Scan Magazine, Issue 112, May 2018

Page 86

Scan Magazine  |  Special Theme  |  Top Summer Experiences in Sweden

Left: The dance group Branicula entertains at the Linnaean Garden Party. Photo: Ana Vera Burin Burrata. Top right: Buff-tailed bumble bee. Below right: At Linnaeus Hammarby, visitors can enjoy flowering apple trees, spring flowers, and unique prints of flowers, pasted onto the walls by Linnaeus himself.

Celebrating Linneaus and our pollinators This month, as usual, The Linnean Gardens of Uppsala celebrate the birthday of Carl Linneaus with their annual garden party. Throughout the summer, the beautiful gardens also have a special focus on pollinator-friendly gardening. By Malin Norman  |  Photos: Jesper Kårehed, Uppsala University

The Linnean Gardens of Uppsala have been combining botany and horticulture for more than 350 years. These days, they consist of the Botanical Garden, the Linnaeus Garden with the Linnaeus Museum, and Linnaeus’ Hammarby with an authentic 18th century milieu. Carl Linnaeus is mainly known as the father of modern taxonomy, due to his creation of a system for naming organisms. He lived and worked in Uppsala for more than 50 years, and his birthday is celebrated annually at the Linnaean Garden Party. On 19 May, visitors can head for the Linnaeus Garden to time travel back to the 18th century, hear the rustle of silk skirts, see silver shoe buckles glisten, and sample artisan foods. Moreover, they can find rare plants and seeds for their garden and 86  |  Issue 112  |  May 2018

pick up advice on how to grow them, meet scientists from Uppsala University, experiment, and learn more about Linnaean science. Lotta Saetre, communications officer at the Linnaean Gardens of Uppsala University, explains that the popular event has around 6,000 visitors per year. “Our garden party is a great event for families and really kicks off the summer!”

Pollinate more Throughout 2018, the gardens are focusing on pollinator-friendly gardening. For instance, they are building bee hotels and nests for bumble bees, and the botanists are sharing information on which plants are especially beneficial for pollinators and other small garden workers. Visitors can meet beekeepers,

learn about beekeeping and taste honey. The initiative is part of Buzzing Gardens, a campaign run by the Swedish Society of Public Parks and Gardens – a network with 35 of the foremost parks and gardens in the country. On the day of the Linnaean Garden Party, the Pollination Week also begins with activities and events to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, such as bees. For example , World Bee Day takes place this week, on 20 May. In Uppsala, the week will be packed with school activities, talks, guided tours and family excursions. According to Saetre, “bees are dying and the number of wild pollinators in Europe is decreasing, partly because of the use of pesticides. Therefore, at our three Linnean Gardens, we want to help promote non-toxic gardening.”

Web: botan.uu.se Facebook: uppsalalinneanska Instagram: @uppsalalinneanska


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