3 minute read
The Amazing Case of Dr Ward by Jackie Kerin and Tull Suwannakit
Reviewed by Loraine Callow, Program Development Officer, Williamstown Botanic Gardens, Victoria
When you peel a banana, bite into a pear, when you smell a rose, pop a fuchsia bud, or scrape your knee climbing an old pine tree, do you ever wonder how these plants came to this country?
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This is the question author Jackie Kerin poses in the story of The Amazing Case of Dr Ward.
Intrigued by ‘exotic’ plants and with a passion for endemic landscape, Jackie explains what seeded the idea for her book, ‘I was listening to an Acknowledgment of Country being delivered in a park in Melbourne by Wemba Wemba‑Wergaia man, Dean Stewart. While Dean created in our minds the landscape of the Indigenous past, in reality there was not an Australian plant in sight. The land that surrounded me had been altered irrevocably. Was this change incremental, or was it swift?’
A little digging and Jackie stumbled into the story of the Wardian case – a glass and wooden box – that changed the world. And the answer to her question – the change was ‘swift.’
Dr Nathanial Bagshaw Ward was an English doctor and a passionate plant collector. However, the smog‑filled air of his London home thwarted his plant‑growing passion and he was limited to cultivating plants under glass. Meanwhile, it came to Dr Ward’s attention that others were having problems with their plants on board ships where salt spray, rather than smog, was the problem.
It was a time of imperial expansion on a scale previously unimaginable and the transportation of plants was critical to the success of the remote colonies and the establishment of exotic plants in England. Dr Ward trialled various schemes in his home in the East End. Then, in 1833, with the help of his friend, Captain Mallard, he planned a decisive experiment sending plants in glass cases from London to the Sydney Botanic Gardens, and back again.
The trial was a triumph. Within months, Wardian Cases, filled with plants, were being delivered around the globe; gardens, farms and landscapes would be transformed forever.
Dr Ward wrote of his experiments with plants in his book On the Growth of Plants in Closely Glazed Cases, first published in 18421. It is from this book that Jackie has drawn out the bones of the story for children.
As we review cultural institutions through a contemporary lens that seeks to acknowledge the impact of imperial expansion, the book can act as a timely and gentle discussion starter. There are, of course, many more complex angles than can be squeezed into a 32‑page picture book for children: how the worldwide plant trade intersected with slavery, the introduction and impact of weed species, pathogens and invasive insects, to name a few. But Jackie’s purpose in writing The Amazing Case of Dr Ward is clear, ‘I wish to draw children into the botanical realm, ignite their curiosity and inspire closer observation as well as foster a love of plants and their rich and varied histories.’
Tull Suwannakit’s illustrations for The Amazing Case of Dr Ward add warmth and humour to the vivid storytelling. With a background in animation, Tull has breathed life and personality into the protagonists, matching the lively text with characters that promise to engage young readers. For the budding botanist, he has managed to fill the pages with over 60 identifiable plants! This charming book is a great resource for any educator’s kit bag and a welcome and sure to be much‑loved addition to any story time bookshelf.
The Amazing Case of Dr Ward was released in March 2021 and is available for order from Ford Street Publishing along with free, extensive, downloadable teaching notes and activities. https://fordstreetpublishing.com/book/the‑amazing‑case‑of‑dr‑ward/
1 The Herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria holds an autographed copy of Dr Ward’s book gifted to
Ferdinand von Mueller. Free digitised copies are accessible online.
