A botanist's paradise - Mangowine Homestead / myLot

Rockingham, Australia

October 19, 2025 7:32pm CST

I’ve been writing about Jane Adams of Mangowine Homestead in Western Australia. One of her daughters was Mary Annie Adams (1874-1931). Annie, as she was known, collected plants for the renowned botanist, Baron von Mueller, and others. Ferdinand von Mueller (1825 –1896) had come to Australia from Germany with his two sisters, and was appointed government botanist for Victoria in 1853. In the same year, he established the National Herbarium of Victoria. He travelled widely in Victoria, discovering and naming a great many new species. Von Mueller named a type of boronia, Boronia adamsiana, in recognition of Annie’s work. She also collected birds’ eggs and plant specimens and sent them to collectors in England. Poor Annie married in 1901 but her husband died the same year. Two years later, she married his brother and they had five children together. The photo shows some of the plants that Annie might have sent samples of to von Mueller.

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7 responses

LindaOH

@LindaOHio (203860)

• United States

20 Oct

The plants are all lovely; and the story is interesting.

3 people like this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (364513)

• Rockingham, Australia

20 Oct

Thanks. It's hard to imagine someone so far out of civilisation sending birds' eggs and plants samples out across the world.

3 people like this

LindaOH

@LindaOHio (203860)

• United States

14h

@JudyEv You're very welcome.

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Judy Story

@jstory07 (146150)

• Roseburg, Oregon

20 Oct

That is nice that she sent samples to people of those plants.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (364513)

• Rockingham, Australia

19h

It would have been an enjoyable hobby for her I'm sure. No-one outside of Australia would have seen many of our unique plants.

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ultraman cosmos

@id_peace (16794)

• Singapore

20 Oct

Very interesting.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (364513)

• Rockingham, Australia

20 Oct

Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it and found it interesting.

1 person likes this

Four Walls

@FourWalls (79592)

• United States

20 Oct

I think the only well-known botanist in America is George Washington Carver, known for the work he did with peanuts and devising crop rotation. We have a few botanical gardens in Kentucky, one of which is located right on the Ohio River. We also have one called “Yew Dell.” Funny name, but I’d like to go see it!

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (364513)

• Rockingham, Australia

20 Oct

We have a few botanical gardens around the country but probably more arboretums. They're interesting too.

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Anna

@LadyDuck (485406)

• Italy

20 Oct

This is interesting, anyway are you sure the name is Frederick and not Ferdinand? I think that the Botanist is Baron Sir Ferdinand. I think that Frederick was a German physician.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (364513)

• Rockingham, Australia

20 Oct

Thanks, Anna, for the correction. You're quite right. I've altered the post now. I thought I knew the name but should have checked.

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Anna

@LadyDuck (485406)

• Italy

18h

@JudyEv I did not now of the Botanist, but I had read a lot about Frederick.

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Ali Canary

@AliCanary (3430)

•

20 Oct

I love a good botanical garden. Annie's story is very interesting! I can't imagine marrying my husband's brother. He's a big nerd, lol

2 people like this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (364513)

• Rockingham, Australia

20 Oct

Fancy losing your husband so soon after marrying him. I don't know more of the story - whether they were married just a few months or most of the year.

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Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (66384)

• Centralia, Washington

20 Oct

I'm glad that more women in history are being recognized for their important roles and contributions.

2 people like this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (364513)

• Rockingham, Australia

20 Oct

Women have indeed done some incredible things over the years.

2 people like this