Classifying Beauty: The Linnaeus Collection in Berry

In the picturesque, historic village of Berry lies the Linnaeus Collection, a property founded by Nadia and Peter Yannopoulos. This estate embodies a profound appreciation for the land and environment and their connection to the human experience. Named Linnaeus Farm in honour of the famed Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who developed the system for naming and classifying plants and animals and studied the intricate relationships between living organisms, humans, and their environment, the farm thrives on these principles. Nadia and Peter have continued to cultivate and expand the farm, emphasizing organic produce and diverse plantings, all set against the backdrop of nature's finest. Much like Carl Linnaeus, who acquired properties to enjoy with his family while studying nature globally, Nadia and Peter have acquired properties in and around Berry to share with their customers and loved ones. We were thrilled to interview Nadia and learn more in our latest Hour in Nature.

What’s your favorite thing to do in nature?

I have to pick two things 

1. Swim in the ocean, there's nothing else like it. 
2. Watch the sun rise and the colours it creates.

Describe your connection to nature: what positives does it bring to your life? 

I didn't realise the power nature has on our emotional and physical wellbeing until I lived in Singapore when I was a teenager. I was surrounded by buildings and felt trapped. Thankfully we lived next to a rainforest where we would go for hikes and it showed me how important it was for me to see, hear, smell and connect with the natural environment.

Simple things like sunlight, gazing up at the full moon or watching the gradual change of scenery from buildings to greenery as you drive out of the city all spark and circulate positive energy in us. And of course there's nothing like arriving at Linnaeus Farm, driving through those gates and entering an oasis of calm. It instantly resets your mind and spirit.

Many of us are time-poor and might not get out into nature as much as we’d like. Any suggestions for a quick nature-based pick-me-up? Something sensory, experiential…? 

Recharge in the sun during the day and stargaze at night. We are elemental beings and surrounded by so many distractions in our daily lives that a quick 10 mins in the sun or looking up at the sky on a clear night provides perspective, promotes mindfulness and reconnects us to what we are at our core. 

Can you describe an experience when you’ve been made to feel fully in awe—and perhaps even uncomfortably—aware of the power of nature?

Swimming with whale sharks in Ningaloo Reef WA - the sheer scale of them literally took my breath way!