By the early eighteenth century, botanists were inching towards the shocking truth that plants had male and female organs and reproduced sexually. The first person to realise the practical implications of this was Thomas Fairchild, a London nurseryman, celebrated author of 'The City Gardener'.
By transferring the pollen of a sweet william into the pistil of a carnation, he created a new plant that became known as Fairchild's mule. Greeted by controversy and scorn, the ingenious Mr Fairchild's forays into genetic engineering led to the huge variety of flowers we have in our gardens today.
Michael Leapman has unearthed much fascinating and colourful detail about the life and times of Thomas Fairchild, a troubled, gentle soul whose pioneering work changed the course of horticulture.
