The Daily Gardener

Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community Historical Events 1669 Birth of Sébastien Vaillant ("Vy-yaw"), French botanist. Appointed to the King's garden in Paris, Sebastien loved organizing and cataloging plants. Biographical accounts say Sebastian showed a passion for plants from the age of five. His masterpiece, forty years in the making, Botanicon Parisienne, was a book about the flora of Paris. It wasn't published until five years after his death. Sebastian's work on plant sexuality inspired generations of botanists and set the stage for Linneaus to develop his sexual system of plant classification. Linnaeus used the male stamens to determine the class and the female pistils to determine the order. And like Sebastion, Linnaeus often compared plant sexuality to that of humans. Linnaeus wrote, Love even seizes... plants... both [males and females], even the hermaphrodites, hold their nuptials, which is what I now intend to discuss. Sebastian caused a sensation at the Royal Garden in Paris on June 10, 1717. On that day, he presented a lecture titled, Lecture on the Structure of the Flowers: Their Differences and the Use of Their Parts. He began by reinforcing the idea that the flower is the most essential part of a plant - essential to reproduction - and then he began to lead his scientific colleagues into a deep dive on plant sexuality - at six in the morning, no less. Before Sebastian's lecture, the topic of sex in the plant world had only been touched on lightly, allowing flowers and blossoms to maintain their reputation as pure, sweet, and innocent. Today, we can imagine the reaction of his 600-person audience as he began using fairly explicit language and the lens of human sexuality to describe the sex lives of plants. A 2002 translation of Sebastian's speech was presented in the Huntia - a Journal of Botanical History. Sebastian started his lecture with these words, Perhaps the language I am going to use for this purpose will seem a little novel for botany, but since it will be filled with terminology that is perfectly proper for the use of the parts ... I intend to expose, I believe it will be more comprehensible than the old fashioned terminology, which — being crammed with incorrect and ambiguous terms [is] better suited for confusing the subject than for shedding light on it. Sebastian's discussion of the plant embryos was rather poetic: Who can imagine that a prism with four faces becomes a Pansy; a narrow roll, the Borage; a kidney, the Daffodil; that a cross can metamorphose into a maple; two crystal balls intimately glued to each other, [Comfrey], etc.? These are nevertheless the shapes favored in these diverse plants by their lowly little embryos. 1742 On this day, Horace Walpole wrote to Horace Mann, in part describing his visit to Ranelagh ("Ron-ah-lay") Gardens in Chelsea. Ranelagh had opened just two days prior, and it was one of several pleasure gardens opened around this time. Horace wrote, Today calls itself May the 26th, as you perceive by the date; but I am writing to you by the fireside, instead of going to Vauxhall. If we have one warm day in seven, "we bless our stars, and think it luxury." And yet we have as much waterworks and fresco diversions, as if we lay ten degrees nearer warmth. Two nights ago Ranelagh-gardens were opened at Chelsea; the Prince, Princess, Duke, much nobility, and much mob besides, were there. There is a vast amphitheatre, finely gilt, painted, and illuminated, into which everybody that loves eating, drinking, staring, or crowding, is admitted for twelvepence. The building and... gardens cost sixteen thousand pounds. Twice a-week there are to be ridottos... [entertainment] for which you are to have a supper and music. I was there last night, but did not find the joy of it. Vauxhall is a little better; the garden is pleasanter, and [you arrive] by water... Horace must have come to prefer Ranelagh. He later wrote, It has totally beat Vauxhall... You can't set your foot without treading on a Prince, or Duke of Cumberland. Finally, it was Horace Walpole who wrote, When people will not weed their own minds, they are apt to be overrun by nettles. 1811 On this day, Thomas Jefferson wrote to his granddaughter, Anne, who was visiting her in-laws: Nothing new has happened in our neighborhood since you left us. The houses and trees stand where they did. The flowers come forth like the belles of the day, have their short reign of beauty and splendor, and retire like them to the more interesting office of reproducing their like. The hyacinths and tulips are off the stage, the irises are giving place to the belladonnas, as this will to the tuberoses etc. Thomas was not able to garden much during the summer of 1811. His arthritis had flared, and he found himself almost entirely bedridden. 1921 On this day, Kate Lancaster Brewster resigned as editor of the bulletin she funded and started for The Garden Club of America for its first six years. At the time of her resignation, Kate reported, Cost of Publishing the Bulletin (including postage) between July, 1920 and May, 1921 totaled $4038. Number of paid subscribers... 55 Number of lapsed subscribers... 21 2 Paid subscribers have become Members-at-Large. I Paid subscriber has become a member of the GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA. As for Kate Lancaster Brewster, she had a beautiful Italianate garden in Lake Forest, Illinois. She was friends with most of the prominent gardeners and garden writers of her time, including Mrs. Francis King (Louisa Yeomans King). When Louisa published The Little Garden Series, Kate wrote one of the books called The Little Garden for Little Money. Kate and her husband Walter were ardent art collectors and loved to travel. The couple helped establish the Chicago Art Institute. During WWI, Kate left her service work in Chicago, California, and New York to go to France. There, she assisted her friend, the indefatigable Mabel Boardman of the American Red Cross, with hospital work. Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation The Thoughtful Gardener by Jinny Blom This book came out in 2017, and the subtitle is An Intelligent Approach to Garden Design. Well, Piet Oudolf has high praise for Jinny Blom. He writes, The most romantic, creative person in garden design I know. So that's high praise right there from one of our top modern garden designers. Like Piet Oudolf, Jinny Blom is a force all her own. She's designed well over 200 gardens, and they represent a diverse range of garden styles - proving that Jinny Blom really is The Thoughtful Gardener. Now, one of Jinny's superpowers is to take a look at the current landscape, look at the setting, look at the surrounding ecosystems and communities, and then determine what vision best fits that landscape. And, of course, she has to throw in client desires and other challenges that might come up in the creation of that garden. And whether it's topography challenges or resource constraints, Jinny has indeed seen it all. Through her myriad experiences, she's come up with six different steps to help you become a thoughtful gardener too. Now I think one of the things that Jinny does almost unconsciously at this stage in her career is that she really thinks through what she's trying to accomplish in any given landscape. And I don't care what you're trying to accomplish; you will definitely do a better job of reaching your anticipated goals if you take the time to do your homework and truly think things through. The six different sections in Jinny's book are understanding, structuring, harmonizing, rooting, and liberating. Jinny also has another superpower that I think really helps her when it comes to her garden design skills, and that is that she can see gardens as they will look when they are mature, and that's a particular skill for garden designers. I remember the first time I interviewed the Renegade Gardener, and he said the same thing to me. He said that he was a successful garden designer because he could imagine what a plant would look like at maturity or in any particular setting in the future. And so he knew what to plant where - and how it would look when it was all grown up. And so his goal as a designer was not to make sure that the garden would look good immediately - although that was a temporary concern and a nice to have - he was more concerned with his ultimate goal, which was to be able to drive by these properties that he had designed, especially early in his career and see their mature beauty in the fullness of time. Jinny also has that ability. Now Paula Deitz, Editor of The Hudson Review, wrote the forward to Jinny's book. And here's what she wrote, Rare is the garden book, like this one, that makes the reader feel personally included as a friend in a long conversation with the writer. Like Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, whom she lauds for his estate management in the 18th century, Blom is herself a cultural geographer who scopes out the historical features of paths, gates and antiquated farm buildings on a given property prior to drawing up a plan that proceeds almost instantaneously, a process fascinating to follow. Whether in town or country, with either single or multiple garden areas, Blom establishes architectural enclosures, like Cotswold drystone walls, prior to the overlay of her signature, beautifying horticulture, thus creating what she calls environments for intimate experiences'. And that is the quintessentialJinny Blom landscape. Now, this is how Jinny herself describes this book. She writes, So this book is about how I've developed my way of working over the last twenty years in progression from apprentice to journeyman to master craftsman. It takes a long time and I've learned at the elbow of countless masters, not in a schoolroom. I choose plants with compatibility in mind, appropriate materials arise from their locale, and I consider the people who will live in the garden, the wildlife, the weather. I'd like to share some of what I think about when designing, in the hope that it kindles the fires of excitement in others. I've climbed a big mountain to get to this point and hope there's a view worth sharing. From the reviews of this book, the Amazon ratings, and the commentary by her peers, I can tell you that Jinny Blom definitely has a view worth sharing. She's hit it out of the park - out of the garden - with this beautiful book called The Thoughtful Gardener. You'll get to see images from so many of Jinny's gardens. You'll see her thoughtfulness and creativity in action certainly. But most of all, you'll get to know Jinny. She is funny and intelligent, and she thinks about plants and gardens and landscapes on a level that very few garden designers do. It feels like she's always one step ahead, and I think that's because Jinny does such a thorough job of researching and thinking about her garden designs - so that by the time you see the final product, it just seems so effortless. But I suppose that is Jinny's method behind the madness at the end of the day. This book is 256 pages of learning garden design with one of our modern masters, Jinny Blom. You can get a copy of The Thoughtful Gardener by Jinny Blom and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $16. Botanic Spark 1847 Birth of Edgar Fawcett, American poet. Edgar wrote some famous garden verses. He wrote, [A]ll life budding like a rose and sparkling like its dew. And Come rambling awhile through this exquisite weather Of days that are fleet to pass, When the stem of the willow shoots out a green feather, And buttercups burn in the grass! Edgar's poems often remind us of the value of all green living things. We say of the oak "How grand of girth!" Of the willow we say, "How slender!" And yet to the soft grass clothing the earth How slight is the praise we render. My favorite Edgar Fawcett verses feature trees. Here's one about lovers speaking to each other using the language of birds: Hark, love, while...we walk, Beneath melodious trees… You'd speak to me in Redbreast; I would answer you in Wren! Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.

• To have cut flowers for the house at all times.
• To have a mass of roses in the backyard.
• To have [flowers] in the garden all season.

Our lot is the average city size, fifty by one hundred feet. The house is twenty feet from the street line, where there are two large elm trees that shade the lawn and beds in front. While these trees are beautiful and we would not part with them, yet they are great deal of trouble, They require spraying each spring, and their roots fill ... the drainpipes, causing much annoyance and expense. I should never plant elm trees near flowerbeds or drain pipes. The backyard is surrounded by a five-foot board fence on the north and east and picket fence on the south. Climbing nasturtiums cover the picket fence, and [we want] to have climbers hide the board fence, which is covered with wire netting hung on hooks In case the fence is to be painted, the vines and netting can easily be laid down. A woodbine trumpet-vine and Clematis paniculeta are already established, The single tuberous begonias are the best bedding plants I know; they bloom all summer. Last year's hollyhocks were affected with blight; we have overcome that disease by spraying with ... One ounce of carbonate of copper made into a paste with one• half pint of water; slowly add one-half pint of strong ammonia water (twenty-six degrees}; water, nine gallons. Our spraying outfit consists of a wooden pail and whisk broom. The broom is far ahead of the ordinary syringe, as it is not so wasteful. The sweet-pea bed, or No. 5, is twelve feet long and three and one-half feet wide. Last year, by planting the peas four inches deep in the middle of October and giving them heavy covering during the winter, we had flowers on May 24th. Early in the fall the sweet peas and nasturtiums were removed to make way for the homemade cold- frame, with a second-hand sash that cost us one dollar. In this frame six by three feet are two hundred small plants of oriental poppies, foxgloves, cardinal flowers, and pansies, also three hundred cuttings of phlox, wisteria, hibiscus, snow-ball, althea, and roses. We have seventy-five rose bushes, mostly vigorous hybrid perpetuals. Last winter we carried over a number of hybrid tea roses by covering them with nail kegs filled with leaves, the kegs having one stave removed for ventilation. When the ground freezes, the rose beds receive a three-inch coating of fresh cow manure, part of which is forked in in the spring. Our greatest difficulty in gardening has been to keep the roses free from aphids. We have tried almost everything advertised but fall back on spraying with the hose. The roses receive weekly applications of liquid manure, two quarts to a plant, from the time the buds appear until they show color. It is usually applied after a rain or when the ground is wet, to prevent burning the roots. We have two piazza boxes. Last fall one was filled with snowdrops, scillas, chionodoxas and crocuses; the other with hyacinths and tulips; they were buried in a vacant lot near by, As soon as the ground thawed in the spring they were placed in position. The bulbs were succeeded by tuberous begonias. We have raised hundreds of hardy plants like cardinal flowers, foxgloves, Boston ivies, and Oriental poppies in small candy and cigar bases placed on the walk in the rear of the house. Tin marshmallow boxes are excellent for this purpose, as they hold moisture longer than wooden boxes. Our chief error in growing seedlings has been in giving them too much sun. WHY WE HAVE A GOOD LAWN We take great delight in the back lawn because we have overcome SO much in getting it into its present condition. The weeds are removed from the lawn at least twice a year. The grass is cut once in ten days and the clippings are not raked up. Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation Cultivated by Christin Geall This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is The Elements of Floral Style. This book is so highly rated on Amazon. There are almost 400 reviews, and this is a five-star book. I like to think of this book as a masterclass In floral design. The arrangement on the cover of this book is stunning. An excellent floral design book is so essential. It's a good thing to brush up on those skills - especially this time of year as we're wrapping up spring. We've got beautiful blossoms, like lilacs and peonies, and the roses are just starting to bud. And then, as we get into early summer, there is just an entire buffet of beautiful blossoms that you may want to cut and bring indoors. Just because you're a good gardener doesn't mean that you're a good floral designer or arranger. Like gardening, floral art is a skill that you can learn and get better at. Now I thought I would just give you a quick overview of how Christin has this book laid out. Because very quickly - you'll be able to deduce that Christin is truly a pro. She is a conscious-competent and when it comes to working with flowers. And that's precisely the kind of expert that you want. So Christin begins by talking about finding the flowers and the plants you want to work with. Now you can source many of these things right from your backyard or your patio as a gardener, or you can even supplement some of those with items that you forage or purchase when you're out and about. Then next, Christin has a section that she calls Gearing Up. Here, what she walks you through is everything from, Where are you going to work? (Do you have a potting bench or a room or part of your kitchen that you'll use when you're creating with cut flowers.) What are the vessels or the containers that you're planning on using? What are the tools you plan to use? (What Christin calls the mechanics). And then she has an entire section Where she talks about color. When I think about color, I think about both the art and the science of color. So if you're not good with picking colors, if you struggle with what color to paint a room or what colors to accessorize with, that struggle can translate into your work with flowers. Conversely, if you have a knack for choosing color or working with color, this section will be a slam dunk. But there is a science to it for those of us who struggle with color. And just like with gardening, you can get better and more confident in your work with color. Now two things I want to call out here that Christin talks about in her book that I think are especially helpful is she spends some time talking about two colors, in particular, which can be a true challenge for your work putting together floral designs. One is the color red. Red is such a bold color. And then the other color is green. While you might be thinking about green: how can green be a problem or a challenge? It's because there are different tones and shades of green, and believe it or not; there are times when the green you might be working with can conflict, get dragged down, or just be a little bit off with the rest of your floral work. So you do have to pay attention to the greens you're using. Now the following four sections that are covered in Christin's book, to me, are really where her expertise is. This is Christin in her wheelhouse. She talks about shape and shaping your work. There are so many ways to mold and take control of the form of your floral design. So I loved this section. And then she has one that's called learning from the past. And here is where she looks at garden history, and she looks at some of the best garden artists that have ever lived and how they composed with flowers. So she takes a look at, in particular at the Baroque style, what the Dutch masters were doing with their flowers and their flower paintings, the Rococo style, and SO on. Next, she features a little section on design, creativity and style, restraint, and constraint. And then, finally, she brings it all together by talking about how you can deepen your work: How you can know your why when it comes to creating with flowers. She spends a little bit of time talking about how to photograph flowers - a topic near and dear to my heart. Now I wanted to take one second here. And just share a little bit from what Christin writes in the introduction to this book. Christin is a gardener. She is a writer. She's a garden writer. And at one point, she found herself serving as a florist in residence on an estate in Scotland. And she had absolutely no experience as a florist. So, here's what she wrote. If you'd asked me at the time what I was doing in that shed in Scotland, the professor in me would have had an answer, but I myself might not have believed it: I was serving as a florist in residence on the estate. What does such a person do? I didn't know entirely, even after I pitched the idea to the owners and head gardener. They just let me get on with it, assuming I knew what "it" was. So I roamed around with a borrowed bucket and wheelbarrow looking for flowers to pick in the dark days of October. I begged vessels and an old folding card table from the house manager. I tried to put together color palettes. I sought out places to photograph my arrangements. And I silently questioned my every move. One thing in my favor: I knew plants. I'd spent thirty years learning about them, growing them, selling them, and loving them. So I made a deal with myself to do at least one arrangement a day, no matter what, and photograph it as best I could. I had no tripod, SO most of my pictures were blurry, and because of the latitude and time of year, there was very little light. I had no idea where my designs might take me from one day to the next, but no matter what, I got started. And that starting, that instinct to begin without a doubt, is what matters most. That's predominantly what this book is about-discovering how to see flowers. My magpie tendencies have thankfully suited me well; in this book you'll find color theory and discussions of fashion, form, and style but also ruminations on gardening and seasonality that I feel are fundamental to an appreciation of the art. This book is rated a best-of-DIY book on Amazon. It is 224 pages of a fresh and thoughtful guide to flower arranging for gardeners. You can get a copy of Cultivated by Christin Geall and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $14. Botanic Spark 1884 On this day, the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ("chai-kaaf-skee") threw out his work on Suite No. 3 in G major, Op. 55 - and began all over again. Weeks earlier, he had written in his journal that he had gone out to his garden and found inspiration for the melody. He wrote, In the forest and indoors I have been trying to lay the foundation of a new symphony but - am not at all satisfied.... Walked in the garden and found the germ, not of a symphony, but of a future Suite. Prone to self-doubt and angst, Tchaikovsky was tender-hearted and easily wounded by critics of his work. Tchaikovsky's most popular music was often written for ballets like Swan Lake (1877), The Sleeping Beauty (1889), and The Nutcracker(1892), featuring a favorite melody on many gardener's playlists, The Waltz of the Flowers. Tchaikovsky was a nature lover and a gardener. He loved flowers and spent much of his free time cultivating his flowers. He wrote in a letter on June 1 (13th), 1888. Just now I am busy with flowers and flower-growing. I should like to have as many flowers as possible in my garden, but I have very little knowledge or experience. am not lacking in zeal, and have indeed taken cold from pottering about in the damp. Now, thank goodness, it is warmer weather; I am glad of it, for you, for myself, and for my dear flowers, for I have sown a quantity, and the cold nights made me anxious for them....' Later that same summer, on July 25 (August 6), 1888, Tchaikovsky wrote his patron once more, The real summer weather has not lasted long, but how I enjoyed it! My flowers, which I feared would die, have nearly all recovered, and some have blossomed luxuriantly. I cannot tell you what a pleasure it has been to watch them grow and to see daily- even hourly-new blossoms coming out. Now I have as many as - want. When I am quite old, and past composing, I shall devote myself to growing flowers. Today, the Tchaikovsky House and Museum still stands at his final country home in Klin ("Kuh-lin"), 85 kilometers northwest of Moscow. Tchaikovsky loved his place in Kiln. He once wrote, It is impossible to suggest a better a more suitable way of living than in the countryside. After each new trip to Moscow I come to realize more and more how city life ruins me. Each time I return here I'm completely ill, but I immediately recover in my quiet corner. and Never before have I reveled so much in the beauty of spring, the awakening vegetation, birds returning home – in short, everything which is brought by the Russian spring, actually the most beautiful and jovial spring on earth. Tchaikovsky's garden was essentially an idealized forest garden - a little wild and wooly - with a winding path and a gazebo. Tchaikovsky loved wildflowers and woodland flowers. One of his favorite flowers was the lily of the valley. He even wrote a poem about it, telling his brother Modest that, like his musical compositions, he was "terribly proud of this poem." There he is! I pluck the wondrous gift of the enchantress Spring. O lily of the valley, why do you so please the eye? Where lies the secret of your charms? ...Your balmy fragrance, Like flowing wine, warms and intoxicates me, Like music, it takes my breath away, ...I am happy while you bloom. Fittingly, after Tchaikovsky's death at 53, his brother Modest planted lilies of the valley all around the garden at Kiln. Modest also grew other favorites enjoyed by his brother, like violets, forget-me-nots, and bluebells. Today, the garden also boasts roses, begonias, gillyflowers, phloxes, sweet tobacco, and a large statue of Tchaikovsky sitting on the end of a garden bench. You can get your picture taken beside him among the flowers. Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.

Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community Historical Events 1707 Birth of Carl Linnaeus (books about this person), Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician. Carl was a fan of flowers early on in his life. As a young child, his mother gave him flowers to soothe him whenever he was upset. On May 1st, 1753, the publication of his masterpiece Species Plantarum changed plant taxonomy forever. The work gave Linnaeus the moniker Father of Taxonomy; his naming system is called binomial nomenclature. Binomial means "two names," which in the naming game includes the plant's genus (which is capitalized or could be abbreviated by its first letter) and species or specific epithet (which is all lowercase and can be shortened sp.) If you have trouble remembering taxonomy, I like to think of it as a person's given name and surname, but in reverse order. Linnaeus's names live on unchanged and are distinguished by an "L." after their name. And it was Linnaeus himself who said: God created, Linnaeus ordered. There are many stories about Linnaeus, but I thought I'd share a few more-obscure stories about him and his work. First, Linnaeus' friend Anders Celsius created the Centigrade thermometer in 1742, with water boiling at 0 degrees and freezing at 100. Three years later, Linnaeus reversed the scale - sharing it in an article with the Botanical Garden at Uppsala University. Second, there is a memorable story about Linnaeus and the genus Commelina, the genus of the Asiatic Dayflower. Linnaeus named the genus after the three Commelin brothers, two of whom achieved much in botany and one who died young before amounting to anything. Linnaeus wrote: Commelina has three petals, two of which are showy — where the third is not conspicuous. Next time you see the Commelina communis or Asiatic Dayflower (with two large blue petals and one tiny white petal), you can remember the Commelins and Linnaeus' kind commemoration of the three brothers. Another fun story about Linnaeus involved a trip he took to Lapland when Linnaeus was 25 years old. Carl spent nearly six months there, and he came back with stories of an obscure part of Scandinavia few people knew existed. The expedition was trying, and Linneaus suffered from hunger, mosquitoes, freezing temperatures, near death from a rockslide and a gunshot wound. Through it all, Linnaeus fell in love with the Lapland. He even brought home a traditional costume complete with a magical drum as a souvenir from his adventure. Five years later, an obscure German painter named Martin Hoffman painted Linnaeus' portrait. And, guess what did Linnaeus choose to wear for the sitting? His Lapland costume (Of course!). In Hoffman's Linnaeus, a 30-year-old Linnaeus is seen wearing boots made of reindeer skin. He's also wearing an early version of a toolbelt. Suspended from the belt is a magical drum from a shaman, a needle to make nets, a snuffbox, a cartridge box, and a knife. Linnaeus is also wearing traditional Laplander gloves, and in his right hand, he holds his favorite plant: the Twinflower, Linnaea borealis. 1799 Birth of Thomas Hood was an English poet, author, and humorist. Thomas is remembered for his poems "The Bridge of Sighs" and "The Song of the Shirt." Here's an excerpt from his poem Song. 'Tis like the birthday of the world, When earth was born in bloom; The light is made of many dyes, The air is all perfume: There's crimson buds, and white and blue, The very rainbow showers Have turned to blossoms where they fell, And sown the earth with flowers. And here's my all-time favorite Thomas Hood poem, and it's called No. No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease, No comfortable feel in any member - No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds - November! 1843 Birth of Georgiana Molloy (books about this person), English-Australian pioneer and one of the first botanical collectors in Western Australia. Georgiana's life in the 1830s in Western Australia was one of extreme hardship. Her first child died shortly after it was born, and her only son ended up drowning in a well. After these events, Georgiana naturally struggled to find joy in her life. But in 1836, at the end of the year, Georgiana received a letter from a man named James Mangles. James was an officer in the Royal Navy and a naturalist, horticulturist, and writer. He wrote to ask Georgiana for help, and his request for botanical specimens gave her life new meaning. James had made arrangements for several people to collect for him in Australia. He was very strategic in that regard. But it also meant that James was uniquely qualified to review the work done by collectors in Western Australia before 1850. The result was that James was a huge fan of Georgiana's work. He once wrote. [Georgiana's collections] were full of pressed plants that were mounted and set out with delicacy and precision and carefully numbered showing great evidence of care and cleanliness in the sorting. Georgiana would have been delighted to know that many of the seeds she collected were sent to botanists and horticulturists worldwide, and they were found to be especially viable. Sadly Georgiana's life was cut short at the age of 37. After giving birth to her seventh child, she suffered for four months from December 1842 until her death on April 8th, the following spring. And when the English naturalist George Wailes learned of the death of Georgiana Malloy, he reached out to the man who inspired her love for botany, James Mangles. George wrote. Not one in 10,000 who go out to distant lands has done what she did for the gardens of her native country. 1905 On this day, Louisa Yeomans King (books about this person) recorded an entry in her garden diary, which became her book, The Flower Garden Day By Day. MAY 23. Sow seed now of the beautiful pale yellow oenothera ("ee-nah-THAIR-ah") (Evening-primrose), Afterglow, at the back of the border near Physostegia ("fy-sah-STEE-jee-ah ver-jin-ee-AYE-nah")(Obedient plant). A group of these two with Artemesia lactiflora (White Mugwort) and the little annual sunflower known as Primrose Stella, will make August well worth waiting for. Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation The Less is More Garden by Susan Morrison This book came out in 2018, and the subtitle is Big Ideas for Designing Your Small Yard. You should definitely check out Susan's book if you have a small garden. Right off the bat, when I saw the cover, I knew that I would love Susan's book, and you know, most people are small-space gardeners. Susan writes. In my practice as a landscape designer, most of the backyards that I design measure less than 2,500 square feet and layouts are rarely more than 40 by 60 feet. I no longer think of that as small, it has become standard. Interestingly while active gardeners are often concerned with fitting in everything, into a space that's generally smaller than the backyards that they grew up in. I am just as likely to hear from homeowners, more interested in creating a space that will be as simple as possible to maintain... no one wants another to-do list item, but most of us want backyard that's a refuge... [and] the shift in how we live, work, and play is what led me to develop the less is more approach to garden design and outdoor living. And here's how Susan defines as her less is more garden approach. She writes: At its heart, this approach to garden design means: Less space, more enjoyment Less effort, more beauty Less maintenance, more relaxation, and finally Less gardening-by-the-numbers, more YOU. This book is 225 pages of small-garden design with the less is more approach. You'll find practical and helpful advice, inspirational photography, and many creative and unexpected tricks to help you get the small space garden of your dreams. You can get a copy of The Less is More Garden by Susan Morrison and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $18. Botanic Spark 2021 Death of Eric Carle (books by this person), American illustrator and writer. Eric had a wide-ranging knowledge and love of nature. His early books include Nature Thoughts, Flower Thoughts, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and The Tiny Seed. Here's a quote from Eric's most memorable work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar: On Saturday, he ate through one piece of chocolate cake, one ice-cream cone, one pickle, one slice of Swiss cheese, one slice of salami, one lollipop, one piece of cherry pie, one sausage, one cupcake, and one slice of watermelon. That night he had a stomach ache. And it was Eric Carle who said, Whatever our eyes touch should be beautiful. In 2007, Eric Carle gave a commencement address at Bates College in 2007. He concluded with these words: Love your partner and tend your garden. Simplify, slow down, be kind. Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.

Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community Historical Events National Pick Strawberries Day Here are a few fun facts about this beloved sweet fruit: The etymology of the name strawberry (books about this topic) is likely a corruption of the phrase "strewn berry." This would reference the way the plant produced thanks prolifically to runners, resulting in berries strewn about the ground. Fragariaphobia is a little-known word and is the fear of strawberries. In terms of their uniqueness, strawberries are the only fruit that wears its seeds on the outside, and the average strawberry has 200 seeds. Strawberries are perennial and are members of the rose family. The strawberry flower averages five to seven petals. In terms of harvesting, strawberry plants are hand-picked about every three days. A single acre of land can grow almost 50,000 pounds of strawberries. California produces a billion pounds of strawberries every year which means that 75% of the American strawberry crop is grown in California - with Florida and North Carolina in the 2nd and 3rd place. As for strawberry quotes, the author Tsugumi Ohba, Death Note Box Set, wrote, If you keep my secret, this strawberry is yours. 1846 On this day, the Prussian botanist Ludwig Leichhardt (books about this person) wrote a letter to a fellow botanist about his impressive and arduous collecting efforts in Australia. For his part, Ludwig loved Australia. He wrote, I would find it hard to remain in Germany, or even in Europe, now. I [prefer] the clear, sunny skies of Australia. On this day, 1846, Leichhardt wrote a letter to his botanist contact and friend, the Italian Gaetano Durando, living in Paris. Ludwig's message conveys the extreme difficulties and dangers faced by the early plant explorers. He wrote, My dear friend, You have, no doubt, noticed and regretted my long silence... But you must bear this in mind, my good friend, ... it was not my lot to travel all at my ease... Gladly would I have made drawings of my plants, and noted fully all particulars of the different species which I saw; and how valuable would such memoranda have been... [as] four of my pack-horses having been drowned. Botanical and geological specimens thus abandoned — how disappointing! From four to five thousand plants were thus sacrificed... In the spring of 1848, Ludwig Leichhardt and a small group of explorers began what was to be a two- to three-year expedition across Australia. Shortly after starting the trek, the entire party vanished with barely a trace. Still known as the 'Prince of Explorers,' Leichhardt was 35 when he was lost to time. 1858 On this day, in The Flower Garden, Or Breck's Book of Flowers, Tulips at their peak per Joseph Breck A bed of late tulips is generally in its highest perfection about the 20th of May and may be kept in fine condition a fortnight longer, taking the trouble to erect an awning over them. I take up my Tulips about the 20th of June, and dry them undercover in an airy place, and, when dry, take off the offsets and plant them out, while the flowering roots are each wrapped in a piece of waste paper, and put away, in a box or drawer, in a dry place, until wanted to plant. One hundred different varieties, with their names and colors, reputed to be the very best, mabe obtained from Holland, at the cost of about $25; but I have found, by experience, that some of the rarer and most expensive sorts are not included. Very good border Tulips, including finedouble sorts, early and late, single, parrots, etc, may be obtained from 50 cents to $1 per dozen, and some of the common sorts at much less price. So there is some tulip pricing for you courtesy of Joseph Breck back in 1858. And just for comparison, I went out to brecks.com and priced some of their deluxe tulips. They sell eight tulips for $15. 1922 On this day, the sorority of Pi Beta Phi at West Virginia University held a party to celebrate the arrival of spring. In a report of their activities to the 1922 edition of The Arrow, the chapter wrote, The spring party comes on May 20. It will be a Japanese party, with lanterns, spring blossoms, and wooden programs. Present Day On or around this day in Blackville, South Carolina, that Cuke Season gets underway. The Encyclopedia of South Carolina (2000) says this about Blackville: Named for Alexander Black, an early railroad executive who shipped cantaloupes, watermelons, and cucumbers in large quantities by rail. During the "cuke" season, beginning about May 20, the town council employs an auctioneer to conduct daily sales, generally starting at 10 in the morning and frequently lasting until 6. At the auction, growers may accept or refuse the offered prices. Buyers are usually local produce merchants, though there are often purchasers from markets out of state. Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation Garden Maker by Christie Purifoy This book came out in January of 2022, and the subtitle is Growing a Life of Beauty and Wonder with Flowers. This is Christie's third book, and her books have to do with beauty and placemaking, sustainability, and love. Her first book is Roots and Sky: A Journey Home in Four Seasons. This book is about purchasing her beautiful property called Maplehearst in Pennsylvania. Her second book was released in 2019 and is called Placemaker: Cultivating Places of Comfort, Beauty, and Peace, and this is about creating a garden home for yourself. I view her latest book Garden Maker as part of this garden trilogy. In this very spiritual and inspirational book, Christie walks us through how to grow a beautiful garden and create your own little slice of heaven here on earth. Now, in addition to teaching you how to make a garden. Christie is a cut flower expert, and she's a master at creating beautiful bouquets and other arrangements. In this book, Christie teaches you some of her tried and true techniques and her easiest bouquet recipes. In addition to sharing her list of favorite shrubs - she calls these superhero shrubs. She also shares her favorite flowers - she calls these flowers of importance. And then last but not least, her favorite self-sowers in a section she calls self-sowing salvation. Now Christie is a lyrical writer. Her tone is super friendly and personable. When I read one of her books, I always feel like I'm reading something that a garden friend wrote for me. But best of all, and I think more important than any of her credentials, is her passion for plants and the garden because that comes through loud and clear in every word she writes in this book. I wanted to end this review today with a little excerpt from what Christie wrote in the introduction to Garden Maker. She writes, I grow flowers because cannot help myself. I grow flowers as if some magician at the center of the universe has cast his spell on me, and I will never want my old unenchanted life back again. In my flower garden, I am the weaver of stories. In my flower garden, am the composer of seasonal songs. Or maybe I am more conductor than composer. This garden of mine is certainly singing a song, but the song delights me, moves me, and surprises me. I cannot recommend flower gardening for the sober-minded. I cannot recommend it for those afraid of mysterious rabbit holes, who prefer to keep their two feet fixed firmly to a clean and solid, and entirely predictable floor. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend intoxicating moonflowers or romantic roses to anyone who values utility and efficiency and productivity above all. But for those who read fairy tales or cry at arias, for those who suspect that heaven lies just behind the veil of this everyday world, well, to those I say: Welcome to the garden. Welcome to this holy work. I understand if you are afraid. The thorns are knife-sharp, and the weeds are always waging their quiet wars. But here is the promise that has been made to each one of us: "Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy" (Psalm 126:5). Every garden is singing a song for the One who made us, and we are invited to sing along. Beautiful verse. And by the way, can you tell that Christie has a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Chicago? Yes, you can. She's a beautiful writer. This book is 208 pages of a love letter to flowers, plants, gardens, and garden making. You can get a copy of Garden Maker by Christie Purifoy and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $16. Botanic Spark 1804 On this day, Lady Holland sent home a parcel of seeds from Spain, and they were Dahlia seeds. The story was shared in The Complete Dictionary of Practical Gardening (1807): In the spring of 1805 all the parcels of seed were sewn, including four varieties of Dahlia. The Dahlia Rosea was the most handsome and produced plenty of seeds. And all the plants of 1805, except one, were taken up before Christmas and planted in pots or large pans. They were kept in a very cold greenhouse, and they began to push new shoots in the middle of April [the following year]. The genus Dahlia (books about this flower) got its name in the 18th century. Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl. Surprisingly after Lady Holland introduced Dahlias to Europe, many top gardeners thought the Dahlia was just too flamboyant to use in their gardens. But in modern gardens, Dahlias are beloved. Both the roots and the Dahlia flowers are used medicinally. The Dahlia is also the official flower of both Seattle and San Francisco. And if you're planning a wedding, Dahlias are the perfect flower for the bridal bouquet. In floriography or the language of flowers, the beautiful Dahlia represents commitment and everlasting love. Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.

Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community Historical Events 1780 It was on this day that much of New England was shrouded in darkness. In fact, many feared that Judgment Day had arrived And so this day became known as The Dark Day. During this day, the sun rose as per usual. But around 10 o'clock in the morning, the sky grew dark. So dark that there were reports of candle-lit lunches, and people stopped what they were doing to pray. The blackout spread from Portland, Maine, to New Jersey. Boston newspapers reported that chickens returned to their roosts after the darkness began, and animals returned to their places in the barn - even they knew that something odd was going on. Even General George Washington wrote about the dark day in his diary. The nature poet John Greenleaf Whittier (books about this person) wrote about the event in a poem. Twas on a May-day of the far-old years Seventeen hundred eighty, that there fell Over the bloom and sweet life of the spring, Over the fresh earth, and the heaven of noon, A horror of great darkness.' "Men prayed, and women wept; all ears grew sharp To hear the doom-blast of the trumpet shatter The black sky. Instead of Judgment Day, it's now generally believed that the darkness stemmed from a fire out west. And the following night, on May 19th in 1780, New England was treated to a full moon that was said to be as red as blood set against the night sky - a spring to remember. 1864 Death of Nathaniel Hawthorne (books about this person), American novelist, and short-story writer. In May 1866, Nathaniel's sister Sophia was writing about The Wayside landscape in a letter to her friend, Annie Fields. She wrote: There is a beauty in May which there is not in July. After these latter rains, the glory of tender and deep greens surpasses all words . . . the walks — the paths look so nice, and there is no knowing what enormity of sauciness the weeds will arrive at by July. In 1843, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote a crazy short story that not many people know about today. The story was about a mad scientist who becomes obsessed about removing his wife Georgiana's birthmark. And so the scientist, concocts a remedy for the blemish and creates a solution using the leaves of geraniums. As his wife drinks this potion, her birthmark does fade away, but in the process, the mixture also kills her. Thus, she dies a perfect unblemished woman. And that's the end of this little known and very bizarre short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. 1906 On this day, Country Life gave an update on the season of tulips. They wrote, The writer regards the season of Tulips as one of the brightest and happiest of the year. Daffodils still flutter in the wind, the first of the Roses are bursting their buds, and the whole air is filled with the scent of wayside of garden flowers. But it is the Tulip that gives the colour, splashes of crimson,scarlet, yellow, rose, white, and even black. A black Tulip is a reality, and is known as The Sultan. It belongs to the race called Darwin, but we prefer the homely name of the May or Cottage Tulip. Dusky as the firm, short segments are, they have weird, strange beauty, which is as fascinating as the clear crimson of the greatest of all Tulips, Tulipa gesneriana major, which opens its big goblets to the sun and discloses a pool of inky blue at the base. A few years ago the May Tulips were seldom seen, but persistent reference to them has brought about a revolution: so much so, that one greets the Tulip with much the same affection as the Daffodil which precedes it. We believe it was in the Royal Gardens, Kew, that the Gesner and other Tulips were first planted in large beds, and the effect of their glorious colour we shall ever remember, it was a novel sight... So there you go—an update on tulip season from 1906. And isn't it interesting to think about how tulips were perceived compared to the daffodil a little over a hundred years ago? 1934 Birth of Ruskin Bond (books about this person), Indian author of British descent. Ruskin's novels, The Room on the Roof and Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra, received critical acclaim and he's written hundreds of short stories, essays, and books for children. In The Room on the Roof, Ruskin wrote, I don't want to rot like mangoes at the end of the season, or burnout like the sun at the and of the day. I cannot live like the gardener, the cook and water-carrier, doing the same task everyday of my life... I want to be either somebody or nobody. I don't want to be anybody. From Rain in the Mountains: Notes from the Himalayas, Ruskin wrote, Yes, I'd love to have a garden of my own--spacious, and full of everything that is fragrant and flowering. But if I don't succeed, never mind--I've still got the dream. Finally, in his book, A Book of Simple Living: Brief Notes from the Hills, Ruskin wrote, Botanists have done their best to intimidate and confuse the nature lover. But we should not allow ourselves to be discouraged; we have as much right to the enjoyment of wild flowers as they. So I will disregard the botanist and I will go looking for the pretty flower that I have named Merry Heart. It is always nodding and dancing in the breeze. It is a happy flower, deserving of a happy, light name. Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation The Modern Cottage Garden by Greg Loades This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is A Fresh Approach to a Classic Style. This book is practical and inspirational - and if you are a fan of cottage gardens, then this is a book that you will want to have in your garden library. I love Greg's approach here because what he has done is come up with a blend between the New Perennial Movement and Classic Cottage Style - and he's integrated both of those concepts Into the looks that you see in real life gardens in this book. And so, as the reader, what you'll come away with are images of beautiful color in the garden, the use of grasses and native plants - in addition to Greg's thoughtful approach. Greg wants these gardens to be low maintenance and to offer many seasons of interest, which is the sweet spot for gardens nowadays. I will walk you through the table of contents, and then I'll give you a little excerpt from Greg's book. Greg starts with what he calls the roots of his book, which are both the traditional Cottage Garden and the New Perennial Garden. Greg takes you into a deep dive into both approaches. Then in the next section of his book, he talks about how to create a Modern Cottage Gardenn which, as I just mentioned, is a blend of both Classic Cottage Gardening and the New Perennial Garden Movement. So with Greg's help, you'll understand how to put together a gardener's garden - that's what he calls it - and how to maximize small spaces and incorporate Modern Cottage Gardening into your containers, which I think is such a hot topic this year. Now the back half of Greg's book is devoted to the seasons - so he walks you through Modern Cottage Gardening season by season. At the end of the book, there are fifty plant profiles, and these are Greg's go-to plants when it comes to garden design. But, right at the beginning of Greg's book, he introduces you to the Modern Cottage Garden. He writes, It is difficult to stick to one style in the garden, isn't it? Maybe this is because plants are alive, and as they grow, we get attached to them. So we can't let go of the plant that has survived three house moves. Or the large shrub that started life from a cutting taken from a friend's garden. This sounds so familiar. Doesn't it? He writes, Plants are memories. Plants can make us feel proud. Plants tell stories. And who can resist choosing new plants for the garden when they see them in flower in a nursery, even if they don't know where they will go or whether they are in keeping with what is there? I just experienced this exact scenario this morning. And then Greg writes, Let's be honest, who has a scale map of their garden, showing all the gaps, each time they find themselves looking at plants for sale? Then as we introduce unlikely plant partners to the border, we push the boundaries of traditional garden styles, whether by accident or design. And here is where Greg helps us get on track. He writes, This is, in fact, a good thing. The mixing together of plants from older garden styles is creating something special indeed: a new style that combines the best of the Traditional Cottage Garden and of the gardens of the New Perennial Garden Movement. For argument's sake, let's call it the Modern Cottage Garden. This is a gardener's garden. Its generous style is for gardeners who can't resist plants. Can I get an Amen? The spoke is 288 pages of the Modern Cottage Garden — encouraging you to grow plants that are new to you, try new combinations or new communities of plants, and enjoy the process of experimenting in your garden. You can get a copy of The Modern Cottage Garden by Greg Loades and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $9. Botanic Spark 1899 On this day, Lou Andreas Salomé (books about this person), the first female psychoanalyst and writer, and Rainer Maria Rilke (books about this person), the Austrian poet and writer, visited Leo Tolstoy (books about this person) in Russia. Now this entire trip was Lou's idea. She hoped that Tolstoy would be a mentor to her friend and lover, Rainer ("Rye-nur") Maria Rilke. Lou Andreas Salomé was a bit of a muse to Rainer Maria Rilke. Early in their friendship, Lou was the one who encouraged him to change his first name from René to Rainer. She also encouraged him to learn Russian and to read Tolstoy. And so that sets the stage for their meeting with Leo Tolstoy in his garden on this day, May 19th in, 1899. One account of the meeting goes like this: We no longer looked about us, but at him absorbing this landscape. Bending down from time to time to pluck, forget me nots with a quick motion of his cup tanned as if to snatch up the odor from the stem. He would then hold them close to his face and breathe them. Intensely consume them as it were. And then let them fall to the ground. Well, it seems Leo was more interested in his garden than in becoming a mentor to Rainer Maria Rilke. But the story doesn't end there. Rainer Maria Rilke fell in love with Russia - and for a brief period with Lou Andreas Salomé. And it was during his time in Russia, Rainer wrote one of his masterpieces: a trilogy of timeless poetry called The Book of Hours. Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.

Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community Historical Events 1735 On this day, a French expedition made the first attempt to transport cinchona trees to Europe. The scientist Charles Marie de La Condamine was the first man to describe the Cinchona tree, the scientist Charles Marie de La Condamine, was on the expedition along with the botanist Joseph de Jussieu. Their mission was to add the trees to a Paris collection, but sadly the trees were lost when they were washed overboard. Once Europe learned of the power of the Cinchona tree, they were eager to get their hands on the bark. Cinchona's name was in honor of a Spanish Countess named Ana, and her second marriage was to the Count of Chinchon. After the Count was given the job of serving as the viceroy of Peru, a station that oversaw the entire continent of South America, except for Brazil, the couple arrived in Lima in 1629. The following year, the Countess grew gravely ill with tertian ague. She suffered a fever that occurred every other day, the Governor of Loxa, Don Francisco Lopez de Canizares, sent over a life-saving parcel of cinchona bark. With the cinchona powder, the Countess made a rapid recovery. Eleven years later, when the Count and Countess began their return trip to Spain, they brought along a precious supply of the curative Quina bark for use with their people. They also hoped to introduce cinchona medicine to the rest of Europe. Sadly, Ana died during the long voyage home in Cartegena in December 1639. But Ana's legacy lives on in the medicine we know today as quinine. After her husband, the Count returned to Spain, the medicinal Quina bark powder became known as Pulvis Comitissa in honor of the Countess. And over 100 years later, Linneaus named the genus Cinchona in honor of the Countess of Chinchon in 1742. Linneaus should have called it Chinchona, but he forgot the "h." 1809 On this day, the herbalist and midwife Martha Ballard worked in the raised beds in her garden and recorded her annual spring gardening efforts. For 27 years, Martha kept a journal of her work as a gardener, town healer, and midwife for Hallowell, Maine. Today, Martha's great journal gives us a glimpse into the plants she regularly used and how she applied them medicinally. As for how Martha sourced her plants, she raised them in her garden or foraged them in the wild. As the village apothecary, Martha found her own ingredients and made all of her herbal remedies personally. As a midwife, Martha assisted with 816 births. In May of 1809, Martha worked in the gardens surrounding her house. She sowed, set, planted, and transplanted. On May 15, she planted squash, cucumbers, muskmelons, and watermelons. And on this day, May 16, she sowed string peas at the end of her garden. In Laurel Thatcher Ulrich's work, The Life of Martha Ballard, she writes, Martha's was an ordinary garden, a factory for food and medicine that incidentally provided nourishment to the soul. "I have workt in my gardin," she wrote on May 17, the possessive pronoun the only hint of the sense of ownership she felt in her work. The garden was hers, though her husband or son or the Hallowell and Augusta Bank owned the land. "I have squash and Cucumbers come up in the bed [on the] east side the house," she wrote on May 22. The garden was hers because she turned the soil, dropped the seeds, and each year recorded in her diary, as though it had never happened before, the recurring miracle of spring. 1861 On this day, Union Captain Jacob Ritner wrote back to his wife, Emeline. Jacob and Emeline exchanged marvelous letters throughout the Civil War that depicted their heroic lives on both the battlefield and homefront. While Jacob wrote with the tragic news of war, Emeline kept him apprised of their four small children and the challenges of maintaining the family farm. Emeline's news from home kept Jacob sane and anchored to the happier reality that awaited him after the war. Emeline often wrote about the garden and the landscape, proving that even news of a faraway garden can be anchoring and grounding amid hardship. And so, on this day back in 1861, Jacob wrote in his letter, Now Emeline dear, you must write me a great long letter next Sunday. Tell me all the news, how the trees grow, the garden and grass, what everybody says... 1918 On this day, the rose season began at Munstead Wood, the Arts and Crafts style home and surrounding gardens in Surrey, England, created by garden designer Gertrude Jekyll. Munstead Wood became famous thanks to Gertrude's books and articles in magazines like Country Life. Gertrude lived at Munstead Wood from 1897 to 1932. Volume 82 of The Garden celebrated the first rose to open at Munstead Wood on this day by reporting, The rose season begins. The opening the first Rose is always a source of delight. The first we have seen in the open this year was the pink Rosa rugosa at Munstead Wood on May 16. This is one of the oldest garden roses and is said to have been cultivated since 1100 A.D. in China, where the ladies of the Court prepared a kind of potpourri from its petals, gathered on a fine day, and mixed with Camphor and Musk. Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation The Secret Garden Cookbook, Newly Revised Edition by Amy Cotler This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is Inspiring Recipes from the Magical World of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden. If you've been listening to the show, I've been on a little bit of a cookbook kick lately, and cookbooks tied to literature. So this is continuing in that same vein with this great book called The Secret Garden Cookbook by Amy Kotler. Amy is a professional chef, caterer, and cooking-school teacher - and if you're a cookbook lover, you will truly appreciate her background in the kitchen. When this book came out, people were going crazy for the Toffee Pudding recipe that you can find on page 32. So that's just a little heads up. If you're a gardener, I'll point out that right at the beginning of the book is a beautiful picture of the Francis Hodgson Burnett Memorial Fountain. It's both a statue and a tranquil fountain filled with lily pads that depicts Mary and Dickon from The Secret Garden. It's located in Central Park in New York City, and it's just a gorgeous photo of this Memorial. Here's how Amy introduces us to The Secret Garden and the magic of food: She writes, Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden is about the magic of making things come alive. Mary, Colin, and Dickon all help the forgotten secret garden to grow again. ButMary and Colin come alive, too, through hard work, friendship, and good, nourishing food. When Mary Lennox first arrives atMisselthwaite Manor from India, she is thin,sallow, and unhealthy looking. But as she goes outside, skips rope, and works in the garden, her appetite grows. Colin, too, is sickly until he learns the secret of the garden. By the end of the novel, he is enjoying food as much as Mary. Pails of fresh milk, dough cakes with brown sugar, hearty porridge, fire-roasted potatoes-Mary, and Colin can't get enough of them! The children of The Secret Garden grew up during the reign of Queen Victoria... commonly known as the Victorian era. In those days, food took a long time to cook and serve. Even Mrs. Sowerby, Dickon's mother, though she must feed fourteen people, manages to find a little extra food for Mary and Colin when they experience the joys of eating. And that's what this book is all about; a hardy appreciation of good food. This book is 112 pages of fifty recipes inspired by The Secret Garden, and they're all updated for the modern kitchen and appeal to today's tastes. You can get a copy of The Secret Garden Cookbook, Newly Revised Edition by Amy Cotler, and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $10. Botanic Spark 1905 Birth of Herbert Ernest Bates (pen name H. E. Bates) English author. He once wrote, The true gardener, like an artist, is never satisfied. H.E. is remembered for his books, Love for Lydia (1952), The Darling Buds of May (1958), and My Uncle Silas (1939). The Darling Buds of May inspired a TV series in the 1990s. In his book, A Love of Flowers (1971), H.E. wrote, It is wonderful to think that one of the few unbroken links between the civilization of ancient Egypt and the civilization of today is the garden. And he also wrote, Gardens… should be like lovely, well-shaped girls: all curves, secret corners, unexpected deviations, seductive surprises, and then still more curves. Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.