Writer Jennifer Potter unravels the tangled story of the rose and its transformation from a simple briar of the northern hemisphere into the western world’s favourite flower. Ranging widely across cultures and art forms, she tracks its shifting associations with love, sex, death, politics and the great religions of East and West, overturning a number of cherished rose myths and celebrating its contribution to health and well-being.

Speaker: Jennifer Potter

Jennifer is the author of four novels and ten works of non-fiction. She spent five years researching and writing The Rose: A True History, first published in November 2010. Her other books with horticultural themes include Secret Gardens (1998), Lost Gardens (2000), Strange Blooms: The Curious Lives and Adventures of the John Tradescants (2006), and Seven Flowers and How They Shaped Our World (2013).

An occasional reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement and The Literary Review, Jennifer was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at London University and the British Library for many years. She now runs writing workshops for doctoral researchers and early-career staff at University College London.

This talk will be held both in-person and online with the option to listen to the recording of the talk for up to two weeks later. If opting to listen to the talk online, a Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants one week and 48 hours prior to the event.

In-person Tickets:
SGT Members: £12pp
Non-Members: £15pp

Online Tickets: £6pp