Everyone knows that gardeners should beware of aphids and invasive plant species.
But they must also beware of “horticultural appropriation” when it comes to blossoms and flowers originally harvested “during the years of colonialism”, according to an expert.
Writing in the BBC Gardeners' World magazine landscape designer Jackie Herald said she always tries to choose plants that “connect with my client's cultural heritage” when working on a garden.
Ms Herald, who is also a lecturer and writer, wrote that copies of thousands of 'perennial favourites' came from 'plant hunters' in the era of colonialism and 'power-grabbing global trade'.
She said that in “cultural appropriation,” a “dominant culture” “borrows motifs and ideas that belong to a minority or less powerful culture.”
Writing in the BBC Gardeners' World magazine, landscape designer Jackie Herald said that specimens of thousands of 'perennial favourites' came from 'plant hunters' in the age of colonialism and 'power-grabbing global trade'. It comes after a 2021 Transport for London-funded sightseeing guide claimed wisteria (pictured) has 'colonial roots'
Ms Herald (pictured), also a teacher and writer, wrote that copies of thousands of 'perennial favourites' came from 'plant hunters' in the age of colonialism and 'power-grabbing global trade'
Ms Herald gave the example of an 'Aboriginal dot painting' used as a 'planting scheme' for a 'contemporary English garden'.
Her woke comments seem to open a new front in the culture wars, where statues have been torn down, moved or removed because of colonial ties to slavery.
It comes after a 2021 sightseeing guide funded by Transport for London had claimed Wisteria has 'colonial roots' and said there were 'colonial connotations' to describing plants as 'exotic'.
In her article for the June edition of the magazine Gardeners' World, which is owned by Immediate Media and not the BBC, Ms Herald writes: 'Embedded in cross-cultural borrowing is the appropriation of horticulture, something that is important to our nation of gardeners is all too easy. continue anyway.
'In many cases, the abundant plant selection we now take for granted did not come about through free will exchanges, but came from plant hunters during years of colonialism and power-grabbing global trade.
“This includes thousands of copies that are now perennial favorites.”
Horticulturists walk past the blooming wisteria along Wisteria Walk at RHS Wisley in Woking
She added that there was a “shallowness” in British gardeners' choice, with a “cacophony” of plant options that would not normally flower next to each other.
She wrote: 'I now think twice before throwing in 'exotic' plants for a titillating dash of wow factor.'
Speaking alongside Ms Herald's piece in the magazine, British garden designer Juliet Sargeant said that despite the controversy, there was an “important place” for borrowing from other cultures in garden design.
Ms Sergeant, who won a gold medal for her Modern Slavery Garden at the 2016 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, suggested moving away from 'mindless cultural appropriation' to 'cultural collaboration'.