Xiaohongshu
Written by Jorge Parejas, second year at the Bartlett
When the situation improved a few weeks ago and going outside was more appropriate, I decided the time had come to choose a group of organisms on which to specialize for my return to second year of uni. I thought of green algae, especially the Chlorophyta taxon, whose (usually) single-celled lineages would facilitate their collection. But I couldn't get the necessary equipment or locate them very well in the nearest area. Then, I looked at what was easier to record, plants.
I sat down with a friend on a Friday to work on a map of the public parks and gardens in London or close to. I helped myself with old tour guides and current instagram tagged photos to identify which places I wanted to visit. My interest was not shopping or entertainment, ok yes, but not very often. I wanted to identify and record plants that are present along with some public green areas. According to me, my plan was perfect, I would do my research and also convince some other friend to go out to the park.
In the first week, we went to Green Park (how obvious), where the amount of trees provides a perfect shade as a parasol. We had a picnic, shared a few drinks, and then went to see Buckingham Palace area. We ended the day in St. James's Park, and in the Duck Island Cottage area, we were able to register several Magnoliophyta, which are flowering plants.
On week four, when my friends got a bit bored with the traditional parks, I decided to invite them to something more “instagrammable": The Lavender Fields. Who doesn’t like the color and the smell of these ornamental plants, moreover their essential oils can be used in food, cosmetics and medicine. We learned a lot about an specific genus and the uses that could be given to a singular plant.
To finish the “plant weekends”, on week six, I decided it was time to go to Kew Gardens, where everything we had learned in the previous weekends could be put into practice. The magnanimous amount of greenery in this garden is impressive; and the information available to visitors about taxonomies, habitats, and recent research, even more. We learned about evolution and plant genetics, and above all, something about taxonomy.
After 6 weeks of outings to the parks in and around London, my friends (from completely different backgrounds) and I, realized how much we had learned just by going out together for a walk in the park.
For this reason, I have only one tip to offer: Try to look for opportunities even in the smallest, basic, or common; you may find a treasure in the front garden.