Tree Biographies and the Cultural History of Place at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew*

Abstract

Trees can be invested with, and accumulate, cultural history and meaning. In gardens they are often also markers of events, entangled relationships, journeys and ideas, and are central to the making of place. This article introduces and discusses the notion of ‘tree biographies’ developed from the object biography approach common in museum studies. Through this interdisciplinary process, the unique significance and cultural value of a tree can be fully recognised alongside a deeper understanding of its contribution to the landscape. An example of this approach, used at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is presented in discussion of the biography of a deodar cedar from India. This article concludes by addressing the opportunities this methodology can present and how, by exposing the fascinating histories of such potent objects, we can animate the story of our landscapes.