There’s a little garden behind the Herschel Museum, where 18C astronomers Caroline and William Herschel observed skies unpolluted by modern street lighting etc. It has an air of tranquillity, and is filled with plants thought to be popular in the 18C. Fascinating to read the Museum’s list of plants and shrubs growing here, which includes Granny’s Bonnet, Goat’s Rue, Hedgehog Holly, Sneezewort, Bear’s Breeches, Toadflax, Sweet Cicely, Pokeweed and Sage. The names are intriguing, and I wondered about the naming of celestial bodies too, and how they differed in ancient times and other cultures …
