Buried by his shame,
Mule flower, pressed and preserved,
Defying God’s law.
Watched Botany: A Blooming History on BBC4. Captivating and fascinating, about the pioneers in plant science. What drew me in was the gardener who performed the first deliberate cross pollination/hybridisation between two species, Thomas Fairchild.
He chose a carnation and a sweet william. And it worked. But the new species was sterile, much like a mule.
As a religious man, he kept his discovery secret for many years, fearing he was dabbling in the creation work of God. But he needn’t have worried, his work was considered scientifically groundbreaking.
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