A Flower, an Hour

Saturday, November 20th
by Editor, Soiled and Seeded

A Flower, an Hour

In Philosophia Botanica (1751), Carolus Linnaeus lays out the foundation of plant taxonomy and describes the evolution of his botanical nomenclature.

Among the science of systematics, Linnaeus considers gardens. Based on his observations of the opening and closing times of flowers, the botanist designs a Horologium Florae, or floral clock. By using flowers with a fixed circadian rhythm (Linnaeus classifies such flowers as Aequinoctales), plants can be arranged according to when the flowers open and close. Although Linnaeus's garden was never realized, the project was taken on by many 19th century gardeners.