© Lifecruiser, Tulip House, Stockholm
This is our celebration to the passion of nature. Today Sweden start a 300 years anniversery of the birth of Carl Linneaus, the passionated (at least for nature 
Swede that travelled around the world making up a sexual system of all living things.
It’s him we shall thank for a lot of the species names in the system. He started it all. Think about it, what a work to categorize it all! Truly amazing work he did. I do wonder though if he had that much time left for passion with his wife….? *lol*
From what I can understand Linnaeus was rather open and frank when he compared it to the human sexual reproduction and at that time people were a bit chocked at first, but his very useful scheme took the world by storm.
Sweden celebrates his birth 300 years ago with a lot of events during this year, starting with an opening by the Swedish Royal King and fireworks among other popular happenings. Though even other countries celebrates him with exhibitions some time during the year: Japan, France, Polen, Germany and Great Britain.
They’re giving out an anniversary book, named System och passion (“A Passion for Systems”) which I’m planning to get later if I can find it on any sale, because it’s reather expensive. It will use photographs to show how his system is built up, describing both history and development of the plant classification system from then to now.
If any one of you have the chance to go to the Chelsea Flower Show the 22-26th May in London, there will be a whole garden celebrating Linneaus. I really would have want to go to there, not only for the Linneaus garden, but it’s Chelsea flower show for gods sake!!!! Any gardeners dream, but even ordinary people that appreciate flowers will be in heaven…
Even his journeys are covered by a film about his expeditions, covering the seven continents he went to – it’s quite an achievement just to make a film about it, can you imagine how it was when Linneaus travelled that route 300 years ago???
This documentary “The Expedition Linné” is planned to be released in March 2007 by the world-renowned National Geographic photographer Mattias Klum and producer Folke Rydén. We really want to see that one. If we get the chance, we’ll also report to you about it.
1732 Linnaeus went on his first adventurous expedition, to the sub-Arctic Lapland (high up in the northern Sweden), which was practically unknown at that time. It was from this trip he wrote the first work to use the Sexual System: The Florula Lapponica.
One can only speculate in how difficult that work must have been at that time, with no modern help tools. As you can see in the picture, it wasn’t much he had.
Photo: Sören Hallgren
© The Linnaeus Museum
(Carl Linnaeus home 1743-1778)
Chelsea Flower Show 2007
Chelsea Flower Show 2006 Panorama pictures
Yes, we have to look back and be grateful to those who came before us. Their work helped to make our lives better, in so many ways!
Lifecruiser: I wonder what future people will say about our time…
Very interesting, thanks for sharing that information since I never heart of Carl Linneaus before.
Have a great Sunday!
Lifecruiser: Good! I do wonder how many that hasn’t heard of him and yet, he was so very important!!!
I never heart of him too! But his work seems really important! I will look for the exhibitions in France about him!
This morning I couldn’t by my fish cause since 7 o’ clock my daughter wants help for his homework about Jeanne d’Arc and the using of her picture by the church and the politics! So we are going to eat a salad and pasta! Have a great sunday!
Lifecruiser: Jeanne d’Arc huh? sounds like an interesting homework! Maybe worth to skip the fish for
A wonderful post and also a particularly beautiful tulip!
Lifecruiser: Thanks Acey
I never “heart” of him either…
I actually played for the first time in a long long time…
Lifecruiser: It’s rather unbelievable though that he is so unknown to people. Until now
I’ll pop over later.
During the Victorian era books about flowers were readings among the ladies as ways of teaching sexuality to young girls! They are hard to find but occasionally can be found when looking through old books! What a way to learn about the female body being compared to a plant!!!
Hmm… I like sunflowers wonder how I compare!
Lifecruiser: *giggles* Yes, that was quite fantastic huh? And Debbie – sunflowers ? *lol*
I always learn something when I visit you!
Love the tulip, too
Lifecruiser: That’s good deb, thanks
I always envy your pics, they’re so excellent!
Ah, the Chelsea flower show. Now that’s an event even I, who has little in the way of green fingers, would want to visit. It’s broadcast every year on the BBC, but that’s just not the same.
As far as Linneaus (Karl Linné) is concerned, I wonder how his taxonomy is keeping up, now that we’re both discovering new species by the dozens (do they all still fit?) and that as far as categorizing goes, we’re increasingly depending on tags (buzzword of the new web) to order our knowledge.
Please keep reporting about the Linneaus Anniversary Year and any of the events you might attend.
Lifecruiser: No, Live is always the best isn’t it? Yes, I agree to your questions there and I think that’s a part of what they’ll show in the documentary, so I’m very eager to get the possibility to see it!
Probably the events will show up more when the spring comes, but we’ll try to report since we’re interested ourselves
Good afternoon,
a very interesting article you have posted her. No doubt Linnaeus was a great and innovative scientist who did a revolutionary contribution to Botany.
Our green finger season starts around February first, when I put some pepper (paprika) seeds in pottery, we have in our kitchen window. The seeds will be from a fruit (organic) I bought the other Day.
The plants from last season, have new shoots, and I’m very curious what the outcome will be.
Chelsea, feeels tempting.
Have a geat week
Lifecruiser: Thanks TorAa. Yes, I remembering testing things like that before, it’s always very interesting
Fish heads and flower! The tulip photo looks rather seductive!
Hope you are still both fine and dandy and have a great week!
Kind Regards
martin
Lifecruiser: Thanks Martin, we’re OK I think, just as crazy as usual
Oh wow! 300 years! And why hadn’t I heard of him before? Thanks for this awesome information, mrs lifecruiser. I thought it was Charles Darwin himself who thought up of classifying species.
No wait, he was the one who discovered evolution! >.
Lifecruiser: Yes, that’s what I wonder too, but perhaps that’s why they’re celebrating him this year and trying to spread the word about him…
Now why did my comments get cut off? Anyway, just want to thank you for sharing!
Lifecruiser: Probably you got a special marking in the end by mistake? (That “bumerang” hook)
I had never heard of Carl Linneaus before. Seems we owe him a lot. Classification makes gardening and understanding the natural world a lot easier!
Lifecruiser: Now you have
Yes, it certainly does, doesn’t it? *s*
I think the love for gardening must be the only interest we don’t share. I love flowers, plants and nature, but I hate gardening and Mr. Gattino too ! So in our garden is grass and bushes and trees but no flowers. Too much gardening lol !
I haven’t seen you in quite a while, too much to do ?
Lifecruiser: Well, the love of nature you have anyway, so that counts too
And about the other matter; see the post above… *lol*
I am sure the flower Show will be something great to see. Wish I lived closer. I Love Flowers.
Give my best to your Mom. Thanks.
Lifecruiser: Yes, it’s said to be an wopnderfulexperience of the life. It’s nice of you to think about my Mom. I’ll tell her, though I don’t know how much gets through…. She is rather well for the moment thankfully, but still that blood clots have done her memory a bit worse.
Hi Lifecruiser, nice post!
I’m counting down to Linnaeus birthday over here in Singapore; See Raffles Museum News (we’re taxonomists, you see).
Oh and see this too РI tasted life on the G̦theborg briefly.
Good article, and good tulip photos.
Thanks for sharing!