The New York Botanical Garden has a fantastic new exhibit called Darwin's Garden: An Evolutionary Adventure. The exhibit tells the story of Darwin's
lifelong fascination and work with plants, which led to his revolutionary theories.
The exhibition in the Haupt Conservatory focuses on Darwin's work with living plants, recreating Darwin's own backyard garden, greenhouse, and experimental beds where he conducted botanical research. It tells the story of how careful observation of the plants in his garden and greenhouse inspired Darwin's groundbreaking thinking about natural selection and evolution.
The exhibition re-creates Darwin's gardens at Down House, his home in England, and the surrounding orchards and meadows where the naturalist made many scientific observations. Primroses, insectivorous plants, orchids, and climbing plants, all subjects of Darwin's research and writings, are featured in the exhibition. Other plants illustrate the role plants played in the evolution of Darwin's ideas and bring to life the kitchen garden at Down House as well as the famous "sandwalk" where Darwin made careful observation of nature and plants, the basis for much of his break-through thinking.
The New York Times has an excellent article about this exhibit with a slide show of the actual garden.
To find out more about the exhibit and buy tickets, visit the official website.
The New York Botanical Garden has a fantastic new exhibit called Darwin's Garden: An Evolutionary Adventure. The exhibit tells the story of Darwin's
lifelong fascination and work with plants, which led to his revolutionary theories.
