Napoleon’s Garden Island: Lost and Old Gardens of St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean

Description

Napoleon’s Garden Island reveals the amazing botanical history of one remote Atlantic island. Though the South Atlantic island of St. Helena is best known as the site of Napoleon’s exile following his final defeat in 1815, this remote locale also has a rich gardening heritage and a population of highly diverse flora, both exotic and endemic. This is due to St. Helena’s history as a stopover for the vast East India Company fleets on their way to Europe, whose cargo holds carried not only spices but also plants from China, Malaysia, and India. As a result, St. Helena became a botanical hub and the island’s private plantation houses cultivated a number of extraordinarily varied gardens. ​ Illustrated throughout with drawings, maps, and archival materials, Napoleon’s Garden Island looks to St. Helena’s past and future alike. McCracken explores the island’s native and introduced flora, ultimately appealing for the establishment of a new permanent garden to showcase this singular botanical blend. Turning away from the military matters that characterize most other books about St. Helena’s history, Napoleon’s Garden Island highights how a dazzling assortment of plants have thrived thousands of miles from their nearest neighbors. Contents List of Tables, Figures and Illustrations Foreword ~ St Helena’s flora today by Colin Clubbe Preface Acknowledgments Chapter 1 ~ St Helena within the global botanical network Section I. East India Company Days Chapter 2 ~ East India Company gardens Chapter 3 ~ St Helena’s old private gardens Chapter 4 ~ The St Helena Botanic Garden Section II. The Napoleonic Era Chapter 5 ~ The big three: Burchell, Beatson and Roxburgh Chapter 6 ~ Napoleon’s gardens Chapter 7 ~ Grande salle d’état Chapter 8 ~ The Company’s twilight years Section III. Crown Colony Chapter 9 ~ The new order Chapter 10 ~ The long decline Postscript ~ The way through the woods Appendices I. ‘A Catalogue of Trees and Shrubs growing in the Honble East India Companys New Botanic Garden in Jamses Vally, St Helena, 1789’ II. Catalogue of trees and shrubs growing at Plantation House [1789] III. Catalogue of trees and shrubs growing at High Ridge [1789] IV. Burchell: Catalogus plantarum quæ Sta Helena variis hortis inveniuntur (c. 1809) V. Garden sightings of Napoleon and garden references recorded by Captain Nicholls, 15 October 1818 to 9 February 1820 VI. Plants shipped from the Cape to St Helena during the Captivity, June 1816 VII. Old country houses of St Helena Notes Bibliography Indices