Stay ConnectedThe Daily Gardener is a weekday podcast celebrating garden history, literature, and the small botanical stories that shape how we garden today.
Each episode follows an “on this day” format, uncovering the people, plants, books, and moments that have quietly influenced gardens across time.
New episodes are released Monday through Friday, and each show features a thoughtfully chosen garden book.
Copyright: Copyright ©2019-2020, Jennifer Ebeling|The Daily Gardener All rights reserved
Irises are in full bloom right now. Although, there are around 300 species of iris, Bearded Iris and Siberian Iris are two of the most common types of irises grown. Iris takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow. During the Middle Ages, irises were linked to the French monarchy, and theFleur-de-lis is now a national symbol of France. Brevities #OTD It was on this day in 1820, that the botanist Joseph Banks died in England. Banks is best known for his study of Australian flora and faunaIn his role as botanist on board The Endeavor with Capt. James Cook. When banks return to England, he advised George III on on the creation of the Royal botanic Garden, also known as Kew. #OTD Twenty years after the death of Joseph Banks, the "Raphael of flowers," Pierre-Joseph Redouté died. He was known for his watercolors of roses and lilies.He's often referred to as the greatest botanical illustrator of all time. He was an official court draftsmen to Queen Marie Antoinette. One evening around midnight, she summoned him to appear before her and she asked him to paint her a cactus. He also became a favorite of Josephine Bonaparte and his paintings of her flowers at Malmaison are among his finest works.
#OTD It was on this day in 1872 that the English horticulturalist, landscape designer, and botanist Theodore Payne was born. He made his way from England to California. And, he was an early advocate for California native plants. He started his own seedling business In 1903 in downtown Los Angeles. His specialty was California native wildflower seeds, bulbs, and plants. Payne was involved in the creation of many native plant gardens. In 1939, he created one at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, using 178 plant species and all were native to California. It was Theodore Payne who said, "Be a good Californian; be loyal to your own state and keep your landscape Californian, by planting trees from California." #OTD It's the birthday of Elbert Green Hubbard born on this day in 1856. He was a writer, artist, and the philosopher. Among Hubbard's many publications, with the piece he wrote about the founder of the Burpee Seed Company called, "The business of distributing flower seeds." It was Elbert Hubbard who gave us these marvelous quotes: "Our finest flowers are often weeds transplanted." "A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world." "To me, flowers are happiness. If I had but two loaves of bread I would sell one of them & buy White Hyacinths to feed my soul." "Without love, the world would only echo cries of pain, the sun would only shine to show us grief, each rustle of the wind among the leaves would be a sigh, and all the flowers fit only to garland graves." In 1915, Albert Hubbard and his wife, Alice, guy. They were on a ship called The Lusitania when it was sunk by a German submarine off the coast of Ireland. Unearthed Words It's the anniversary of the death of the author of Peter Pan; James Matthew Barrie. Barrie was inspired by Kensington Gardens. In 1912, he commissioned Sir George Frampton to build the statue of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. It's been a favorite of visitors to the park ever since. Gardens and flowers were a tremendous source of inspiration from Barrie. The following are just a few samples of his garden inspired prose: "There is almost nothing that has such a keen sense of fun as a fallen leaf." "The unhappy Hook was as impotent as he was damp, and he fell forward like a cut flower." "All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, 'Oh, why can't you remain like this for ever!' This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end." Today's book recommendation: "Reader's Digest" New Encyclopedia of Garden Plants & Flowers by Justine et al Scott-McNab This is one of my favorite resources. Published back in 1997. Brand-new, this book is almost $200. You can get used copies following the link in today show notes on Amazon for just under $8. Describing 900 genera and over 8000 plants, this A-Z gardening encyclopaedia also introduces a way of identifying plants from their appearance alone. Hundreds of synonyms and common names are cross-referenced, and the book's coverage encompasses fruit, vegetables, herbs, house plants, flowers, foliage, shrubs and trees. The main benefits, uses and any drawbacks of each plant are pointed out, and there are instructions on cultivation, propagation and pruning techniques, and on dealing with pests and diseases. Today's Garden Chore It's time to get some new work gloves. I scoured the options here locally and these are my favorite. They are at Home Depot and they are $9.99.They offer the perfect amount of toughness and dexterity. Also - they fit. If you jump online at Home Depot, you can find them by searching for, "general purpose glove firm grip". They are yellow, black, and grey. They are great. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart I recently ran across the most delightful picture of Jean. She's wearing a graphic blouse That is covered with pictures of turnips; and then across the upper right shoulder are the words "Victory Garden." During World War II, people were asked to plant Victory Gardens and the Victory Garden fashion scene was born. I ran across one advertisement for a blouse and skirt that came with a free package of seeds. Here's what it said, "Blossom forth. Plant seeds in your victory garden and look like a flower yourself." The blouse was selling for $2.25 and the skirt was $2.89.
Have you heard of the Little Free Library that some thoughtful people put up out by their sidewalks? Well, a few weeks ago, I saw a post by Hylton Jolliffe about his Little Free Herbary... Takes obvious inspiration from the little free library movement and it aims to help us share and connect with neighbors and others who might need herbs for cooking medicinal remedies fragrances etc. The idea takes obvious inspiration from the wonderful Little Free Library movement and it aims to help us share and connect with neighbors and others who might need herbs for cooking, medicinal remedies, fragrances, etc. Anyway, I loved Hylton's idea; I think it's just as cute as all get out. Hylton also has a Facebook groupthat you can go to to find out more information. Just search for "Little Free Herbary the next time your in Facebook. Brevities #OTD It was on this day, in 1812, the botanist Karl Theodor Hartweg was born. He'd started out in Paris, working for the botanical garden there, and then ended up going to the Chiswick garden in London. He was eager to travel and go on expeditions. He was sent to the Americas for the first time in 1836. He was supposed to be there for a three year project, but you know how plans go astray... He ended up being there're seven years. During Hartweg's time, native plants from Mexico, like dahlias and cacti, were all the rage. Hartweg's particular specialty was orchids. According to Merle Reinkka, the author of A History of the Orchid, Hartweg collected, "The most variable and comprehensive collection of New World Orchids made by a single individual in the first half of the [19th] century." During his time in America, Vera Cruz (Mexico) became something of a mecca for Plant Explorers. Hartweg once commented , "All the way from London just to look after weeds." #OTD It's the anniversary of the 1969 death of Edgar Shannon Anderson. Anderson was an American botanist and his 1949 book Introgressive Hybridizationwas a major step forward in botanical genetics. While he was at Harvard, Anderson went on to work at the Bussey Institute; a biological arm of the University. It was there that he met Dorothy Moore, a fellow botanist. Dorothy was always by his side; going on hikes and collecting plant specimens. They were married in 1923. Anderson became the director of the Missouri Botanical Garden. After three years of administrative work, he went back to his passions of teaching and research. In 1952, Anderson published Plants, Man and Life. In the book, Anderson shared his methods of research and his perspective on life. It is a favorite among botanists. It contains not only scientific knowledge, but also folklore, some of Anderson's insight on early herbalists, and a little bit of philosophy. There's a charming account of Leonard Fuchs, a German physician and botanist. When Anderson wrote about him, he said, "He was a big, broad-shouldered Henry VIII sort of man; with handsome clothes and a general air of getting things done." #OTD It's the one-year anniversary of the death of the beloved botanist Professor Holenarasipur Yoganarasimham Mohan Ram (H.Y. Mohan Ram). Mohan Ram Left a tremendous legacy of the faculty and students of the botany department at Delhi University. He had Published over 240 research research papers get guided 32 PhD students and his research included studies in floral biology, plant physiology, insectivorous plants and the river weed family. In one of his autobiographies Mohan Ram said, "I wish I could be like a tree; deep rooted and firmly fixed, bearing a lofty bole and a broad canopy, continuously absorbing, synthesizing and renewing, bearing fragrant flowers and delicious fruits, unmindful of stresses and insults, resilient to changes and perpetually giving and not coveting. To this I must add tenacity, based on the remarkable example of a gingko tree, almost at the epicenter of the 1945 Hiroshima nuclear explosion, that sprouted from the root after its trunk had been completely demolished along with everything around it." #OTD This month, the English gardening expert, Carol Klein, is hosting a brand-new television program called Great British Gardens. Carol's program has four parts and it explores four of the country's most distinctive gardens. Today's episode features Gravetye Manor at 9 PM. The gardens at Gravetye Manor were created by William Robinson; One of England's most distinguished gardeners. Unearthed Words Here are some thoughts on June from Vita Sackville-West: "It always seemed to me that the herbaceous peony is the very epitome of June. Larger than any rose, it has something of the cabbage rose's voluminous quality; and when it finally drops from the vase, it sheds its petticoats with a bump on the table, all in an intact heap, much as a rose will suddenly fall, making us look up from our book or conversation, to notice for one moment the death of what had still appeared to be a living beauty." Today's book recommendation: The Names of Plants by David Gledhill This book is a fantastic reference for gardeners. The first section botanical history. The second section shares a glossary of generic and specific plant names, along with detailed explanations of Botanical Nomenclature. Today's Garden Chore Plant some Doyle's Thornless Blackberry. 'Doyle's Thornless Blackberry' produces 10 to 20 gallons of berries per plant per year. (That's 10 times a normal bush.) Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart It was on this day 1968, that the Rolling Stones had No.1 single: Jumpin Jack Flash. Keith Richards said that he & Jagger wrote it after staying at Richards' house. They were awakened one morning by the gardener. Jagger asked what the noise? Richards said, "that's jumpin' Jack." Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
Do you change the oil in your window boxes and containers every spring?
You really don't need to - I don't. Here's what I do:
I remove about a quarter to a third of the soil in my containers, and I put it in my potting soil bin.
Then, I add a little perlite and compost to the original container, and that's it.
Any extra potting soil that I have leftover in my bin, I use for new containers.
Brevities
#OTD It was on this day in 1869 that the botanist Edwin Hunt collected the last known specimen of Arethusa bulbosa in the old Oriskany swamp in New York.
Arethusa bulbosa is known as Dragon's Mouth Orchid, and it is found in the eastern and central parts of the United States and Canada, from South Carolina to Saskatchewan. One of Hunt's former students shared his recollections of his teacher:
"Mr. Hunt was an expert in the preparation of his botanical specimens. Hunt was ever-guarded in his knowledge of locality. He did not believe in sharing it if he thought someone would exhaust it. He knew only too well how many years of patient industry he had spent on his collection."
And then he recalled:
"We journeyed many miles together and he always seemed 2 inches taller when we got into the woods. He was a very rapid walker and when on a botanical excursion, it was a difficult matter to keep up with him. I have a faint but pleasant recollection of running at his heels for a distance of 12 miles."
The Crataegus huntiana is named in memory of Edwin Hunt.
#OTD On this day in 1871, James Weldon Johnson was born.
He's the lyricist of the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing."
He had a summer home known as Five Acres, and he had a little writing cabin on a hill above a brook. Johnson was a founder and member of the Harlem Renaissance, and he wrote most of his famous works like God's Trombone and his autobiography Along This Way in his writing cabin on the hill.
Johnson also loved poetry. Here are some excerpts from his Venus in a Garden:
But the fair Venus knew
The crimson roses had gained their hue
From the hearts that for love had bled;
And the goddess made a garland
Gathered from the roses red.
#OTD It was on this day in 1879 at the Botanical Gardens of Berlin, a monument of the late eminent botanist, Alexander Braun, was unveiled.
Professor Adler did the granite pedestal. The bust of the Braun was said to be an excellent likeness. Braun was a botanist from Bavaria. He researched the morphology of plants.
#OTD It was on this day in 1916, a photograph of Nellie McClung was taken with fellow suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst.
Nellie McClung earned Canadian women the right to vote.
Today you can explore Nellie's home and garden in Calgary.
Although she is perhaps best known for her social activism, being an author was her "day job." Nothing inspired her more than her garden
Her first book was called "Sowing Seeds in Danny." It has been compared to L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. Both books were immediate best-sellers in Canada.
#OTD It was on this day in 1934 that the University of Wisconsin's Arboretum was officially dedicated.
The idea had first occurred in 1853, to Wisconsin's early naturalist, Increase Lapham.
The University didn't actually begin purchasing land for the Arboretum until 1932. The following year, William Longenecker was hired to be the executive director, and Aldo Leopold, who has been a professor of wildlife ecology, was made research director.
Unearthed Words
Emily Dickinson wrote today's poem in the fall of 1877.
She, like most gardeners, was reflecting the seasons, and she made some observations about critical growing times during the year.
Dickinson never wrote a poem strictly about June, but she loved to reach back to June in her poems about Autumn.
To Dickinson, June was sweeter and best appreciated through the amber lens of Fall.
"Summer has two Beginnings --
Beginning once in June --
Beginning in October
Affectingly again --
Without, perhaps, the Riot
But graphicker for Grace --
As finer is a going
Than a remaining Face --
Departing then -- forever --
Forever -- until May --
Forever is deciduous
Except to those who die --"
And here's a quote from my friend and fellow podcaster, Joanne Shaw, who said this one year ago:
"A piece of our heart is in all our gardens."Most of the plants in our gardens are not native to our region. Although we take their accessibility and ubiquity for granted, we owe a debt to the naturalists and explorers who traveled in search of these unusual plants and then brought them back along with fantastic stories.
Carolyn is the former editor at Geographical; The magazine of the Royal Geographical Society.
Today's Garden Chore
Attend to your geraniums.
Regular deadheading prevents disease and increases flower production.
Be sure to remove the entire flower stalk after the flowers fade.
Also, remove yellowing or dry leaves from the plants.
It's quite normal for the lower leaves of geraniums to turn yellow as they age.
To help reduce yellowing, try to increase the amount of sun if you can (full sun is best) and start fertilizing.
If your geranium gets leggy, prune it back a bit to encourage branching.
Something Sweet
Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart
When I was researching Edwin Hunt, I came across an article that told how Professor Hunt was collecting flowers for the Hungarian Revolutionary Lajos Kossuth.
Kossuth was lamenting yet another political disappointment, and he told Hunt how he had turned to nature:
In this sadness of my poor distressed heart, I was longing for some consolation. And the words of Chateaubriand came to my mind:
"Happy those who love nature, her they shall find, and shall not find but her in the days of adversity."
And so I turned to that sole consoler who never disappoints and never deceives.
The study of nature confirmed me In what my heart was longing to hope.
A mild ray of peace and consolation fell on my sad soul as the cooling balm falls on the burning wound.
Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
Are you planning to grow Sunflowers this year? Five years ago, Hans-Peter Schiffer toppled the Guinness World Record for third year in a row - growing a sunflower that was 30'1" tall! Over atthe Facebook group for the show, you can check out a time lapse video of sunflowers growing from seed to seed heads; just search for The Daily Gardener Communitythe next time you're in Facebook and request to join. Brevities #OTD It's the birthday of Harriet Beecher Stowe board on this day in 1811. Stowe is best known as the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. When Stowe met Pres. Abraham Lincoln, he greeted her by saying, "So you're the little woman who started this great war." During the Victorian era, the language of flowers was all the rage. Stowe used that language in Uncle Tom's Cabin. Her use of roses connotes both tragedy and Tom's loving nature. Ferns are a sign of both fortitude and memory. The most important flowers in the story are the brilliant scarlet geranium and one single white Japonica; Red and white conveyed suffering and purity. The character Topsy has the purity of a small child, but as a slave, she was forced to endure the beatings and punishments by her master. Uncle Tom's Cabin was a sensation. During its first year in print, it sold a record 200,000 copies. One year after it's publication, Eva became one of the most popular names for baby girls; Eva was the name of the beloved slave girl in Stowe's novel. #OTD It's the birthday of garden author Ruth Stout, born on this day in 1884. Ruth wrote a number of garden books including the No Work Garden and Gardening Without Work. Here's a sampling of her famous prose: "If you have the soul of a gardener, not for anything would you work with gloves on." "I read somewhere that a shallow pan of beer put into a garden at night will do away with slugs. (Whether they are dead or just dead-drunk in the morning, I don't know.) I wrote this to one inquirer and he answered: 'I'm certainly not going to carry beer out to the garden for slugs. If they want beer they can come in the house and ask for it, like everybody else.'" "If 'heartache' sounds exaggerated then surely you have never gone to your garden one rare morning in June to find that the frost, without any perceptible motive, any hope of personal gain, has quietly killed your strawberry blossoms, tomatoes, lima and green beans, corn, squash, cucumbers. A brilliant sun is now smiling at this disaster with an insensitive cheerfulness as out of place as a funny story would be if someone you loved had just died." #OTD It was on this day in 1922 that Pres. Harding's voice was heard on the radio. Just the year before, Pres. Harding and his wife had opened the grounds to the White House. The Harding enjoyed throwing garden parties; especially for veterans. During one event in the garden, in October 1921, Marie Curie visited the garden at the White House. She presented Pres. Harding with one gram of radium worth half a million Swedish kroner. Unearthed Words #OTD We celebrate the prose of Gilbert Keith or G.K. Chesterton, who died on this day in 1936. He was a British author creator of father Brown a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective of Chesterton's short stories. Known as the "prince of paradox", Chesterton is supposed to have handled episodes of writer's block by firing arrows from his window into the garden. From the Father Brown series, here's an excerpt from "The Secret Garden"... "The garden was large and elaborate, and there were many exits from the house into the garden. But there was no exit from the garden into the world outside; all round it ran a tall, smooth, unscalable wall with special spikes at the top; no bad garden, perhaps, for a man to reflect in whom some hundred criminals had sworn to kill" Here's a bit of philosophy from Chesterton: "When your father told you, walking about the garden, that bees stung or that roses smell sweet, he did not talk of taking the best out of his philosophy. When the bees stung you, you did not call it an entertaining coincidence; when the rose smell sweet you did not say, 'My father is a rude barbaric symbol enshrining (perhaps unconsciously) the deep delicate truth that flowers smell.' No, you believed your father because you had found him to be a living fountain of facts, a thing that really knew more than you; a thing that would tell you to truth to-morrow as well as to-day." Today's book recommendation:In Bloom: Growing, Harvesting and Arranging Flowers All Year Round by Clare Nolan In this gorgeous book, Clare Nolan shares her top tips for growing a bountiful harvest and styling spectacular homegrown arrangements. Clare expertly guides you through the entire process - from choosing the best plants to laying out your cutting garden. She even wrote an entire chapter on arranging - breaking down the secrets to styling flowers to maximum effect in your home. Today's Garden Chore It's another Photo Friday in the Garden. Today take close-ups of your succulents. You'll be glad to have this group of photos for an indoor project during the winter. Turning your photos into art. Succulents are everywhere and there's nothing better than having art hanging on the wall or in a picture frame that captures the beauty of your own garden! Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart Pineapple Flowers Take a pineapple and thinly slice it. Place the slices on a the cookie sheet and then slowly dry them in an oven. In 8 to 10 minutes, the slices will bloom into delicate pineapple flowers. They're adorable little garnishes to delight your guests. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
My aunt Debbie in Des Moines sent me some fantastic pictures of a great portable elevated plantar idea. She was at Lowes and they had taken two old Weber grills and had spray-painted them different colors. Then, they turned them into planters. In between the two of them they placed a bench. What a great idea. Fantastic idea a great way to repurpose old grills turn them into elevated bed that you could use for annuals - which is what they did. In my case, I'm thinking it is a fun way to have a small edible or herb garden - right by your grill! Brevities #OTD It's the birthday of Martha Washington, born on this day in 1731. The kitchen garden at Mount Vernon was said to have been Martha Washington's personal pride. Surrounded by 4-inch-brick walls her garden was protected and it also enjoyed a bit of a microclimate. In addition to the walls, there were pear trees and apple trees that lined the walkways and provided a windbreaker for the vegetables. There was even a cistern placed in the center of the garden; providing the garden with a steady supply of water. One expert stated, "Mrs. Washington had a passion for gardening and her summer residence at the Hasbrouck house allowed her to indulge in it." One admirer said, "Under her skillful hands, bloomed a garden like the desert of the Scriptures." #OTD It was on this day in 1832 that George Thurtell held his impressive ranunculus show. It was said that Thurtell had exhibited between 700 and 800 blooms; including 360 varieties. They were preeminent in beauty, variety, color, form, and size. Fourteen years after his ranunculus show, Thurtell was fined for horse-whipping a journalist on April 30, 1846. Two years later, he pled guilty to stealing from a house where he was living as the gardener. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and he died serving his sentence. #OTD It was on this day in 1833 David Douglas' luck ran out. On the Rocky Island of the Fraser river at Fort George Canyon, Douglas's canoe was smashed into bits and Douglas himself barely escaped alive. All of Douglas's work: his specimens and all of his writings - covering the years from 1829 to 1833 - were lost to time. Before losing all of his work, in the spring of that year, Douglas had written a friend: "We can be carried into regions where we contemplate the most glorious workmanship of nature and where the dullest imagination becomes excited." Unearthed Words Here's The Rose Treeby William Butler he who was born on this day in 1865. 'O words are lightly spoken,' Said Pearse to Connolly, 'Maybe a breath of politic words Has withered our Rose Tree; Or maybe but a wind that blows Across the bitter sea.' 'It needs to be but watered,' James Connolly replied, 'To make the green come out again And spread on every side, And shake the blossom from the bud To be the garden's pride.' 'But where can we draw water,' Said Pearse to Connolly, 'When all the wells are parched away? O plain as plain can be There's nothing but our own red blood Can make a right Rose Tree.' Here's a sweet diary entry for today by Canadian Naturalist Charles Joseph Sauriol ("Sar-ee-all") who wrote these words on this day in 1938. "A beautiful June day. The kind of day which has made June's reputation…. Tonight I finished my flower beds entirely…. How pleasant it is to water from a hose, when one has known the effort of hauling water pail by pail." Today's book recommendation: The Flower Fix: Modern arrangements for a daily dose of nature by Anna Potter (Author), India Hobson (Photographer) The Flower Fix was a new book out in May of this year. Potter arranges easy to find seasonal blooms, along with found items such as twigs and dried fruit. And, she uses all kinds of containers. Potter is a florist at Swallows and Damsons. You can get your daily flower fix with her inspiring arrangements. Today's Garden Chore Sow Love-in-a-Mist or Nigella in your garden. It's one of my favorite flowers and I know I'm not alone; it is such a romantic blossom. It's a member of the Buttercup family. Although it comes in white and pink and lavender most gardeners are blown away by the blue version of love of Love-in-a-Mist. It's a favorite with pollinators and it's self-seeding - which, if you're lucky, will bring you more love in the mist through the years. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart It was on this day in 1831 that the scientist James clerk Maxwell was born. Maxwell is remembered for his formulation of the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation. In 1922 but Albert Einstein visited the University of Cambridge his host announced that he is done great things because he stood on Isaac Newton shoulders. Einstein replied "No, I don't. I stand on the shoulders of Maxwell." In 1879 Maxwell wrote a letter to his friend William Thompson. It's a letter gardeners can delight in: Peacocks as Gardeners. We got our original stock from Mrs McCunn, Ardhallow. At that time (1860), the garden there was the finest on the coast and the peacocks sat on the parapets & banks near the house. Mr. McCunn was very fond of his garden and very particular about it, but he also cared for his peacocks... Whenever he went out, he had bits of bread and such for them. Mrs. Maxwell (my wife) always gets the peacocks to choose the gardener and they have chosen one who has now been seven years with us. The peacocks will eat the young cabbages, but the gardener tells them to go... They find it pleasanter to be about the house and to sit on either side of the front door. Mrs Maxwell will not send them unless on consideration they would be acceptable. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
Fragrance in the garden... The most fragrant blossoms include:
Brevities #OTD On this day, in 1805, Meriwether Lewis was just one day away from reaching the Great Falls of Missouri. He wrote his own brief description of a species that was previously unknown to science. He wrote, "The narrow leafed cottonwood grows here in common with the other species of the same tree with a broad leaf." Wonder if he saw all the cottonwood seeds floating through the air... #OTD It was a little over 200 years ago today, in 1817, that a forest ranger, named Karl Freiherr von Drais,invented the first bicycle. #OTD And it's the anniversary of the death day of Edward Newman who was an English entomologist, botanist, and writer. Newman wrote, An Illustrated Natural History of the British MothsIn 1869. He also enjoyed writing poetry. Just as the butterfly, child of an hour, Flutters about in the light of the sun, Wandering wayward from flower to flower, Sipping the honey from all, one by one; So does the fanciful verse I've created Love amongst the experts in Science to roam, Drinking their spirit without being sated, Bringing the sweets of their intellect home. #OTD It was on this day, in 1948, that the Michigan Botanical Club adopted its name. It wasn't agreed upon very easily. The Board of Directors and the executive committee couldn't agree. They decided to hold a vote. The choices included:
Although the rest of the state voted unanimously for the Michigan Botanical Club, the strong-willed southeastern chapter had taken a poll and they wanted the name The Michigan Wildflower Association. The matter was finally settled when the general membership voted. It's been The Michigan Botanical Club ever since. #OTD And it was on this day in 1918 that the botanist Frank Nicholas Meyer was buried in Shanghai. Six days later, his family, back home in the Netherlands, learned of his death. At the beginning of June, Meyer had traveled to Shanghai by way of Japanese riverboat on the Yangtze River. He was last seen leaving his cabin on the evening of June 1; then he simply disappeared. His body was found in the river four days later. Meyer was just 43 years old when he either fell over board or was murdered. In either case, his legacy continues; not only in the plants he introduced (like the Meyer Lemon), but also, in the magnificent photographs that he took in China. Unearthed Words Here are some short sayings about June: "If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance." - Bern Williams "Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June." - Al Bernstein "What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade." - Gertrude Jekyll, On Gardening "June is bustin' out all over." - Oscar Hammerstein II, 1945 Today's book recommendation: Sex, Botany, and Empire: The Story of Carl Linnaeus and Joseph Banks by Patricia Fara Fara said, "Banks provided a marvelous illustration of how science and the British Empire grew rich and powerful together." Fara reveals how Enlightenment botany, under the veil of rationality, manifested a drive to conquer, subdue, and deflower―all in the name of British empire. Linnaeus trained his traveling disciples in a double mission―to bring back specimens for the benefit of the Swedish economy and to spread the gospel of Linnaean taxonomy. Based in London at the hub of an international exchange and correspondence network, Banks ensured that Linnaeus's ideas became established throughout the world. As the president of the Royal Society for more than forty years, Banks revolutionized British science, and his innovations placed science at the heart of trade and politics. He made it a policy to collect and control resources not only for the sake of knowledge but also for the advancement of the empire. Although Linnaeus is often celebrated as modern botany's true founder, Banks has had a greater long-term impact. It was Banks who ensured that science and imperialism flourished together, and it was he who first forged the interdependent relationship between scientific inquiry and the state that endures to this day. Today's Garden Chore Add perlite to your soil. Get a big bag of perlite like this oneand add it to the soil in your containers. Seasoned gardeners swear by perlite. If you want soilthat has good aeration, water retention and drainage, try adding,the mineral, perlite. A naturally occurring mineral, perlite has a neutral pH level; so it won't change the soil in that way. It's incredibly porous and it contains little pockets of space inside for air. It can also retain some amount of water while allowing excess to drain away. (I get huge bag of perlite every year from Amazon. I'll put a link to that in today's show notes.) Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart On this day in 2016, the Shady Acres Herb Farm closed in Chaska Minnesota after 39 years. Shady Acres was the placeto go for plants and herbs for almost 4 decades. Shady Acres was owned and operated by Theresa and Jim Mieseler since the mid 70s. Theresa has started out with the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. She been put in charge of the herb garden she recalled telling her boss, "I don't know what an herb is..." Seven years later, Jim and Theresa started Shady Acres Herb Farm with seedlings grown in Dixie cups in their basement. Over time, they cultivated and sold over 600 varieties of culinary herbs and vegetables. Since the closing of their farm, Shady Acres has been moving in a different direction. They're now committed to teaching others about growing plants and they do that in their monthly newsletter. You can check out their website at Shadyacres.com Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
Garden journal - two columns Failures and Successes we learn equally from both Brevities #OTD NATIONAL CORN ON THE COB DAY – June 11
#OTD John Constable, RA(/ˈkʌnstəbəl, ˈkɒn-/;[1]11 June 1776 – 31 March 1837) was an English landscape painter in the naturalistic tradition. Born in Suffolk, he is known principally for his landscape paintingsof Dedham Vale, the area surrounding his home – now known as "Constable Country" – which he invested with an intensity of affection. "I should paint my own places best", he wrote to his friend John Fisher in 1821, "painting is but another word for feeling".[2 I see the elder is coming into flower. Reminds me of John Constable's oil sketch at Hampstead. c.1821-2 Private collection. Study of the Trunk of an Elm Tree - by John Constable (RA), c1821 Golding Constable's Kitchen Garden, 1815 Golding Constable's Flower Garden, 1815 He considered spring and midsummer as the stirring times for the landscape painter, and not autumn. In his opinion an old tree, half decayed and almost leafless, presented no fitter subject to the painter than an emaciated old man.. .Constable was the first, I believe, in this country who ceased to paint grass yellow ocher, although it appears to me that we are now [1850-60's] in the other extreme. For by the non-employment of yellow, green pictures show a want of sunlight, and allowance is not made for the yellow of the frame, especially at the edge of the picture; still Constable is entitled to great praise for having brought the art back to a truer standard. Green is the colour for trees, and the midsummer shoot gives the green in its greatest variety.
Nature is the fountain's head, the source from whence all originality must spring. Landscape is my mistress - 'tis to her I look for fame. I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the form of an object be what it may, - light, shade, and perspective will always make it beautiful. When I sit down to make a sketch from nature, the first thing I try to do is to forget that I have ever seen a picture.
But the sound of water escaping from mill-dams, &c., willows, old rotten planks, slimy posts, and brickwork, I love such things. Shakespeare could make everything poetical; he tells us of poor Tom's haunts among "sheep cotes and mills." As long as I do paint, I shall never cease to paint such places. They have always been my delight.
The world is wide; no two days are alike, nor even two hours; neither were there ever two leaves of a tree alike since the creation of the world.
England, with her climate of more than vernal freshness, and in whose summer skies, and rich autumnal clouds, the observer of Nature may daily watch her endless varieties of effect.. ..to one brief moment caught [by the artist] from fleeting time..
A self-taught painter is one taught by a very ignorant person.
#OTD Julia Margaret Cameron, the mother of photography, was born on this day in Calcutta in 1815. In 1863, Cameron was given a camera by her daughter and son-in-law and made her first photograph at the age of 49. Her niece, Virginia Woolf wrote, that the camera was, "at last, an outlet for the energies that she had dissipated in poetry and fiction, in doing up houses, in concocting curries, and entertaining her friends." At the time, Cameron had moved to the Isle of Wight; an island off the southern coast of England. On the Isle of Wight, Julia Margaret Cameron converted henhouse in her garden into her darkroom and another building into her studio. One of her most famous photos is called The Rosebud Garden of Girls, a title taken from Tennyson's Come Into the Garden, Maude. The photo wastaken in June, 1868. It shows four beautiful young Victorian women wearing the white robes you'd find on a Greek goddess. The setting is a lush garden. Their hair flows freely down past their shoulders, they each hold blossom, as they each cast their gaze far off in slightly different directions. It's a very dreamy, almost trance-like, innocent image; The Rosebud Garden of Girls. Unearthed Words "So sweet, so sweet the roses in their blowing, So sweet the daffodils, so fair to see; So blithe and gay the humming-bird a going From flower to flower, a-hunting with the bee." - Nora Perry, In June "It is dry, hazy June weather. We are more of the earth, farther from heaven these days." - Henry David Thoreau "In a bowl to sea went wise men three, On a brilliant night of June: They carried a net, and their hearts were set On fishing up the moon." - Thomas Love Peacock The AHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants by Christopher Brickell As chamomile is one of my favorite aromatic plants to have in my garden every year i save all the flowers from the last flowering plant to store and replant next growing season.Saving my herb seeds is one of the most rewarding gardening tasks Chamomile grows in the form of small shrub that usually reaches 8 to 12 inches in height. German chamomile grows to the height of 3 feet. Chamomile has green, feathery leaves that are alternately arranged on the stem. Flower consists of large number of individual flowers called florets. Outer part of the flower consists of 18 white ray florets. Yellow disk, located in the center of the flower, consists of miniature florets that have tubular shape. Chamomile blooms from June to July. Flies are main pollinator of chamomile flowers. Name "chamomile" originates from Greek words "chamos", which means "ground" and "milos" which means "apple". Chamomile is named that way because it grows close to the ground and smells like apple. Chamomile was used for the process of mummification in the ancient Egypt. Chemical compounds and oils that are used in medical and cosmetic industry are extracted from the flower. Even though beneficial effects of chamomile are not scientifically proven, chamomile is used in treatment of more than 100 different disorders. Chamomile can be used in the form of tea, tincture, lotion, capsules or various drops. Chamomile possesses anti-inflammatory properties, can be used for disinfection and to relieve the pain. It is mainly used for the treatment of urinary and ocular infections, skin rash, toothache, respiratory pain, premenstrual pain, migraine, insomnia, anxiety… Chamomile can induce side effects when it is consumed in combination with other medications. Also, chamomile may induce premature birth because it stimulates contraction of the uterus. People that are allergic to ragweed will probably exhibit allergy to the chamomile. Allergy can be triggered after application of cream containing chamomile or after consumption of tea. Homemade chamomile tea can be used for lighting of the blond hair. Besides its decorative morphology, chamomile can be very useful in the garden. It facilitates growth of the surrounding plants and even heals nearby sick plants. Lifespan of chamomile depends on the species. Roman chamomile is annual plant which lives only one year. German chamomile is perennial plant that lives more than two years. Chamomile is a flower in the aster and daisy family. It is the national flower of Russia. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart On this day in 1982, a little movie about a botanist was released. It was about a group of alien botanists secretly visit Earth under cover of night to gather plant specimens in a California forest. When government agents appear on the scene, the aliens flee in their spaceship, but in their haste, one of them is left behind. In a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley, a ten-year-old boy named Elliott discovers something is hiding in their tool shed. Elliott leaves Reese's Pieces candy to lure the alien to his house. Later, Elliott's siblings - Michael and five-year-old sister, Gertie - meet it. They decide to keep ET hidden from their mom. ET demonstrates its powers by reviving dead chrysanthemums. In the end, E.T. says goodbye to Michael and Gertie, as she presents him with the chrysanthemum that he had revived. Before boarding the spaceship, he embraces Elliott and tells him "I'll be right here", pointing his glowing finger to Elliott's forehead. He then picks up the chrysanthemum, boards the spaceship, and it takes off, leaving a rainbow in the sky as everyone watches it leave.
My neighbor, up at our cabin, has this amazing copse of lilacs. We've become good friends and he invited me to take some cuttings of his lilac as a gesture of goodwill. (He also give me all of his jack-in-the-pulpit - but that's another story.) Over time, lilacs have met different things to different people. The Celtic's thought the sweet scent of lilacs made them magical. During the Victorian age, widows wore lilacs because they were a symbol of old love. In Russia, in order to bless an infant with intelligence, they placed a little sprig of lilac over a baby's crib. Brevities #OTD Today is National Herbs and Spices Day. It is the season for growing fresh herbs. I just helped a friend put together a sweet little kitchen Garden right outside her front door. Herbs are so wonderful to grow because as aromatics they generally don't have any pest issues and they offer tremendous texture and interest. If you're new to gardening and looking for something maintenance to grow, it won't get any easier than growing herbs. #OTD On this day in 1793, the botanical garden, Jardin des Plantes, opened in Paris. The very next year, it becomes the first public zoo. #OTD It's the anniversary of the death of Scottish botanist Robert Brown, who died on this day in 1858. Brown is best known for being the first to notice natural continuous movement of minute particles. It's known as the Brownian movement. Brown had experimented with all kinds of materials - including plants- and he saw the same jittery behavior. He wrote, "These motions were such as to satisfy me … that they arose neither from currents in the fluid, nor from its gradual evaporation, but belonged to the particle itself" Brown was unable to explain why the particles moved, but 50 years later Einstein was able to fully understand Brownian motion. Today, Brownian Motion helping to explain "spin" from black holes. Brown also named the nucleus in living cells. Nucleus in Latin means "little nut". Brown published the remarkable survey on Australian flora which he called The Prodromus. The Prodromus opened doors for Brown when it attracted the attention of Joseph Banks. Brown was asked to serve as Banks' botanist librarian. They became great friends. So much so, that when Banks died in 1820, his left his home, his collections, and his library to Brown; and he also endowed him with a large yearly allowance. #OTD On June 10, 1922, Frances Ethel Gumm — aka Judy Garland — was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota (about 165 miles north of lovely, Maple Grove.) When the famous professional wrestler George Raymond Wagner known as "Gorgeous George" retired, he quipped, "No more wrestlin' .. I'm takin up gardening." When Garland heard this comment, she sent him a couple pots of her hibiscus. Unearthed Words It's the anniversary of the death of Frances Theodora Parsons who died on this day in 1952. She was an American naturalist and author, remembered most for her book on American wildflowers. Frances or "Fanny" Smith was born in 1861 in New York City. She developed a lifelong love of nature and especially wildflowers during summers spent with her maternal grandparents near the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains. When she was 23, Fanny happily married William Starr Dana who was 16 years older than her and a Commander in the U.S. Navy. After they married, they lost their first baby and five years later, William died in a flu epidemic in Paris. Following the Victorian widows custom, Fanny wore black and isolated herself. A few years later, her friend Marion Satterlee managed to get her to take nature walks which rekindled her love for wildflowers. In 1893, Fanny published her popular book, How to Know the Wildflowers,under her husband's name "Mrs. William Starr Dana." It sold out in five days and was a favorite of Theodore Roosevelt and Rudyard Kipling. Three years later, in 1896, Fanny married a childhood friend; professor, politician, and diplomat James Russell Parsons. The following year, Fanny gave birth to their son. Parsons was not well off, so Fanny wrote "How to Know the Ferns"; this time, using her own name Frances Theodora Parsons. A year after Ferns, Fanny gave birth to their only daughter, Dorothea who tragically died at two and a half years old 5 days before Thanksgiving in 1902. Three years later, James was killed when his carriage collided with a trolley car. A widow once again, Fanny published this poem in Scribner's Magazine in 1911: When Laughter is Sadder than Tears. The marshes stretch to the dunes and the dunes sweep down to the sea, And the sea is wooing the meadow which waits with an open door; Then a melody sweet to the hearer floats up from the murmuring lea Till the sea slips seaward again and the land is athirst as before. And athirst is the heart whose worship is not the worship of yore, Whose visions no magic can conjure, whose plenty is suddenly dearth; And parched as the desert the soul whose tears no grief can restore, Whose laughter is sadder than tears and whose grief is as barren as mirth. The days are alive with music, the nights their pleasures decree; The vision the morning fulfills is the dream that the evening wore, And life is as sweet to the living as the flower is sweet to the bee, As the breath of the woods is sweet to the mariner far from shore. But singing and sweetness and laughter must vanish forevermore, As the petals fall from the flower, as the waters recede from the firth, When hopes no longer spring upward as larks in the morning soar, Then laughter is sadder than tears and grief is as barren as mirth. Friend, if shaken and shattered the shrine in the heart that is fain to adore, Then forsake the false gods that have held you and lay your pale lips to the Earth, That in her great arms she may take you and croon you her melodies o'er, When laughter is sadder than tears and grief is as barren as mirth. Today's book recommendation: Natural Selection: A Year in the Garden by Dan Pearson Dan wrote, "When it sings, a garden will have the power to transport and to lead you to a place that is magical. It is an oasis for creation, available to anyone with a little space and the compunction to get their hands dirty." In this book Dan compiled 10 years of his columns in The Observer,sharing all the year-round pleasures of the garden. During that decade he tended his own urban garden in Peckham, south London and then moved on to 20 acres of undulating Somerset countryside where he has set about creating a very different sort of garden, that sits cheek by jowl with the wilder landscape beyond. Ordered by month, and drawing together Pearson's evocative musings on his favorite plants, his design processes, and his evolution from childhood enthusiast to seasoned professional, Pearson's writings give us the chance to dip into Pearson's gardens as well as his design practice garden just south of the Thames in London and his many private commissions, too. Today's Garden Chore Order some box cutters for your garden toolkit. I ordered this really nice five-pack on Amazon. This week, I was reminded how useful a box cutter is when it comes to cutting sod along the edges of your garden or removing things like grass from the edges of your beds. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart When I was researching Francis Parsons, I discovered that her childhood neighbor was John Burroughs. Burroughs actually gave her the inspiration to write her wildflower book. Burroughs had been featured in a magazine article and he'd said, "One of these days, someone that will give us a handbook of our flowers." He even laid out how to organize the book. He said, "We shall have a list of all our flowers - arranged according to color, with the place of growth, and the time of blooming." Fanny was off to the races; she wrote her wildflower book which is been a model for all other gardening books that have come after hers. Here are a few excerpts: Of the Columbine, she wrote: "There is a daring loveliness which stamps it on the memories of even those who are not ordinarily minute observers." Of wildflowers... "Their lovely constellations make a little heaven on earth of the grassy places that have been brown and bare for months. They touch the heartstrings in much the same way as the early notes of the robin." and "The pleasure of a walk in the woods and the fields is enhanced a hundredfold by some little knowledge of the flowers which we meet at every turn." Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
I ran across a fascinating old journal as I was researching this show - what I especially loved about it was the layout. If you want to copy it here's what you do:
For instance, after describing Kalmia Angustifolia, it says this:
Doesn't that make for a very handy and personal reference guide for your garden? Brevities #OTD It's the anniversary of the death of one of the most eminent botanists of his age: Louis Claude Richard who died on this day in 1821. His great grandfather had been in charge of the menagerie at Versailles. His grandfather had been charge of the botanic gardens at Trianon. Even his own father was placed in charge of the King's Garden. A biography of Richard was featured in international Gazette in 1831. It said: "Louis Claude Richard was therefore born in the midst of plants; he learnt to know them sooner than the letter of the alphabet; and before he he was able to write correctly, he could draw flowers, or plans of gardens... He did not recollect a moment of his life in which be had not been a botanist; and if he ever engaged in other studies, botany was always the object of them." In 1781, he was the naturalist to the king. Richard sailed from France to French Guyana. Eight years later, when he returned to France, he brought his herbarium; which contained over 1000 plants. #OTD It was on this day in 1769, that Daniel Boone first laid eyes on the forests of present-day Kentucky. Boone wrote in his journal: "Not a breeze shook the most tremulous leaf. I had gained the summit of a commanding ridge, and, looking round with astonishing delight, beheld the ample plains, the beauteous tracts below." 30 years later, Boone left Kentucky and followed his son to Missouri. He was often asked why he left Kentucky. He always answered the same way: "Too crowded! too crowded! I want elbow-room!" #OTD It's the birthday of Fletcher Steele; an American landscape architect who designed over 700 gardens. He was born on this day in 1885. His most iconic work was nestled into the Hillside in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. It's called The Blue Staircase at Naumkeag. Steele designed the staircase for Mable Choate in 1926. She would become his most important client. She was 56 and he was 41. Choate had a history of working with designers and she knew how to collaborate with them. Steele was one of the first landscape architects to speak of plant material as one of the elements in a composition. It was Fletcher Steele who said "Gardening seems to be the most ephemeral of the arts." #OTD It's the birthday of the botanist Jack Harlan, born on this day in 1917. Harlan followed in the footsteps of his botanists father Harry Harland. He loved going on plant collecting expeditions - mainly in search of new genetic material for the USDA's crop breeding programs. Harlan was worried about genetic vulnerability and genetic wipeout Harlan said: "We MUST collect and study wild and weedy relatives of our cultivated plants... we cannot afford to ignore any source of useable genes." Harlan wrote those words in 1970. And one of his final works contain these words: "We will not and cannot find a time or place where agriculture originated. We will not and cannot because it did not happen that way. Agriculture is not the result of a happening, an idea, an invention, discovery or instruction by a god or goddess. It emerged as a result of long periods of intimate coevolution between plants and man. Animals are not essential; plants supply over 90% of the food consumed by humans." Unearthed Words Here's a quote from poet, sculptor, and artist Jean Arp who died on this day in 1966. "Art is a fruit that grows in man, like a fruit on a plant, or a child in its mother's womb." Here's a quote from Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who was born on this day in 1868. "Art is the flower - Life is the green leaf." Today's book recommendation: Fletcher Steele, Landscape Architect: An Account of the Gardenmaker's Life, 1885-1971 by Robin S. Karson Karson wrote this book back in 2003. The cover shows Steele's signature work: The Blue Staircase. The beginning of Karson's book includes Steele's most famous quote. He said, "The chief vice in the garden is to be merely... pretty." Today's Garden Chore It's another Photo Friday in the Garden. Water your plants and then go take pictures. I did this with my student gardener today. Her images of blossoms with water droplets on the petals were absolutely incredible. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart The First-Ever Southeastern Plant Symposium is taking place in North Carolina. Mark Weathington and Tony Avent are launching this event in Raleigh. They will be talking about cutting edge plants, new trends in gardening, and new plants selections that reinvent how we think about gardening. Today the event runs from 9 AM to to 8:30 PM and then Saturday, tomorrow, it runs from 9 AM to 4:45. So, if you're in North Carolina be sure to check this out. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
I made another trip to the garden center today; that's my fourth of this week. The reason I keep going back, is they're clearancing out the annuals already. When it comes to my garden budget, I try to be as frugal as possible with my spending on annuals. I'm not too picky when it comes to the types of annuals,I generally just try to find purples, pinks and whites. Today, I was getting annuals in the large pots for just $3 apiece. I was standing there filling up my cart while everyone around me was buying all of the full price annuals. Go figure. Brevities #OTD Today, June 6th, is National Gardening Exercise Day. As I mentioned in a previous episode, many people think of calming, relaxation, beauty, and food as the reasons to garden; but don't forget - it's a workout. So, go ahead and celebrate that workout on National Gardening Exercise Day today. #OTD It's the birthday of Andrea Cesalpino; the Italian physician, philosopher, and botanist, born on this day in 1519. Cesalpino helped establish botany as a science and he did great initial work classifying plants Unlike many of his peers who were classifying plans based on their medical properties or even alphabetically, Cesalpino classified plants according to their fruit and seeds. He also enjoyed the plant exploration. He loved to go out into the field collecting specimens for his herbariums. One had over 700 specimens that he dedicated to the bishop. It survives still today at the University of Florence in Italy. In 1583, Cesalpino wrote a book about plants and it is considered to be the very first textbook of botany. Unfortunately, Cesalpino included no illustrations in his book. He wrote that he didn't think they were necessary. One of the consequences of that decision, is that today, Cesalpino is less well-known than many of his contemporaries. #OTD And it's the birthday of Cleo Virginia Andrews better known as VC Andrews born on this day in 1923. Her most popular series of books all had a garden theme:
Out of that first series of books, Flowers in the Atticis the book that she, will forever, be known for. It is about four children locked in the attic of a very wealthy Virginia family and it just gets worse from there. #OTD Tonight from 6:30 to 8 PM Gordon Hayward is going to be giving a talk at the Westminster Institute and his lecture is called The Intimate Garden. Hayward,and his wife Mary, have created a garden around their 220-year-old farmhouse. For the past 36 years, they've integrated its design with the house and the surrounding landscape. Hayward's talk will be illustrated by slides and it will follow the itinerary of their garden and it's 14 rooms or spaces. As Haywardsaid, "It's a practical lecture. We both have our feet on the ground and a shovel in our hands." Haywardwas recently recognized by the Garden Club of America. Just this past May, he was named an honorary member. Hayward has designed gardens professionally for more than 30 years. He's written 11 books and authored over 70 articles on gardening. Haywardgrew up with his two brothers on his family's orchard in New Hartford, Connecticut. The orchard featured apples, peaches, and pears. Haywardsaid, "We worked as a family in the orchard for nine months of the year," he said. "Then for three months, from late summer into fall, people came to our barn to buy fruit. Our parents greeted everyone, engaged with everyone, and accepted everyone — there was no judgment of social class. I carry with me the openness and acceptance of their world, traits that have influenced how I interacted with students when I was teaching, and with clients when I became a garden designer." Unearthed Words It's the anniversary of the death of the poet Hannah Rebecca Hudson who died on this day in 1920. Hudson wrote a little book of homes in 1874. Here's a poem from Hudson's book called My Garden. My Garden It is set by fields of clover And sentinelled with trees, Hosts of sunbeams range it over 'T is owned by birds and bees. Larkspurs, leaning out of places Where bashful myrtles creep, Peep at monk-flowers' hooded faces And poppies gone to sleep. There are wild and headstrong briers And thistle knights and dames, Bloomless weeds, like jovial friars, Grasses with ancient names ; I am queen and lady in it, — Queen over leaf and flower; Crowned with sprays of purple spinnet, I own no higher power. Today's book recommendation: We Made a Garden by Marjorie Fish In the 1960s, Marjorie and her husband Walter, decided to transform an acre of wilderness into a stunning cottage garden. In the forward of her book, Marjorie says, "You mustn't rely on your flowers to make your garden attractive. A good bone structure must come first - with an intelligent use of evergreen plants - so the garden is always clothed." You can click on the link above to get this book on Amazon. Used copies are selling for a little over $3. Today's Garden Chore Add asparagus to the back of your ornamental beds. Asparagus is a plant that can just blend into the background. You won't even see it since you have to wait a couple of years before you harvest it. You can plant it in the back of your bed and forget about it until you can cut the spears sparingly in years two and three; then you can go to town after that. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart In 1923, the territorial legislature of Hawaii designated the Hibiscus as the floral emblem. In 1973, Hawaiian Airlines introduced its new corporate image. It included the state flower, the hibiscus, and the profile of an island girl. The symbol was named "Pualani" meaning "Flower of the Sky." Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
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