Evelyn Booth facts for kids

Evelyn Mary Booth (1897–1988) was an important Irish botanist. She was also known for designing beautiful gardens at Lucy's Wood. Evelyn wrote a famous book called The Flora of County Carlow. Many people called her "one of Ireland's most loved and respected botanists".

Evelyn Booth's Early Life

Evelyn Mary Booth was born on October 30, 1897. Her birthplace was Annamoe, near Laragh, County Wicklow, in Ireland. She was one of three children born to Hilda Mary Hall-Dare and James Erskine Wise Booth.

Evelyn went to boarding school in Southbourne, Dorset, England. When she was younger, Evelyn loved horses. She took part in many horse shows, including big ones in Ballsbridge, Dublin.

Evelyn Booth's War Service

Evelyn Booth helped during both World Wars. During World War I, she drove ambulances for the Red Cross in France. In World War II, she worked as a hospital quartermaster. This meant she was in charge of supplies for the hospital.

Between the wars, Evelyn spent time in India. She visited her brother, Brigadier John Booth, and her cousin Kathleen Cunningham. Kathleen's husband was the Governor of the Northwest Frontier Province.

Evelyn Booth passed away at her home near Bunclody on December 13, 1988.

Evelyn Booth's Botanical Work

After returning to Ireland, Evelyn Booth settled at a place called Lucy's Wood. This was close to the town of Bunclody. Evelyn had many hobbies, like horse riding, fly fishing, and needlework. But her main passion was botany, which is the study of plants.

You can even see an example of Evelyn's needlework today. It is kept at the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life in Mayo.

Designing the Lucy's Wood Garden

At Lucy's Wood, Evelyn Booth designed and created a wonderful garden. This garden is still a popular place for visitors today. Evelyn filled her garden with many different kinds of plants. She grew rare plants, unusual types of cultivated plants, and wild species.

Evelyn even discovered a special flower in a nearby wood. It was a type of anemone, a delicate spring flower. This flower was named "Lucy's Wood" after her home. Its scientific name is Anemonoides nemorosa.

Studying and Recording Plants

Evelyn Booth became very interested in watching and recording plants. This happened after she met another botanist named Edith Rawlins. In 1939, Evelyn joined the Wild Flower Society. She started collecting seeds from wild flowers in County Carlow and County Wexford. She also gave parts of her plant collection to the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin.

Evelyn also served as the chairperson for the Bunclody Horticultural Society for many years. In 1963, she attended the first meeting of the Irish Regional Branch of the Botanical Society of the British Isles. She was elected to the committee and served there for a long time.

Publishing Botanical Discoveries

Much of Evelyn Booth's work was published in the Irish Naturalists' Journal. She also helped with other books, like the Atlas of the British Flora. In 1954, the Wild Flower Magazine reported on her amazing work. Evelyn had recorded 584 plant species in County Wexford. She found 579 in County Carlow and 584 in County Kilkenny.

Evelyn was also interested in animals. She is seen as an early environmentalist. She recorded surveys of butterflies, dragonflies, and birds. She even studied some types of Crustacea. She sent her findings to the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History and other important groups.

Her most important work was a book called The Flora of County Carlow. It was published in 1979. Maura Scannell helped her with this book. This book followed the tradition of Robert Lloyd Praeger, who also made lists of plants from different counties. The Flora of County Carlow was the first book about a specific Irish county's plants written by a woman.

See also

In Spanish: Evelyn Booth para niños