avoid disaster, and feed the world well?
Unearthed: Journeys into the future of food, from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, explores our contemporary relationship with food: what are we eating? What is it doing to our health and the health of the planet? And how are livelihoods and agriculture changing before our eyes?
Take a journey around the world: from farming practises and biodiversity loss, to finding crops that can thrive in the face of climate change, all the way to our own shopping baskets and kitchens.
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/botanygeek/?hl=en-gb">James Wong</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/AdvollyR">Advolly Richmond</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/poppyokocha/?hl=en-gb">Poppy Okocha</a> bring you insights, ideas and inspirational actions from artists, thinkers, chefs and  plant scientists who are all helping to make sure food and nature are secure and healthy for future generations.
Episodes 1 and 2 of this series will be released on Thursday 6th October 2022. You can catch up on the previous series of Unearthed - Mysteries From an Unseen World - right now on this podcast channel.
You can find out more about how Kew Science is helping to protect global food security by visiting <a href="https://www.kew.org/">kew.org.</a>
Inspired by this series? Get involved online with #KewUnearthed
<a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/kewgardens">@kewgardens</a> on Twitter
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kewgardens/?hl=en">@kewgardens</a> on Instagram

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