{"id":5292,"date":"2018-12-20T10:00:31","date_gmt":"2018-12-20T10:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.reading.ac.uk\/crg\/?p=5292"},"modified":"2018-12-20T10:00:31","modified_gmt":"2018-12-20T10:00:31","slug":"adventbotany-2018-day-19-once-upon-a-time-a-tale-of-fairies-from-the-rhs-herbarium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2018\/12\/20\/adventbotany-2018-day-19-once-upon-a-time-a-tale-of-fairies-from-the-rhs-herbarium\/","title":{"rendered":"#AdventBotany 2018, Day 20: Once upon a time: A tale of fairies from the RHS herbarium"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Yvette Harvey<\/a><\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a>I am still pondering why a pagan spirit of the dead, or, more recently a demoted angel, should play such a big part in Christmas \u2013 for Christmas certainly wouldn\u2019t be the same without a fairy at the top of the tree or strings of fairy lights illuminating more than you thought humanly possible.<\/p>\n

For the UK it wasn\u2019t until the 1920s that the majority of us had Christmas trees in our homes.\u00a0 This coincided with a surge in the popularity of fairies.\u00a0 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used photographs of the Cottingley Fairies to illustrate an article on fairies<\/a> that was published in 1920 Christmas edition of The Strand Magazine<\/em>.\u00a0 With a circulation of 500,000 this article will have reached a huge audience.\u00a0 Conan Doyle was fascinated by mystical subjects and loved a good s\u00e9ance. His 1922 book The Coming of the Fairies<\/em><\/a> included his theories about the nature and existence of fairies.\u00a0 And just a short while later (1923) Cicely Mary Barker\u2019s (CMB) Flower Fairies<\/em><\/a> enchanted adults and children alike \u2013 and included the Christmas Tree Fairy. \u00a0I suspect that these two authors, but particularly the latter, played a major part in why my family and many others have always had a fairy at the top of their tree.<\/p>\n

The Christmas Tree Fairy<\/strong><\/a>
\nCicely Mary Barker<\/p>\n

The little Christmas Tree was born
\nAnd dwelt in open air;
\nIt did not guess how bright a dress
\nSome day its boughs would wear;
\nBrown cones were all, it thought, a tall
\nAnd grown-up Fir would bear.<\/p>\n

O little Fir! Your forest home
\nIs far and far away;
\nAnd here indoors these boughs of yours
\nWith coloured balls are gay,
\nWith candle-light, and tinsel bright,
\nFor this is Christmas Day!<\/p>\n

A dolly-fairy stands on top,
\nTill children sleep; then she
\n(A live one now!) from bough to bough
\nGoes gliding silently.
\nO magic sight, this joyous night!
\nO l<\/p>\n

aden, sparkling tree!<\/p>\n

At the RHS\u2019s herbarium we are very lucky to have some fine examples of genuine flower fairies in our collection and here are a few highlights:<\/p>\n

Rosa<\/em> \u2018The Fairy\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

This dwarf shrub produces masses of pale pink pompom-like flowers late in the season when other plants are starting to look past their best.\u00a0 CMB\u2019s Rose Fairy is nicely scented<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Herbarium specimen of Rosa<\/i> ‘The Fairy’.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Calluna vulgaris<\/em> \u2018Fairy\u2019<\/p>\n

Introduced in 1966, this 52 year old cultivar has mauve flowers and foliage that turns orange in the Winter.\u00a0 Quite an apt name as heathers are said to be an ingredient in fairy dishes.\u00a0 CMB\u2019s Heather Fairy is said to leap around a great deal.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Herbarium specimen of Calluna vulgaris<\/i> ‘Fairy’.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fuchsia <\/em>\u2018Oulton Fairy\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Oulton Fairy\u2019 is a member of Fuchsia <\/em>Section Encliandra, often described as miniature or dwarf, and renowned heavy flowerers.\u00a0 Many Encliandras grow in the mountainous regions of Mexico where it is cool, dry and foggy.\u00a0 They are diagnosed by 4 of the 8 stamens being contained within the tube.\u00a0 In 1824 the Horticultural Society obtained its first seeds of an Encliandra and the plant flowered in July 1826.\u00a0 See https:\/\/www.biodiversitylibrary.org\/item\/9049#page\/15\/mode\/1up<\/a><\/p>\n

CMB\u2019s Fuchsia Fairy is a dancer.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Herbarium specimen of Fuchsia<\/i> ‘Oulton Fairy’<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Narcissus <\/em>\u2018Fairy Gold\u2019<\/p>\n

Alas this beauty is prone to rot and it is likely to have been lost from gardens for good.\u00a0 Last listed in the 2003 Plant Finder, this specimen is a great example of why our herbarium is of importance to horticulture.\u00a0 Not only perfect for studying morphology, the collection is also a massive DNA bank. CMB\u2019s Daffodil Fairy is very loud.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Herbarium specimen of Narcissus<\/i> ‘Fairy Gold’.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Phlox subulata<\/em> \u2018Fairy\u2019<\/p>\n

The short Phlox subulata <\/em>is a hairy leaved herb that forms mats or cushions.\u00a0 Native to eastern and central USA this evergreen perennial is widely cultivated. \u00a0CMB\u2019s Phlox Fairy is very smiley.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Herbarium specimen of Phlox subulata<\/i> ‘Fairy’<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Editor’s note – for REAL pressed fairies you should read Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A pressed Flower Fairy – probably more appropriate to the Cole Museum than a herbarium<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Yvette Harvey I am still pondering why a pagan spirit of the dead, or, more recently a demoted angel, should play such a big part in Christmas \u2013 for…Read More ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":5295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"__cvm_playback_settings":[],"__cvm_video_id":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[52,53,54],"tags":[29,228],"class_list":["post-5292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advent","category-herbarium-rng","category-public-engagement-with-science","tag-adventbotany","tag-adventbotany2018"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n#AdventBotany 2018, Day 20: Once upon a time: A tale of fairies from the RHS herbarium - 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