Abstract
William Keit was born in Saxony in 1841 and in early life travelled across Europe working in many famous nurseries and gardens. In 1872 on the recommendation of the director of Kew Gardens, Keit emigrated to Natal to become curator of the Durban Botanic Garden. So dilapidated was this garden that Keit was faced with the task of virtually re-establishing it.Though he was largely successful in this endeavour, as he was in fortifying the link between Natal and Kew, Keit could not solve the problems of a severe drought,a labour shortage and a scarcity of funds. In 1881 he resigned his position leaving a solid foundation on which the renowned botanist, John Medley Wood was to build. Keit in later Ufe ran a successful nursery in Durban and for 30 years was curator of the Parks and Gardens Department,in which capacity he did more than anyone else to beautify Durban.
Highlights
William Keit was born in Saxony in 1841 and in early life travelled across Europe working in many famous nurseries and gardens
The early Botanic Garden In April 1848 the Natal Agricultural and Horticul tural Society was founded in Durban with the princi pal aim of establishing a botanic garden to serve the young colony of Natal (Natal Agricultural and Hor ticultural Society 1848)
McKen did much for the economic development of Natal but failed to lay out a proper botanic garden
Summary
In April 1848 the Natal Agricultural and Horticul tural Society was founded in Durban with the princi pal aim of establishing a botanic garden to serve the young colony of Natal (Natal Agricultural and Hor ticultural Society 1848). McKen did much for the economic development of Natal but failed to lay out a proper botanic garden When he died in March 1872, leaving his wife and six children destitute, the Horticultural Society resolved to employ a curator who, unlike McKen, would devote his whole ener gies to the garden. As they could find no one suit able in the colony they wrote to Sir Joseph Hooker, the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, requesting him to recommend a replacement for McKen {Natal Government Notice No 191; 1872).
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