The Daily Gardener

Today we celebrate the English poet who often wrote of the Natural World and the garden. We'll also learn about the man who coined the term "Landscape Architect." We'll read a letter written by a garden writer about the last flowers in her fall garden. We'll learn about the Canadian botanist and writer who had a marvelous column called The Note Book. We'll hear some relatable words about November from a gardener and writer. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book that helps you learn to become a market gardener and more self-sufficient. And then we'll wrap things up with a number one instrumental song about fall leaves. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to "Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast." And she will. It's just that easy. The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring:

• a personal update from me
• garden-related items for your calendar
• The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week
• Gardener gift ideas
• Garden-inspired recipes
• Exclusive updates regarding the show and more...

Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to [email protected]. Curated News How To Encourage A New Generation Of Gardeners | The News | Brian Kidd Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there's no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community where you'd search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events November 19, 1850 Today is the anniversary of the death of the English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson. Alfred was the fourth of twelve children in his family, and he became one of the most well-loved Victorian poets. Today, Alfred's walled garden on the Isle of Wight is still available for walk-throughs. Both Alfred's home and the garden have been restored to their former glory, and the property gets top ratings on TripAdvisor. And, here's Tennyson's most-quoted sentiment by gardeners: If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever. — Alfred Lord Tennyson, English poet November 19, 1895 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Landscape Architect Calvert Vaux ("Vox"), who died on this day in 1895. Calvert was born in England, but he came to the United States at the age of 24 to work on landscape projects with Andrew Jackson Downing. Together, they planned the grounds around the Capitol and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. After Downing's untimely death, Calvert named his second son Downing to honor his partner and friend. Calvert went on to work with many talented people during his career, including Jacob Weidenmann and George Radford. When Calvert Vaux came up with a public competition to design Central Park, he teamed up with Frederick Law Olmsted. While they worked on Central Park, Calvert coined the term "Landscape Architect" to describe what they were doing. Calvert said that his goal for Central Park was to, "translate democratic ideas into trees and dirt." Since Frederick and Calvert worked so well together, they continued to work on joint park projects like Prospect Park in Brooklyn, South Park in Chicago, and the New York Reservation at Niagara Falls. In 1895, at the age of 70, Calvert was living with his son in Brooklyn. Calvert developed a morning walk ritual, and he often visited Prospect Park. On this day in 1895, the weather was foggy, and Calvert decided to walk the pier along Gravesend Bay. Two days later, after his kids reported him missing, newspapers shared this description: "Missing since Tuesday. Calvert Vaux... four feet ten inches; medium build; gray hair and full beard; ruddy complexion; wore a blue overcoat with velvet collar, blue trousers, dark mixed undercoat, no vest, black derby hat; wears gold-rimmed eyeglasses; shirt has a name on it." The following day, Calvert's body was found in Gravesend Bay. Like his dear friend Downing, Calvert had drowned. At the end of November, the Statesville Record And Landmark out of Statesville, North Carolina, ran a tribute to Calvert that read: "Calvert Vaux was… one of the most famous men in the world.... [He] created Central Park [and] people who have [visited it from] all over the world say that no park… is so beautiful. But, the Brooklyn folks say that… Prospect Park is handsomer. Yet that, too, was "created" by Calvert Vaux. [Calvert] soothed nature's rough places and... brightened her attractive features. In Prospect Park, nature left little for a man to do. But Central Park is almost wholly artificial, and it's beautiful vistas of hill and dale, lake and wood, are largely the work of [Calvert] Vaux." November 19, 1934 On this day, the garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence wrote to her sister: "...The first of the week I picked the last of your red and yellow zinnias, just before the frost finished up everything. But Ithink gardens are just as pretty in winter. The winter grass is so fresh when you rake the leaves off the beds weeded and covered with compost, and ivy very green, and some sweet alyssum still in the path and that nice raked-up look and the air full of smoke and leaves falling. Nothing is so beautiful and sad as leaves falling. " November 19, 1937 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Canadian botanist and writer Julia Wilmotte Henshaw. Remembered as one of British Columbia's leading botanists, Julia studied for a bit with the botanist Charles Schaefer and his wife, Mary Schaefer Warren. This was a happy working relationship by all accounts until Julia published Mountain Flowers of America in 1906. The Schaefers felt Julia had profited from their work and beat them to publish it. But other perspectives point out that Julia was more driven, and she was an experienced author. Over time, Julia went on to publish two additional volumes on Canadian wildflowers. A founding member of the Canadian Alpine Club, Julia had a regular column in the Vancouver Sun newspaper called The Note Book. Her peers at the paper called her "Gentle Julia." Julia's weekly column is a delight to read even today and I tried to find some experts from her November columns. On November 28, 1934, Julia wrote: "A friend who walked through my garden yesterday and who had read in the "Note Book" last Friday the list of plants in bloom there, arrived at the house in an indignant mood and abraided me for omitting to say that the following flowers were also to be gathered: White California Poppy, Pink and Blue Larkspur, Large White Heath, Fuchsia, Thyme, Lobelia And Nasturtiums. Taken altogether, the garden is making a brave showing when one remembers that today is November 28. One thing I am sorry to note, all my best nasturtiums whose seeds should have Iain dormant till the spring, are already turned into little plants three inches high." And here's an excerpt from Julia's final column dated November 23, 1937 - just five days before her death: We have become so used to the "tame" mushrooms, grown in sheds and carefully reared for [year-round] sale, that October and November fail to any longer bring in their wake the old thrill of gathering wild mushrooms, the flavor of which so far surpasses that of the homegrown varieties, useful as the latter are in their steady procurableness. Fruits of the field have a flavor all their own, and one need not be a gourmet to appreciate the Wild Strawberry, Blackberry, Blueberry, Crabapple, and for their own special purposes the Sloe, Hip-haw, Wine-berry and Grape. Have you ever read these delightful lines from the "Heart of New England"? Oddly fashioned, quaintly dyed, In the woods, the mushrooms hide; Rich and meaty, full of flavor, Made for man's delicious savor. But he shudders and he shrinks At the piquant mauves and pinks, Who is brave enough to dare Curious shapes and colors rare? But the toadstools bright and yellow Tempt and poison many a fellow,' Nay! a little mushroom study Would not injure anybody. Unearthed Words "Like a chain letter, I will take a plant from this garden to the next and from the next garden to the one after that, and so on, until someday I am an old woman nurturing along with a patchwork quilt of a garden, with cuttings and scraps from every garden I tended before." – Amy Stewart, gardener, and writer, From the Ground Up Grow That Garden Library Mini Farming by Brett L. Markham This book came out in 2010, and the subtitle is Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre. Brett's book is a #1 rated five-star bestseller on Amazon. His book is practical and evergreen with tips for how to, as Brett likes to say, "provide 85 percent of the food for a family of four and earn an income." Brett covers garden basics like buying and saving seeds, starting seedlings, establishing raised beds, soil fertility practices, composting, dealing with pest and disease problems, and crop rotation. Brett also addresses self-sufficiency topics like raising backyard chickens and home canning. Brett is an engineer, a third-generation farmer, and a polymath in terms of his own experience. Brett runs a profitable, Certified Naturally Grown mini farm on less than half an acre in New Ipswich, New Hampshire. This book is 240 pages of DIY gardening and gardening for profit. I think it would make a wonderful gift for the holidays - especially if you need to find the perfect gift for someone interested in self-sufficiency. You can get a copy of Mini Farming by Brett L. Markham and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $7 Today's Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart November 19, 1955 On this day, Autumn Leaves by Roger Williams reached the top spot on the music charts. Autumn Leaves was Roger's most successful song and the first instrumental song to reach number 1 on the Billboard charts during the rock era. As a performer, Roger Williams was less flamboyant than Liberace. He was, however, a lifelong friend of Ronald Reagan. Roger played for so many presidents that he became known as the pianist to the presidents. For Roger's 80th birthday, Steinway made a limited-edition, $285,000 golden piano. The piano features Roger's signature and has an inscription: the lyrics and music for Autumn Leaves' first verse. The falling leaves drift by the window The autumn leaves of red and gold I see your lips, the summer kisses The sunburned hand I used to hold. Since you went away the days grow long And soon I'll hear old winter's song But I miss you most of all, my darling When autumn leaves start to fall. After today's episode, you should treat yourself and ask Alexa or Google to: "Play Roger Williams Autumn Leaves." The arpeggio-laden song conjures the quintessential image of Autumn: leaves letting go of the tree branches and falling to the ground. Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Today we celebrate the man who was a gardener and a poet and he inspired the trend toward the picturesque natural Landscape. We'll also learn about the Swiss botanist who specialized in mosses. We'll remember the birthday of the Father of American botany. We'll take a look back at a popular November fruit - I use it to make a traditional Thanksgiving salad. We salute November in the garden with wise words from a gardener and writer. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a beautiful book that will help you become a houseplant master. And then we'll wrap things up with a little note about Goldenrod and Asters. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to "Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast." And she will. It's just that easy. The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring:

• a personal update from me
• garden-related items for your calendar
• The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week
• Gardener gift ideas
• Garden-inspired recipes
• Exclusive updates regarding the show and more...

Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to [email protected]. Curated News What to Plant in a Winter Garden | Seattle pi | Rita R. Robison Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there's no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community where you'd search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events November 18, 1714 Today is the birthday of the poet and Landscape gardener William Shenstone, who was born on this day in 1714. In the early 1740s, William inherited his family's dairy farm, which he transformed into the Leasowes ("LEZ-zoes"). The transfer of ownership lit a fire under William, and he immediately started changing the land into a wild landscape - something he referred to as an ornamented farm. William wisely bucked the trend of his time, which called for formal garden design (he didn't have the money to do that anyway.) Yet, what William accomplished was quite extraordinary. His picturesque natural landscape included water features like cascades and pools, as well as structures like temples and ruins. What I love most about William is that he was a consummate host. He considered the comfort and perspective of the garden from the eye of his visitors when he created a walk around his estate. Wanting to control the experience, William added seating every so often along the path to cause folks to stop and admire the views that William found most appealing. Then, he incorporated signage and inscriptions with beautiful classical verses and poems - even adding some of his own - which elevated the Leasowes experience for guests. Today, a little bench at the Leasowes shares this verse from William: Here in cool grot, and mossy cell, We rural fays and fairies dwell. After his death, William's garden became a popular destination - attracting the likes of William Pitt, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. One of the main reasons that we know so much about William Shenstone is thanks to his neighbor Henrietta (Lady Luxborough). After having an affair, Henrietta's husband sent her to live in his ramshackle estate called Barrells. The experience was a revelation for her and Henrietta began to study landscape design. Even though he was 15 years younger than her, William mentored Henrietta and they corresponded about their landscapes and daily life. Over time, Henrietta began to do a complete landscape makeover at Barrells. And, she wrote to William: "I have made a garden which I am filling with all the flowering shrubs I can get… I have also made an aviary, and filled it with a variety of singing birds, and am now making a fountain in th e middle of it, and a grotto to sit [in] and hear them sing" November 18, 1806 Today is the birthday of a son of Switzerland, Charles Leo Lesquereux, ("le crew"), who was born on this day in 1806. Leo was born with a naturalist's heart. A self-described dreamer, Leo loved to go out into the forest, and he collected all kinds of flowers and specimens for his mother. Yet, when Leo was just seven years old, he fell off the top of a mountain. Leo was carried back to his home completely unconscious, with multiple injuries to his body as well as head trauma. Leo remained motionless and unconscious for two weeks. His survival was a miracle, yet the fall resulted in hearing loss that would eventually leave Leo utterly deaf by the time he was a young man. Despite the tragedy, nature still ruled Leo's heart. As Leo matured, he tried to provide for his family as a watchmaker. But, Leo found himself returning again and again to the outdoors. Eventually, Leo began to focus his efforts on peat bogs, and his early work protecting peat-bogs attracted the attention of Louis Agassiz of Harvard, who invited Leo to bring his family to America. When he arrived, Leo classified the plants that Agassiz had discovered on his expedition to Lake Superior. Then, on Christmas Eve, 1848, Asa Gray summoned Leo to help William Starling Sullivant. Gray predicted the collaboration would be successful and he wrote to his friend and fellow botanist John Torrey: "They will do up bryology at a great rate. Lesquereux says that the collection and library of Sullivant in muscology are Magnifique, superb, and the best he ever saw." Leo packed up his family and traveled to Columbus, Ohio, and settling near the bryologist, William Starling Sullivant. Bryology is the study of mosses. The root, bryōs, is a Greek verb meaning to swell and is the etymology of the word embryo. Bryology will be easier to remember if you think of the ability of moss to expand as it takes on water. Mosses suited Leo and William's strengths. Mosses require patience and close observation, scrupulous accuracy, and discrimination. Together, Leo and William wrote the book on American mosses. William funded the endeavor, and he generously allowed Leo to share in the proceeds. In 1873, Sullivant contracted pneumonia - ironically, an illness where your lungs fill or swell with fluid - and he died on April 30, 1873. Leo lived for another 16 years before dying at the age of 83. It was Leo Lesquereux who said, "My deafness cut me off from everything that lay outside of science. I have lived with Nature, the rocks, the trees, the flowers. They know me, I know them." November 18, 1810 Today is the birthday of one of the leading American botanists of his time and a member of Team Darwin, Asa Gray, who was born on this day in 1810. In 1857, Asa Gray received a confidential letter from Charles Darwin. In the letter, Darwin confided: "I will enclose the briefest abstract of my notions on the means by which nature makes her species... [but] I ask you not to mention my doctrine." Asa encouraged his friend to publish his work post-haste. Two years later, Darwin revealed his concept of natural selection in his book, "On the Origin of Species." Early adopters of natural selection, like Asa Gray, helped to advance the march of all science. It was Asa Gray who said, "Natural selection is not the wind which propels the vessel, but the rudder - which, by friction, now on this side and now on that, shapes the course." During his long tenure at Harvard, Asa established the science of botany and guided American botany into the international arena. He also co-authored 'Flora of North America' with John Torrey. And it was Asa Gray who said, "Faith in order, which is the basis of science, cannot reasonably be separated from faith in an Ordainer, which is the basis of religion." November 18, 1843 Back in 1843, cranberries were causing a sensation in towns and cities around the country. The New England Farmer shared a charming update on the demand for the seasonal fruit, saying: "Cranberries. This pleasant fruit is now received in large quantities from the West. The crops in the East are… cut off in a great measure by frost; ...no doubt Michigan cranberries will be eaten in the very headquarters of cranberries: Barnstable, Massachusetts. We had no idea, until today, of the quantity sold in this city. But within a few days, one house on Front street sold 250 barrels of cranberries from Michigan, at $6 - $6.50 per barrel. [The demand is] more than they can supply. Of the same lot, 300 barrels, went over the western railroad to Boston, and were there sold as soon as received." Unearthed Words Most people, early in November, take last looks at their gardens and are then prepared to ignore them until the spring. I am quite sure that a garden doesn't like to be ignored like this. It doesn't like to be covered in dust sheets, as though it were an old room which you had shut up during the winter. Especially since a garden knows how gay and delightful it can be, even in the very frozen heart of the winter, if you only give it a chance. — Beverley Nichols, garden writer, and gardener Grow That Garden Library The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing House Plants by Kay Maguire This book came out in 2019, and the subtitle is The Art and Science to Grow your own House Plants. In this book, Kew guides today's house plant gardener! If you feel like your houseplants are unhappy or if you feel you need a little upgrade to your houseplant know-how, this book is the solution. Kew shares insights into the plants that can handle neglect and the plants that need babying. Popular plants like cacti, succulents, and air plants are profiled. Kew also shares the houseplants that are prized for their flowers, foliage, fragrance, and even air-purifying abilities. Nurture your house plants and create a restorative escape using the tips and projects in this attractive guide. My favorite aspect of this book is the mix of botanical prints with modern photographs that share step-by-step instructions and inspiration. In addition to covering the basics of selecting, potting, general care, and feeding, Kay teaches you how to prune and propagate so you can make more plant babies. This book is 144 pages of beautiful advice and inspiration for houseplants and I think it would make a wonderful gift to accompany a little houseplant for someone in your life. You can get a copy of The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing House Plants by Kay Maguire and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $2 Today's Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart... November 18, 1881 On this day, Asa Gray received a letter from his botanical friend and colleague George Engelmann. Asa wrote him back in December: "My dear old Friend, It is shabby of me to wait so long in response to your kindly greetings, which were dated on my birthday, November 18. But I was very busy when it came, and hardly less so since, and so I let it get out of sight. Accumulated collections, [from] Lemmon, Parish, Cusick… have taken all my time up to now… And now I can think of getting at my "Flora" work again. First of all, I [need to finish] my manuscript for Solidago and Aster. Solidago ("sol-uh-DAY-go") I always find rather hopeful. Aster... is my utter despair! Still I can work my way through - except for the Rocky Mountain Pacific species. I will try them once more, though I see not how to limit species, and to describe specimens is endless and hopeless." Since Asa's lifetime, the Aster genus has been narrowed and now has around 180 species. Solidago's are commonly called goldenrods and there are nearly 120 species of them in the Aster family. Finally here are two fun facts about Solidago or Goldenrod:

• Medicinally, Goldenrod is extremely effective for treating Urinary Tract Infection.
• Thomas Edison made his tires for a Model T, that was gifted to him by Henry Ford, using rubber extracted from the Goldenrod plant.

Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Today we remember the momentous bursting of a peat bog in Scotland. We'll also learn about the botanist nephew of Benjamin Smith Barton. We'll honor a British Iris enthusiast and painter. We salute the poet known as the Canadian Keats. We'll Grow That Garden Library™ with a cookbook for gardeners. And then we'll wrap things up with the story of a Queen who helped expand Kew Gardens and was also a botanist in her own right. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to "Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast." And she will. It's just that easy. The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring:

• a personal update from me
• garden-related items for your calendar
• The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week
• Gardener gift ideas
• Garden-inspired recipes
• Exclusive updates regarding the show and more.

Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to [email protected]. Curated News 10 ways to rewild your outdoor space | Home & Gardens | Jennifer Ebert Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there's no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community where you'd search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events November 17, 1771 On this day, heavy rains caused the ancient raised peat bog known as the Solway Moss to burst over its earthen banks and flow down into a valley and cover 400 acres of farmland. The next day, Solway Moss covered the surrounding land with 15 feet of thick feculent mud. Solway Moss was a one-by-two-mile-long moss land growing since the end of the last Ice Age. The raised bog was an estimated 50 feet higher than the surrounding farmland. The living surface of the Solway Moss was a unique mix of bog cotton, sphagnum, and heather. The porous soupy surface hosted a few shrubs and standing pools of water. But the rotting vegetation created a dangerous quagmire that no man or cattle would dare traverse throughout the year. Over two hundred years before the Solway Moss burst, the English and the Scots fought over the land surrounding the bog in the Battle of Solway Moss. After the English victory, hundreds of Scots drowned in the bog as they tried to return home by crossing the moss hillside. Like a sponge, peat expands to absorb moisture when it gets wet. And, during wet months like November of 1771, the peat swells, and in this case, the peat swelled until it bursts. The incredible event was recorded in a journal: "A farmer who lived nearest the moss was alarmed with an unusual noise. The crust had at once given way, and the black deluge was rolling toward his house. He gave notice to his neighbors with all expedition; others received no other advice but… by its noise, many by its entrance into their houses…. some were surprised with it even in their beds. [while some] remaining totally ignorant…until the morning when their neighbors with difficulty got them out through the roof. The eruption burst… like a cataract of thick ink... intermixed with great fragments of peat... filling the whole valley... leaving... tremendous heaps of turf." November 17, 1786 Today is the birthday of the lawyer and medical botanist William Barton. William's uncle was 18th-century preeminent medical botanist Benjamin Smith Barton, from whom he learned his passion for botany. In 1809 William enlisted in the Navy as a Surgeon and immediately fought to improve his fellow soldiers' health. First, William tackled scurvy - the disease caused by a Vitamin C deficiency. William gave every sailor a lime or lemon. Thanks to William, permanent naval hospitals - complete with regulations and staff - popped up in port cities. And William was the first person to promote hiring female nurses to serve in naval hospitals. In terms of botany, William wrote his Vegetable Materia Medica (Medical Botany) of the United States in 1817. The book shared the botanical, general, and medical history of medicinal plants indigenous to the United States. In his book, William disputed false curative uses for plants. Specifically, William disputed alumroot or Heuchera americana as an effective cancer treatment, writing: "I do not believe that the Heuchera has cured genuine cancer: but… it has proven beneficial in [treating] some obstinate ulcers, which have been mistaken for cancer." William illustrated all the plants in his book, and his wife Esther colored many of his drawings. When his uncle Benjamin died in 1815, William assumed his post at the University of Pennsylvania. November 17, 1855 Today is the birthday of the botanical painter, plantsman, and iris enthusiast William James Caparne ("Cap-arn"). A close friend of the English daffodil grower Peter Barr, William made his way to Guernsey at midlife to become a full-time landscape and flower painter. When he wasn't painting, William was busy plant breeding in his nursery. His favorite flower was Iris. Before Guernsey, William and Louisa lived with their two children in Northamptonshire. After Louisa died at age 46, William left his children with his in-laws and made his way to Guernsey's quiet and tranquil island. Guernsey was a balm to William Caparne. The soil and climate were perfect for growing bulbs like daffodils and iris. And his friend and fellow iris breeder, Sir Michael Foster, wrote a letter to William with some free advice about breeding. He advised, "In hybridizing, be bold." Once William got established on Guernsey, he added an "e" to the end of his last name, and his daughter Winifred came to live with him. As his confidence grew, William went on painting expeditions, where he painted gardens all across Europe. In 1905, William found himself in the company of Monet at Giverny. Together William and Monet shared a love of flowers and painting - although they each had a slightly different chicken or the egg philosophy. Monet explained, "I became an artist because of flowers." William reasoned, "There could never be art without flowers." By the time William died in 1940, he was impoverished and almost blind. Still, William had introduced over two hundred new irises through his breeding efforts at his nursery. And William left his remarkable art collection of nearly 8,000 pieces of botanical mastery to Winifred. In 2005, Guernsey commemorated William Caperne with a stamp series featuring his beautiful floral paintings. Today the Caperne-Welch Medal is given to honor a Caperne specialty: new miniature dwarf bearded irises. Unearthed Words November 17, 1861 Today is the birthday of the Canadian poet and naturalist Archibald Lampman. Archibald loved camping and the countryside. The natural world inspired his verse, and he became known as "The Canadian Keats." Due to suffering from rheumatic fever in his childhood, Archibald's life was cut short, and he died at 37. Archibald is buried at Beechwood Cemetery, in Ottawa and a plaque near his grave is inscribed with his poem "In November." The leafless forests slowly yield To the thick-driving snow. A little while And night shall darken down. In shouting file The woodmen's carts go by me homeward-wheeled, Past the thin fading stubbles, half concealed, Where the last plowman follows still his row, Turning black furrows through the whitening field. Far off the village lamps begin to gleam, Fast drives the snow, and no man comes this way; The hills grow wintry white, and bleak winds moan About the naked uplands. I alone Am neither sad, nor shelterless, nor gray, Wrapped round with thought, content to watch, and dream. — Archibald Lampman, Canadian poet, and naturalist, In November Grow That Garden Library The Garden Chef by Phaidon Editors and Jeremy Fox This book came out in 2019, and the subtitle is Recipes and Stories from Plant to Plate. In this book, we get to go to the gardens of the world's leading restaurants, and then, we get access to more than 100 garden-inspired recipes. The forty chefs featured in this brilliant cookbook view their gardens as a direct extension of their kitchens. Now, what I love about this cookbook is seeing how vegetables are grown and used by top chefs from around the world. Even then, I have to say that the gardens and the dishes don't seem like a stretch for the average home gardener. Plot-to-plate cooking has never been so beautifully photographed. Plus, the chefs share their hints and tips on growing or using the produce, making this cookbook a font of inspiration. This book is 256 pages of garden-to-fork inspiration, and I think it would make a wonderful gift for the holidays. You can get a copy of The Garden Chef by Phaidon Editors and Jeremy Fox and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $13 Today's Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart November 17, 1818 Today is the anniversary of the death of the woman who was a patroness of the arts, an amateur botanist, a champion of Kew Gardens, and the wife of George III, Queen Charlotte. In addition to the astounding fact that Charlotte gave birth to 15 children, she was a fascinating royal. Born in Mecklenburg-Strelitz in Germany, Charlotte was the first person in England to bring a Christmas tree indoors to celebrate the holiday season. In December 1800, Charlotte selected a yew which was brought inside Windsor Castle and festively decorated. Charlotte brought the idea for the Christmas tree from her home country of Germany. George and Charlotte both loved botany. After his mother's death, George gained control of Kew and Charlotte set about expanding Kew Gardens. On the property, Charlotte had a little cottage installed along with a rustic cottage garden. Her daughter Elizabeth is likely the person who painted the attic room ceiling with nasturtium and morning glory. It's very sweet. Charlotte was quite serious in her pursuit of botany. She collected plants, and she had a personal herbarium to help with her studies. The President of the Linnean Society, Sir James Edward Smith, personally tutored Charlotte in botany, along with her four daughters. And, George and Charlotte both became close friends with the botanical tissue paper artist Mary Delany. And in a touching gesture, at the end of Mary's life, George and Charlotte gave her a house at Windsor along with a pension. When plant hunters in South Africa discovered the Bird of Paradise flower, it was sent to England and named for Charlotte's birthplace, Strelitz. The botanical name for the Bird of Paradise is Strelitzia reginae "stray-LIT-zee-ah REJ-in-ee." The early part of Charlotte's reign occurred before the American Revolution, which is why so many American locations were named in Charlotte's honor. There are eleven cities named Charlotte, with the most famous being Charlotte, North Carolina. It's no wonder that Charlotte, North Carolina, has the nickname "The Queen's City," and there's a 25-foot tall bronze statue of Charlotte outside the Charlotte airport. And, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina and Virginia are both named for Charlotte's homeplace in Germany: Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Charlotte died at the age of 74 at the smallest English royal palace, Kew Palace, at Kew Gardens. She had reigned for 57 years. Today, gardeners love the Japanese Anemone Queen Charlotte. It's the perfect plant for adding late color to the garden with light pink petals and golden-yellow centers. And it's really, really beautiful. Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Today we celebrate the man known as the "Pansy King." We'll also learn about the Anglo-Australian botanist who first described much of the Eucalyptus genus. We remember the American botanist who had a favorite plant he liked to use in the study of heredity - and it wasn't peas. We salute one of America's most popular naturalists. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book about one of my favorite gardeners, and ironically, she went by the name Bunny. And then we'll wrap things up with the woman who introduced the Dahlia to England. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to "Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast." And she will. It's just that easy. The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter

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Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to [email protected]. Curated News Revisiting Garden Dreams | The Daily Gardener 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. — Ruskin Bond, Indian writer, children's author, and novelist, Rain in the Mountains: Notes from the Himalayas Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there's no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community where you'd search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events November 16, 1964 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Swiss-born naturalist, florist, and plant breeder Denys Zirngiebel. After marrying his wife Henrietta, the Denys immigrated to America. Once he established a home in Needham, Massachusetts, Denys sent for his wife and little boy. Denys and Henrietta had four children. Their only daughter (also named Henriette) married Andrew Newell Wyeth, and their son was NC Wyeth, the Realistic Painter. During the 1860s, Denys worked for the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University. After purchasing a 35-acre tract of land along the Charles River in Needham, Denys started his floral business. An excellent businessman, Denys expertly marketed his inventory. Each week, Denys shipped flowers to both the White House and the State Department. In a nod to his Swiss heritage, Denys was the first person in America to cultivate the Giant Swiss Pansy successfully. Denys's Needham nursery grew so many Giant Swiss Pansies that the town adopted the flower as their floral emblem, and Denys became known as the "Pansy King." November 16, 1925 Today is the anniversary of the death of the botanist Joseph Henry Maiden. Born in London, Joseph immigrated to New South Wales, Australia, hoping that the climate would improve his health. Joseph quickly landed a job as a museum curator in Sydney, and he also married a local woman named Eliza Jane Hammond. During his time in Australia, Joseph made a significant contribution to understanding Australian flora, especially the Eucalyptus genus. After thoroughly studying Australian woods and essential oils, Joseph wrote his book called The Useful Native Plants of Australia. In 1896, Joseph was appointed the Director of the Sydney Botanic Gardens. In total, Joseph served as a botanist in Australia for 43 years. As for his Australian legacy, Joseph is remembered every September 1st, which is the first day of spring, also known as Wattle Day or Acacia Day. In Australia, the Wattle is a common name for Acacia. After appreciating their beauty and value, Joseph established the Wattle Day League, which fought to make the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha "ah-KAY-see-ah pik-NANTH-ah") Australia's national floral emblem, and he also worked to establish Wattle Day. Since the inception of Wattle Day in 1909, Australians have worn a Wattle blossom, which looks like a little yellow pompom in honor of the day. The Wattle blossom is also a favorite with pollinators. As plants, Wattles are tough evergreen shrubs and trees that can withstand Australia's droughts, winds, and bushfires. There are 760 Wattle species native to Australia's forest understory, woodlands, and open scrub. The common name Wattle refers to an old germanic term for weaving and the English craft of building with interwoven flexible twigs and branches. As the English settled in Australia, they often harvested Wattle (Acacia) and used it in their building construction. And here's a fun fact about Wattles (Acacia): Giraffes love to eat them. November 16, 1954 Today is the anniversary of the death of the prominent American botanist and geneticist Albert Francis Blakeslee. For his doctoral dissertation, Albert revealed incredible new facts about bread molds: bread molds can be male or female, and bread molds have sex. In 1937, Albert proved that colchicine caused chromosomes to double in plant cells, causing an outcome known as polyploidy. For plant breeders, polyploidy results in increased plant vigor and overall superiority. In addition to his work with fungi and colchicine, Albert studied the genetics of weeds. Albert was especially fond of the very poisonous and rank-smelling Jimsonweed plant or Datura stramonium ("duh-too-ruh stra-MO-nee-um"). One of Albert's friends once remarked that Albert had two great loves — his wife Margaret and Datura, and in that order. Datura is commonly called the thorn apple or the devil's apples, which gives a clue to Datura as a nightshade plant since nightshades were historically thought to be evil. The American lyrical poet and playwright Edna St. Vincent Millay threw some shade at Datura in her poem "In the Grave No Flowers," writing: Here the rank-smelling Thorn-apple,—and who Would plant this by his dwelling? Well, Edna's verse upset Albert, and he sent her a letter: "I thought I would write to you, and … answer... your question by saying that I would plant this by my dwelling and have done so for the last thirty years rather extensively. It turns out that this plant (Datura stramonium) is perhaps the very best plant with which to discover principles of heredity." A highly invasive plant, the Algonquin Indians and other ancient peoples regarded Datura as a shamanistic plant and smoked it to induce intoxication and hallucinations or visions. The name Datura is from an early Sanskrit word meaning "divine inebriation." Now Datura's common name, Jimsonweed, is derived from Jamestown's colonial settlement, where British soldiers were given a salad made with boiled "Jamestown weed" or Jimsonweed. For days after eating the greens, instead of quelling the colonial uprising known as the Bacon rebellion, the British soldiers turned fools, blowing feathers in the air, running about naked, and acting entirely out of their minds. Unearthed Words November 16, 1964 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Harvard botanist, Naturalist, Washington Post nature columnist, and author, Donald Culross Peattie, who died at 66. During his lifetime, Donald Peattie was regarded as the most read nature writer in America. Donald had an older brother named Roderick, who was a geographer and an essayist. Of his younger brother Donald, Roderick once wrote: "My young brother Donald was very skinny and quite philosophical. He took every faith but theosophy. He had a wonderful memory and a love of beauty, which still marks his life. Doubtless, he was a genius, but I thought him a pest." Here are some quotes by Donald Culross Peattie: Winter is a study in halftones, and one must have an eye for them or go lonely. — Donald Peattie, American botanist, naturalist, and author, An Almanac for Moderns, 1935 Limber Pines have a way of growing in dramatic places, taking picturesque attitudes, and getting themselves photographed, written about, and cared for... — Donald Peattie, American botanist, naturalist, and author A hummingbird is a feathered prism, a living rainbow; it captures the very sunlight. — Donald Peattie, American botanist, naturalist, and author If the Oak is King of Trees, then the White Oak is King of Kings. — Donald Peattie, American botanist, naturalist, and author Grow That Garden Library The Gardens of Bunny Mellon by Linda Jane Holden This book came out in 2018, and it is absolutely gorgeous and should be; every page is Bunny Mellon. When she was alive, Rachel "Bunny" Mellon's greatest love was garden design. Her husband, Paul Mellon, was one of America's wealthiest men. Together, Bunny and Paul maintained five homes in New York, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Antigua, and Upperville, Virginia. In addition to designing the gardens for all of her homes, Bunny designed gardens for some of her closest friends, including the Rose Garden and the East Garden at the White House and the home of Hubert de Givenchy. These gardens are all featured in Linda's beautiful book. In the book, Linda thoughtfully includes Bunny's garden plans, sketches, and watercolors (which I found fascinating) along with old photographs of Oak Spring, the Mellon estate in Upperville. And Linda had the gift of conducting extensive interviews with Bunny before she died in 2014, which gives her book an increased feeling of insight and authenticity. This book is 308 pages of Bunny Mellon and her Gardens, and it really belongs in any serious garden library. You can get a copy of The Gardens of Bunny Mellon by Linda Jane Holden and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $35 Today's Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart November 16, 1845 Today is the anniversary of the death of the English political hostess and flower lover Elizabeth Fox, also known as Baroness Holland. When she was 15, Elizabeth married Sir Godfrey Webster, who was 20 years her senior. After having five children in six years, Elizabeth began an affair with a Whig politician named Henry Fox, the 3rd Baron Holland, and she even had a child by him. Two days after divorcing Godfrey, Elizabeth quickly married Henry, and together they had six more children. A domineering woman to her husband and her children, and a zealous socialite, Elizabeth is remembered for introducing the Dahlia to England. In 1804, the botanist Antonio José Cavanilles ("Cah-vah-nee-yes") gave seed from the Dahlia pinnata to Elizabeth during her trip to Madrid's Royal Botanic Gardens. Once she returned to England, Elizabeth's dahlia was successfully cultivated in her gardens at Holland House. Twenty years after Elizabeth brought the Dahlia to England, her husband Henry included these words in a little love note: "The dahlia you brought to our isle Your praises forever shall speak; Mid gardens as sweet as your smile, And in color as bright as your cheek." Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Today we celebrate the German-American botanist who lost all of his botanical work in the Columbia River. We'll also learn about the man who started the Bartlett Arboretum. We'll remember the Agave expert who never wanted a desk job. And we'll take a look back at an article about the relationship between royalty and the number of plants they owned. We'll hear some inspiring quotes about the garden and the first snow. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a cookbook for gardeners by an American garden celebrity. And then we'll wrap things up with the story of a 1916 Chrysanthemum Show. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to "Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast." It's just that easy. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to [email protected]. Curated News Trees Are Time Machines | The Atlantic | Clive Thompson Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community where you'd search for a friend and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events November 13, 1843 Today is the anniversary of the day that the German botanist, Frederick Lueders, lost all of his botanical work. Frederick had been botanizing along the Columbia River in Oregon. For three years, Frederick had collected specimens across North America. He had just encountered the explorer John Freemont, when all of his work, which was secured in a canoe nearby, was drawn into the rapids. Frederick plunged into the river and retrieved his copy of The Flora by Torrey and Gray. The devastating loss was recorded in Freemont's journal who wrote: "In the natural concern I felt for his misfortune, I gave to the little cove the name of Lueders' Bay." For Frederick's part, the loss of his specimens was devastating. The loss of his instruments and his correspondence with Asa Gray and Dr. Englemann was almost too much for him. Frederick determined his best course of action was to return home. He traveled south around the tip of Chile and then onto England. It took him a full year to get back to Hamburg after his mishap on the Columbia. Frederick didn't stay in Germany long; he returned to America within the next year. By 1851, he had made his way to Wisconsin; he spent the rest of his life in Sauk City, and he dabbled in astronomy, but he also became a florist. A biographical sketch said that in his old age, Frederick Lueders was mainly devoted to his flowers. November 13, 1870 Today is the birthday of the physician, naturalist, and civic leader of the south-central Kansas town of Belle Plaine - Dr. Walter E. Bartlett. In 1910, Walter started the Bartlett Arboretum by purchasing 15 acres of land on the edge of a town called Belle Plaine - about 20 miles south of Wichita. The property had good soil, and it also had a little creek. One of Walter's initial moves was to dam up the creek and create a lake for waterfowl. In the flat expanse of Kansas, Walter was tree obsessed. He planted them everywhere - lining walkways, drives, and riverbanks. Walter was civic-minded. He enhanced the arboretum with a running track, a trap shooting area, and a baseball diamond complete with a grandstand. After Walter died, the park was managed by his landscape architect son, Glenn. Glenn had studied the gardens at Versailles - noting that they were transformed out of sand dunes and marshes. Back home, the Bartlett Arboretum had similar challenges. Glenn married Margaret Myers, an artist, a magazine fashion designer, a floral designer, a Garden Club organizer, and an instructor. Combining their fantastic skillsets, Glenn and Margaret turned the Arboretum into something quite beautiful. Together, they Incorporated tree specimens from all over the world. Using dredged dirt from the lake, they created man-made islands. At one point, the Bartlett Arboretum was the only Arboretum between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. Known for its beautiful spring tradition called Tulip Time, the Arboretum featured a tulip bed with over 40,000 bulbs. In 1997, the Arboretum was sold to Robin Macy. Macy was one of the founding members of the Dixie Chicks, and she is the current steward of the Bartlett Arboretum. Naturally, Robin incorporated music into the Arboretum. The Facebook Group for the Arboretum recently shared a register page from April 7th, 1929, and across the top of the register, Walter Bartlett quoted Wordsworth. He wrote, "He is the happiest who has the power to gather wisdom from a flower." If you get the chance to visit the Arboretum, you'll likely agree that the folks who tend the flowers and trees at Bartlett make people happy all year long. November 13, 1982 On this day newspaper shared a great story about the author of "Agaves of Continental North America," Howard Scott Gentry: "This elder statesman of the botanical world [is] a first-class charmer when you get .... to his subject;... his love for the wilds of Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico, ...the years he spent overseas as an agricultural explorer for the USDA, and how he gradually came to know more about agaves "than any other human being." After Gentry completed a doctorate in botany at the University of Michigan, he became a USDA agricultural explorer. Based in Maryland, Gentry traveled the world, locating, researching, and collecting plants for the government. During the time Gentry collected, the USDA was highly interested in plants in the agave family and the wild yam family, which contained compounds that seemed useful in treating arthritis. Because of his far-flung collecting (he traveled in 24 foreign countries), Gentry was regularly introducing (and writing about) new plants. It was high-profile work in the botanical community. Regarding his career, Gentry reflected: "I refused several times to become a desk man for USDA. It was a chance to cut out all the travel, but I told them, 'No, not me. I want to work with plants, not people. People are problems." November 13, 2010 It was on this day that Jane Powers wrote an excellent botanical history piece for the Irish Times. I especially loved this article because Jane correlated the number of bedding plants a person ordered during the middle of the 19th century and their corresponding personal wealth. Here's what Jane wrote: "In the heyday of bedding, the number of plants that a person displayed was a gauge of their wealth and status. According to the head gardener at the Rothschild estate at Halton in Buckinghamshire: it was 10,000 plants for a squire, 20,000 plants for a baronet, 30,000 plants for an earl, and 40,000 plants for a duke." Unearthed Words Thank goodness for the first snow. It was a reminder--no matter how old you became and how much you'd seen, things could still be new if you were willing to believe they still mattered. —Candace Bushnell, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sex and the City A garden is a love song, a duet between a human being and Mother Nature. —Jeff Cox, American garden writer Grow That Garden Library P. Allen Smith's Seasonal Recipes from the Garden by P. Allen Smith This book came out in 2010, and the subtitle is A Garden Home Cookbook. I fell in love with Allen's cookbook the minute I discovered that he makes his pie crust the same way my mom taught me to make my pie crust. That little connection won my trust. As one of America's best-known gardeners and garden designers, Allen celebrates every season with reliable recipes that showcase fruits, vegetables, and herbs at their garden-fresh best. Allen's debut cookbook features 120 recipes: 30 for each season. There's nothing outlandish or off-the-charts difficult here. Allen's appeal is that he focuses on the dishes that everyone loves to eat. My favorites include:

• Chilled Pea Soup with Bacon and Whipped Cream
• Salad of Asparagus, Edamame, Arugula, and Cheese
• Radish Top Pasta
• Aunt Martha's Corn Pudding
• Rosemary-Garlic Smoked Pork Tenderloin
• Parmesan Pecan Crisps
• Roasted Red Pepper Soup
• Slow-Cooker Lamb Stew
• Savory Rosemary Butternut Squash
• Tiny Orange Muffins

Another aspect of this cookbook that I love is that Allen shares delightful personal stories with every recipe. This book is 256 pages of easy-going recipes that utilize the goodness from our gardens and will make you feel like you're cooking with a trusted garden friend. You can get a copy of P. Allen Smith's Seasonal Recipes from the Garden by P. Allen Smith and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $4. Today's Botanic Spark November 13, 1916 On this day, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette shared a sweet little article about the 16th annual chrysanthemum flower show in Washington DC. Now, one of the guards at the show, who had been repeating, "Keep to the right! "Keep to the right!" all morning to the mass of visitors streaming into the greenhouse was interviewed for this article. And he made some fascinating comments about the show, like this one: "If you ever get the idea that people aren't interested in flowers, just give a flower show." After careless guests damaged some of the specimens, the guard wryly observed, "Sometimes people take entirely too much interest in flowers. If you don't watch them, they will break them off and take them home as souvenirs!" During the early 1900s, chrysanthemum shows were held annually in most large cities throughout the country. Regarding the DC show, the Pittsburgh Post reported: "The question everybody asks, pointing to a big white "Queen Mary" or a small lavender pompon is: Where can I buy seeds of such varieties as this? At the show, over 250 varieties of chrysanthemums were exhibited... The whole greenhouse was a riot of color, with yellow and lavender predominating. Interest in chrysanthemums is increasing every year. National shows have been held every season for the last 16 years, but there has never been such large attendance before." Great post. Wish we could turn back time...

Today we celebrate the Landscape Architect who had an affinity for boxwoods. We'll also learn about a passionate orchidologist who shared some advice back in 1972. We salute the English WWII code breaker who became a one-woman force for garden conservation and restoration. We'll hear a verse about the Hyacinth - one of my favorite spring bulbs… so fragrant! We Grow That Garden Library™ with an indispensable book about saving seeds. And then we'll wrap things up with the story of a Washington gardener whose garden advice was relatable, gentlemanly, and humorous. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to "Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast." It's just that easy. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to [email protected] Curated News Want a 20-second distraction from 2020? Here are some mesmerizing pictures from 1800s seed catalogs | Massive Science | Max G. Levy Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community where you'd search for a friend and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events November 12, 1957 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Landscape Architect Arthur Shurcliff. After receiving his degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, Arthur discovered the field of Landscape Architecture. Although the field was beginning to take off thanks to the Olmsteds, Charles Eliot, and the Chicago World's Fair, there were no formal degree programs for the field. As a result, Arthur cobbled together his own curriculum at the Lawrence School of Science at Harvard. All his life, Arthur had a lifelong love for the outdoors. He especially enjoyed camping, canoeing, scenery, and sketching. Looking back on his pursuit of Landscape Architecture, Arthur reflected, "All led me away from mechanics toward scenery, toward planning and construction for the scenes of daily life..." In terms of his career, Arthur will forever be remembered for the work he did at Colonial Williamsburg. The project at Williamsburg was funded by John D. Rockefeller and the mission was a total community restoration. The scope was enormous. Arthur had over 30 years of experience when he started work on the project on St. Patrick's Day in 1928. In addition to his Landscape Architecture skills; Arthur leveraged his training in engineering, his meticulousness, and his personal energy, and charm. It wasn't just the buildings that needed restoration; it was the land, the paths, the streets, the gardens, and green spaces. Arthur wrote about his daily quest to uncover the past. One entry said: "Wednesday morning saw me in the old-fashioned gardens in the heart of the town. These old places… now gone to decay are filled with a kind of golden glory which is lacking in the new gardens. The old lattice trellises, ruined box hedges, and even the weed-grown paths seem to have the glamor of the sunshine from the olden days." Every aspect of the town was fully researched. When it came to garden plans and plant selection, Arthur insisted that authenticity was paramount. For example, Arthur's team actually searched for original fence-post holes to determine the colonially-accurate backyard. It's no wonder that it took Arthur 13 years to finish the project. Arthur's signature plant was the boxwood which he called Box for short. Williamsburg required boatloads of Box and Arthur wrote, "In replanting Williamsburg places much use should be made of Box… even allowing it to dominate the parterres and bed traceries… Generous use of Box in this manner [will define the] display and [help with the] upkeep of flowers especially in the dry season..." Arthur's passion could get the best of him. The woman who lived at the St. George Tucker House, wrote this entry in her diary in January 1931: "Today I was asked to go over the yard with Mr. Arthur Shurcliff… I found him a very alarming person! Somehow the idea of changing the yard and garden is much more repellent to me than changing the house, and this is such a terribly enthusiastic man!" And, when Arthur returned in May, she wrote, "[He came] down like a wolf on the fold again today. He rushed in and out... with charts and plans for all sorts of alarming 'landscapes' in our yard. He has boxwood on the brain." Luckily for Arthur, his charm counteracted any hesitance caused by his exuberance. When Colonial Williamsburg was revealed to the public in 1934, Arthur's Colonial Revival style gardens — complete boxwood — caused a sensation. Soon, Revival Garden design appeared in suburbs all across America. Once the restoration was complete, Arthur Shurcliff had redefined Williamsburg. By reclaiming the past, Colonial Williamsburg found a path forward. And, thanks to Arthur's incredible efforts, Revival Garden design took its place in 20th Century Landscape Architecture. November 12, 1972 On this day The Greenville News shared an article called Orchidist Finds Hobby Versatile. The orchidologist was Gilbert L. Campbell. During six years of collecting, Gilbert amassed more than 300 plants - in addition to a library of orchid reference materials. Orchid lovers can grow orchids all year long indoors in their homes. When Gilbert's passion outgrew his house, he built a greenhouse and in a short time, he built a second greenhouse. Gilbert said, "Some orchidologists do grow their flowers in their homes... [but I advise against it. Growing an orchid is like being a fisherman. 'Some fishermen may be content to sit on the bank and fish, but most want to get out in a boat on the lake. It's a lot easier to grow orchids in a greenhouse [due to temperature and humidity control]. " As for why Gilbert had two greenhouses, his answer was simple: the cool greenhouse was for cymbidium orchids and the "medium" temp house was for the cattleyas. To show how significant the role temperature plays in growing orchids, the difference in temp between Gilbert's two greenhouses was about 10 degrees. Gilbert reported that, "A medium house has a minimum temperature of 55 to 60 degrees and a cool house has a minimum of 45-50 degrees." Finally, Gilbert advises plenty of fresh air. Gilbert's orchids are moved outside in summer and on balmy days throughout the winter. Gilbert says: "Orchids, like people, do best in a spring-like fresh-feeling atmosphere… Beginners should start with a few mature plants. Orchids like dry roots, so they should be watered thoroughly, then allowed to dry out." November 12, 2013 Today is the anniversary of the death of the World War II hero and garden historian and restorer extraordinaire Mavis Batey, who died at the age of 92. Mavis broke the German Enigma code, which allowed the Allied forces to stage their D-Day invasion. In the back half of her life, Mavis became a champion for forgotten, yet historically significant, English gardens. She also became a garden historian and writer, writing books on Jane Austen and Alexander Pope. In 1955, Mavis and her code-breaker husband Keith settled on a farm in Surrey. The property sparked Mavis's passion for Landscape history. After moving to Oxford, Mavis and her family lived in a fantastic park designed by Capability Brown. The park was also home to a garden designed by William Mason in 1775. Mavis recalled: "We lived in the agent's house, right in the middle of a Capability Brown park, but it was William Mason's garden that really got me. We had to cut our way into it. It was all overgrown, and garden ornaments were buried in the grass. I knew at once it wasn't just an ordinary derelict garden: someone had tried to say something there." Mavis Batey used her wit and determination to become a force in numerous conservation organizations and missions like the Garden History Society, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, and English Heritage's Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. In 1985 Mavis was honored with the RHS Veitch Memorial Medal for her invaluable work preserving gardens that would otherwise have been lost to time. Unearthed Words If you plant spring bulbs, I hope you remember to include hyacinths. The hyacinth is in the asparagus (Asparagaceae) family. Native to the Eastern Mediterranean, they grow throughout Asia Minor, Syria, Iran, and Iraq. Nowadays, the hyacinth is mainly grown in Holland. If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft, And of thy meager store, Two loaves alone to thee are left, Sell one, and with the dole Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul. — Saadi, Persian Sufi poet, in Gulistan (The Rose Garden), 1258 Grow That Garden Library The Seed Garden by Lee Buttala, Shanyn Siegel, et al. This book came out in 2015, and the subtitle is The Art and Practice of Seed Saving. The Seed Garden won the American Horticultural Society Award for Excellence In Garden Book Publishing and it is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to save seed that is true-to-type and ready to sow in next year's garden. This comprehensive book is a collaboration between the esteemed Seed Savers Exchange and the Organic Seed Alliance. Readers will learn the invaluable tradition of saving seeds for more than seventy-five best-loved vegetable and herb crops―from heirloom tomatoes and beans to lettuces, cabbages, peppers, and grains. I love the photos in this book - they are beautiful and relatable. The plant profiles are nicely laid out and the seed saving instructions are crystal clear - providing a thorough master class level presentation of the art, the science, and the joy of saving seeds. This book is 350 pages of indispensable and clearly written advice for growing plants and saving seed - and it's a beautifully illustrated resource to boot. You can get a copy of The Seed Garden by Lee Buttala, Shanyn Siegel, et al. and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $22. Today's Botanic Spark November 12, 1993 Today is the anniversary of the death of Washington Post columnist and gardener Henry Clay Mitchell. Henry wrote mainly about gardening and miscellaneous aspects of his daily Washington life. Pragmatic and humorous, Henry's garden advice struck a chord with his readers. His weekly garden advice was compiled into two bestsellers named after his column Earthman. A southerner and a gentleman, Henry found tranquility and restoration in his garden. Like most of us gardeners, Henry had his favorites. Of the Japanese Iris, Henry wrote, "[It's] a fine flower for anybody who thinks nothing can be too gaudy, too overstated, too imperial. I have known rednecks who adored it." A dog lover, Henry recognized his garden didn't exist in a bubble but was fully part of the natural world. Henry reflected, "Squirrels eat a lot of bulbs -- they are in heaven when they find the cyclamen and crocuses -- but they keep the garden interesting for the family dog... And besides, the squirrels are more attractive than the cyclamen probably would have been anyway." And, Henry's obituary in the Washington Post shared his love of gardening: "Gardening was a part of his life almost from the time he was born. When he was a small boy, he would pick up autumn leaves or pluck the petals from tiger lilies and admire them when his mother took him walking. He had a garden from the time he was old enough to work in it. He could rattle off the Latin names of perhaps 3,000 plants. He said, he learned about gardening because he was "passionately fond of flowers." The failure of such projects as grafting a carnation onto a prickly pear cactus left him undaunted." And, if you have a steadfast love your garden - warts and all - you'll feel a kinship with these words by Henry from his 1992 book One Man's Garden: It is agreeable to waddle about in one's own paradise, knowing that thousands of others have better gardens with better thises and thats, and better grown too, and no weeds at all… To know this and grin as complacently as a terrier who just got into the deviled eggs, and to reflect that there is no garden in England or France I envy, and not one I'd swap for mine: this is the aim of gardening — not to make us complacent idiots, exactly, but to make us content and calm for a time, with sufficient energy (even after bitter wars with bindweed) to feel an awestruck thanks to God that such happiness can exist. For a few days, of course.

Today we celebrate a botanist who gave us one of my favorite quotes about plant breeding. We'll also remember the fantastically driven woman who dreamed of providing blueberries to the nation… and her dream came true. We review some words about November by Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of the Anne of Green Gables series, as well as a charming quote about the sun by Galileo. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book on floral arranging with foraged cuttings that's both artistic and modern. And then we'll wrap things up with a fascinating letter from a Danish botanist working in Calcutta. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to "Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast." It's just that easy. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to [email protected]. Curated News How to Grow Dahlias | Hunker | Victoria Lee Blackstone Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events November 11, 1765 Today is the birthday of the Belgian physicist, chemist, botanist, horticulturist, and pomologist, Jean-Baptiste Van Mons. The name of the game for Jean-Baptiste was selective breeding for pears. Selective breeding happens when humans breed plants to develop particular characteristics by choosing the parent plants to make the offspring. Check out the patience and endurance that was required as Jean-Baptiste Van Mon's described his work: "I have found this art to consist in regenerating in a direct line of descent, and as rapidly as possible an improving variety, taking care that there be no interval between the generations. To sow, to re-sow, to sow again, to sow perpetually, in short, to do nothing but sow, is the practice to be pursued, and which cannot be departed from; and this is the whole secret of the art I have employed." Jean-Baptiste Van Mons produced a tremendous amount of new pear cultivars in his breeding program - something north of forty incredible species throughout his lifetime. The Bosc and D'Anjou pears we know today are his legacies. November 11, 1954 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Queen of Blueberries, Elizabeth Coleman White. Elizabeth grew up on her dad's Cranberry Farm in the Pine Barrens of Burlington County, New Jersey. When she was a little girl, Elizabeth would take walks to pick wild blueberries - you couldn't buy blueberries in stores. Over time, Elizabeth began to wonder about cultivating blueberries as a crop. Keeping her family's cranberry farm in mind, she figured blueberries would make the perfect offseason crop. Also, cranberries and blueberries both grow in highly acidic soil. To get started, Elizabeth asked local blueberry pickers to bring her the plants with the biggest berries, and then Elizabeth would transplant them into her father's field. She wrote: "I used to call them swamp huckleberries and thought [a blueberry] half-inch diameter - huge. They grew luxuriantly on the margins of our cranberry bogs, and as a girl, I used to… dream of a field full of [blueberry] bushes... I knew it was a wild dream." In 1910, the chief botanist at the USDA, Frederick Colville, was also working on blueberries at his summer home in New Hampshire. When Elizabeth read about his efforts, she reached out, and the two worked out a deal: Elizabeth would grow the berries, and Frederick would perfect the science. Elizabeth and Frederick successfully crossbred the largest New Jersey blueberries with the largest New Hampshire blueberries, and the rest, as they say, is history. Elizabeth said, "My old dream was but a faint shadowing of the possibilities. Now I dream of cultivated blueberries shipped by the trainload, - blueberry specials - to every part of the country. " It took Elizabeth five years to develop the first blueberry crop. Elizabeth's success increased the value of the New Jersey pine districts around her farm from 50 cents an acre to $500 an acre. Elizabeth's first harvest yielded 21 bushels of berries and netted $114. Today the US grows nearly 700 million pounds of cultivated wild blueberries, and the annual revenue is around $80 million. Elizabeth was very creative. After noticing how the Whitman chocolate Company packaged their chocolates, Elizabeth came up with the idea to use cellophane to protect and market her blueberries. The cellophane made it possible for people to see her blueberries - right through the packaging. And Whitman's ended up partnering with Elizabeth helping her source cellophane she needed from France. Finally, here's a little known fact about Elizabeth Coleman White: she was a champion of native plants. After she successfully fought to save the American holly, Elizabeth Coleman White helped found the Holly Society of America in 1947. Unearthed Words November is usually such a disagreeable month…as if the year had suddenly found out that she was growing old and could do nothing but weep and fret over it. This year is growing old gracefully…just like a stately old lady who knows she can be charming even with gray hair and wrinkles. We've had lovely days and delicious twilights. ― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Canadian writer and author of the Anne of Green Gables series, Anne of Avonlea The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do. —Galileo, Italian astronomer, physicist, engineer, mathematician, and philosopher Grow That Garden Library Foraged Flora by Louesa Roebuck and Sarah Lonsdale This book came out in 2016, and the subtitle is A Year of Gathering and Arranging Wild Plants and Flowers. An artist and floral designer, Louesa Roebuck lives in Ojai and has created flora installations from foraged and gleaned materials for clients like Vivienne Westwood, John Baldessari, and Alice Waters. Just flipping through Foraged Flora conveys the striking skill and intuition that Louesa brings to floral work. What I love about studying a Louesa Roebuck piece is how she deftly accomplishes each step in the process. Louesa is a master forager, and her artistic eye guides every stem and flower. In this book, Louesa shares a modern twist on flower arranging, and I love that she narrows her palette to locally foraged plants and flowers. Her creations are on a spectrum from humble to showpiece. Louesa lets aspects of her environment play along in her work - leveraging materials in season, plants at every stage of their development, and paying close attention to rockstar natives. This book is 272 pages of authentic foraged beauty that can be found no matter where you hang your hat. You can get a copy of Foraged Flora by Louesa Roebuck and Sarah Lonsdale and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $15 Today's Botanic Spark November 11, 1828 On this day, the Danish surgeon and botanist Nathaniel Wallich wrote William Jackson Hooker at Kew in London. Nathaniel served as the Superintendent of East India Company's Botanical Garden in Calcutta, India. From his post in Calcutta, Nathaniel was prepping a plant shipment for Hooker made up of over 300 ferns. And just to illustrate how the early botanists are just like everyday people, check this out. In his letter, Nathaniel begged Hooker to visit him, writing: "Can't you come over this or next month? Do try… I entreat you. One month's of hard work with you would be [like] two years to me." While he was in Calcutta, Nathaniel wrote a Flora of Asia. Today, the Nathaniel Wallich Memorial Lecture occurs every year at the Indian Museum in Kolkata on Foundation Day. Nathaniel founded the Museum in 1814. Nathaniel didn't stay in Calcutta. He spent the twilight of his life in London. Nathaniel is buried in Kensal Green cemetery in London alongside many prominent botanists - like James Edward Smith (a founder of the Linnean Society London), John Claudius Loudon (Scottish writer), Sir James McGrigor (Scottish botanist), Archibald Menzies (surgeon), Robert Brown (discoverer of Brownian motion), and David Don (the Linnaean Society Librarian and 1st Professor of Botany Kings College London). At Kensal Green, Nathaniel's in good company.

Today we celebrate a 17th-century Scottish botanist who used the structure of a plant's fruits for classification. We'll also learn about a mobster florist killed while working with his Chrysanthemums (Dendranthema grandiflora). We salute the American author and clergyman who gave us an epic gardener's quote about spring. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a swoon-worthy garden classic. And then we'll wrap things up by Celebrating National Split Pea Soup Week. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to "Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast." It's just that easy. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to [email protected] Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events November 10, 1683 Today is the anniversary of the death of the 17th-century Scottish botanist Robert Morison. A contemporary of the English naturalist and writer, John Ray, Robert helped to devise the modern system of plant classification by relying mainly on the structure of a plant's fruits for classification. After fighting on the losing side of the Civil Wars in Scotland, Robert left his home country to go to France, where he got a job as the Royal Gardens director at Blois ("Blue-ah"). Blois was foundational for Robert. The experience gave him a close personal understanding of a vast number of plants. Between his encyclopedic knowledge of plants in Scotland and France, Robert quickly became one of the most knowledgeable botanists of his time. Robert stayed in France for a decade between 1650 and 1660. Like many botanists of his time, Robert was a physician, and he served both French and English royalty as a private doctor. By 1669, Robert began teaching botany at Oxford, and he released his groundbreaking book Praeludia botanica, followed by additional valuable references like his plant history book and his book on herbs. Through these works, Robert voiced his criticism of the old ways of classification - which were based on habitat, the season of flowering, leaf shape, or medicinal uses, for example. Robert felt that his system could best be learned hands-on by observing nature day after day as he had in Blois's gardens. But Robert also thought that the proper way to classify plants had been revealed biblically in Genesis 1:11-12: And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good." Robert cast a long shadow on future generations of botanical leaders. He inspired the artist Nicolas Robert to pursue botanical illustration. And Robert's influence can be seen in this little story about the botanist John Wilson. By training, Wilson was a shoemaker and then a baker. But his heart was inclined toward botany. John was so intent on learning about botany that he almost sold his only cow to buy one of Morison's books. History tells us that the transaction would have almost certainly caused John's financial ruin had a neighbor lady not purchased the book for him. November 10, 1924 Today is the anniversary of the death of the mobster florist and devout Catholic Dean O'Banion. Dean bootlegged beer during prohibition, and he led a group of mobsters in Chicago known as the North Side Gang. At one point, Dean was making almost a million dollars a year from selling his beer and liquor. In 1921, after marrying Viola Kaniff, Dean bought a stake in William Schofield's River North Flower Shop near West Chicago Avenue and North State Street. Conveniently for Dean, Schofield's Flower Shop was directly across from Holy Name Cathedral, where he attended daily mass. The business gave him a front for his criminal operations, and the rooms above the shop served as the headquarters for the North Side Gang. At the same time, Dean had a lifelong love of flowers, and he was especially good at floral arranging. In a short while, Schofields became known as the flower shop that serviced all of the mob's floral needs from weddings to funerals. It's no surprise then that Dean's murderers used the guise of a mob funeral to plan his death. Dean had encroached on the south side territory of Johnny Torrio and Al Capone, and by so doing, Dean had signed his own death warrant. After meeting with Dean to scout the floral shop, three mobsters returned on this November day. They murdered Dean as he was working with Chrysanthemums. One of the men locked on Dean's hand in greeting as they shook hands, and the other two men quickly shot him in the head and throat and then again in the back of the head. The assassination method became known as the "Chicago Handshake," and Dean's death lead to a five-year gang war. Through the ages, chrysanthemums have been associated with death. In many European countries, including Belgium, Italy, France, and Austria, chrysanthemum floriography ("FLOOR-EE-ah-grah-FEE") is associated with death. In particular, White chrysanthemums are regarded as a funeral or graveside flower. November 10, 1956 Today is the anniversary of the death of the American botanist and plant pathologist responsible for eradicating crop diseases and so much more, Henry Luke Bolley. A son of Indiana, Henry was the youngest of twelve children in his family. He went to Purdue, where he was a student-athlete playing baseball and tennis. In 1887, Henry helped put together the first Purdue University football team, where he played quarterback. In their first and only game, the team lost to DePauw University. In 1890, after receiving his Master's Degree, Henry started teaching at the North Dakota Agricultural College, now North Dakota State University, as well as working as a botanist at the North Dakota Experiment Station. Henry was a dogged research botanist. Listen to these Henry Bolley accomplishments - any one of which would have been a lifetime accomplishment for most of his peers:

• Henry brought potato scab under control by isolating the organism responsible and developing an effective treatment.
• Henry authored North Dakota's 1908 pure seed laws and advocated for crop rotation.
• Using a formaldehyde treatment, Henry successfully defeated a fungus disease called smut that destroyed oat crops in the upper Midwest during the late 1800s.
• Henry worked with manufacturers to develop sprayers for crops, and he developed chemicals that would kill weeds but not harm the crops.
• Henry eradicated the fungus that caused flax wilt, which meant that farmers could grow flax year after year instead of only sporadic plantings on newly broken land. This work earned him the moniker, "Savior of the Flax Crop."
• In 1902, Henry brought back a hard red variety of spring wheat from Russia. Unbeknownst to Henry, his Russian hard red spring wheat was resistant to rust, and the plant breeder Lawrence Waldron used it to create a superior variety of American wheat known as Ceres.
• Henry created a disease-resistant Flax that more than sextupled US Flax production in just four years. By 1940 North Dakota was producing 31 million bushels of Flax.
• Finally, Henry discovered that barberry bushes harbored Black stem rust, which nearly wiped out North Dakota wheat crops.

In 1911, after Henry wrote an article and used the term "wheat-sick soil" to describe the over-planting of wheat, the Better Farming Association was formed by a group of bankers and businessmen who felt that Henry was threatening their profits from wheat farmers. The powerful BFA group acted quickly, and they installed a new director at the Experiment Station to do their bidding. In short order, Henry was stripped of his funding and locked out of his labs. The stalemate lasted for six years until the BFA-backed director finally resigned. In his life, Henry always managed to balance work and play. As he helped build the botany department at North Dakota State University, he also created the football program. It took him three years to recruit enough students to put together a team. And, there's a marvelous photo of Henry taken in 1935 when he played on the plant pathology softball team at the University of Minnesota. The image shows Henry at the plate, bat in hand, and behind him is the catcher, a man from the USDA, Harry B. Humphrey, who was an uncle to Senator Hubert Humphrey. After Henry died on this day in 1956, his colleague, Harlow Walster, gave a moving tribute to his old friend, saying that, "[Henry was] a fearless trailblazer who cut deep and lasting blazes in the forest of ignorance about plant diseases." Unearthed Words November 10, 1852 Today is the birthday of the American author and clergyman Henry Van Dyke. Henry gave us an epic saying that gardeners often quote about spring. The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. —Henry Van Dyke, American author, and clergyman Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there, except those that sang best. —Henry Van Dyke, American author and clergyman Oh, London is a man's town; there's power in the air; And Paris is a woman's town, with flowers in her hair. —Henry Van Dyke, American author and clergyman Grow That Garden Library The Private World of Tasha Tudor by Tasha Tudor This book came out in 1992 and is now a rarity. There are paperback versions that sell for over $500 on Amazon. Tasha Tudor is remembered as a beloved book illustrator for children's classic literature like A Child's Garden of Verses, The Secret Garden, and A Little Princess. Beyond creating her utterly charming vignettes, Tasha lived an unconventional life. In today's book, The Private World, Tasha Tudor opens the door to her nostalgic home and garden, sharing the austere 1800's-style country life she made for herself on a farm in Vermont. And, here's a little known fact about Tasha: she learned to love gardening from Alexander Graham Bell. Tasha raised her four children without electricity or running water. Rejecting the modern world, Tasha even wore 1800's clothing complete with petticoats and shawls. Tasha raised a small menagerie on her farm, and nothing gave her greater satisfaction than her sprawling garden. Tasha's love for her garden was evident in her many illustrations; she managed to sprinkle scenes from her garden into many of her delightful books - beginning with her 1938 debut Pumpkin Moonshine. This book is 134 pages of simple living with the charming Tasha Tudor. You can get a copy of The Private World of Tasha Tudor by Tasha Tudor and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $35 Today's Botanic Spark November 10, 1969 The Pulse Growers Association established the second week of November as National Split Pea Soup Week in America. During the 19th century, the humble Split Pea Soup was started in New England. Most recipes incorporate ham or a ham bone. I like to make a thinner, brothy version during the summer and a thicker, heartier soup in winter. Warm split peas are also excellent piled on top of avocado toast so give that a try if you're looking for something fun to make with split peas. Here's Ina Garten's Recipe for Split Pea Soup. My only suggestion, cooking for three growing boys, is to saute the onions and garlic with bacon and serve it with fresh parmesan and croutons. This recipe takes just 10 minutes to make, and it's a perfect soup to make in your slow cooker. Parker's Split Pea Soup by Ina Garten 1 cup chopped yellow onions 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/8 cup good olive oil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots) 1 cup medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 small) 1 pound dried split green peas 8 cups chicken stock or water In a 4-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 pound of split peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking. Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Today we celebrate a forgotten West Chester nurseryman and entrepreneur who pioneered the mail-order plant business. We'll also learn about the Russian botanist who made a startling discovery from the sap of diseased tobacco plants. We salute the Welsh poet and writer who died on this day in 1953 after drinking 18 straight martinis. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a really lovely book on garden design - it's one of my favorites. And then we'll wrap things up with some words on the natural world from an American astronomer. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to "Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast." It's just that easy. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to [email protected] Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events November 9, 1832 Today is the birthday of the West Chester Pennsylvania nurseryman, entrepreneur, and Quaker, Josiah Hoopes. Josiah loved nature from an early age. As a young man, Josiah had a desire to propagate and sell plants. After his 30th birthday, Josiah built a greenhouse on his father's property. Within a few years, Josiah's growing customer base prompted him to start his nursery, named Cherry Hill Nurseries. Over time, Cherry Hill grew to be known as Hoopes, Bro., and Thomas (HB&T) after Josiah recruited his brother Abner and his neighbor, an accountant named George B. Thomas. With its gravelly loam soil, West Chester has cultivated some important botanical figures through the years. The West Chester botanists David Townsend and Dr. William Darlington were lifelong friends with Josiah. Together, the three men founded Marshall Square Park, named after the colonial botanist Humphry Marshall. The three men also worked on cataloging the trees and plants in their home county. Now, for their efforts, the town appointed all three men to form the first park committee. Later, Josiah (who was younger than the other men) was tasked with improving the park. Josiah added flower beds and walking paths - as well as an extraordinary amount of "resting stations." A history of the park shared that at one point, the park had 70 benches - 50 more than today's total count. And today, in Josiah's hometown, the 16-acre Hoopes Park is named for Josiah. He served as that park's original park supervisor. In addition to his local efforts, Josiah became nationally known when he developed a way to ship his nursery stock by railroad. Using moss and paper to wrap his plants, Josiah began to hire salesmen to market his plants and trees across the country. After securing a contract with the federal government, Josiah's nursery shipped trees and shrubs to all the national cemeteries. Within a decade, H B&T became the largest commercial grower in America. Before the turn of the century, HB&T was shipping plants to Europe, Australia, and the West Indian Islands. They even had a sales rep stationed in Mexico. By 1913, the nursery occupied over a thousand acres, and it even offered a pleasure garden with a boardwalk for the locals - complete with manicured shrubs in the shape of spears and a Maltese cross. One newspaper reported, "There is no more attractive place in our borough than the grounds of this firm, including their private residences adjoining, and we as a people owe them a vote of thanks for the privilege extended us in visiting them." Josiah had a special love for trees. At Hoopes, Josiah's fruit trees were a top seller, appealing to new homeowners in America's growing suburbs. An 1870's record book shows old order sheets with the words "send at once" and "immediately" handwritten on the receipt. After mastering packaging and shipping, the nursery could boast of sales to nearly every state in the union, and customers even included President Grover Cleveland at the White House. And, by the late 1800s, the nursery was the number one grower of peach trees. Like his friend Townsend, Josiah's botanical writing was geared toward encouraging a love for growing plants and trees. Josiah regularly wrote botanical articles for the New York Tribune, and he also wrote a book called Book of Evergreens. In terms of posterity, Asa Gray named the plant Hymenoxys hoopesii (ii = "ee-eye") commonly known as Owl's Claws for Josiah Hoopes. This plant is a marvelous native mountain wildflower offering large golden-yellow flowers all summer long. The bloom is made up of long, drooping petals (resembling owl's claws) and a button-like center cone. Josiah Hoopes died on January 16, 1904. HB&T closed for good in the 1940s. November 9, 1864 Today is the birthday of the Russian Botanist Dmitry Ivanovsky. In 1892, Dmitry researched the cause of an infection called "Wildfire" in tobacco plants in Crimea. Dmitry made a startling discovery when he learned that even after running through a filter, sap from an infected plant could still infect healthy plants. Dmitry's testing led to the realization that the cause was something smaller than bacteria. Years later, Martinus Beijerinck ("BY-ah-rink") would call the filtered, infectious substance a "virus," and Dmitry's infection is now known as the tobacco mosaic virus. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we owe a debt of gratitude to botanists like Dmitry Ivanovsky and Martinus Beijerinck ("BY-ah-rink") and all the rest of the virology pioneers. Unearthed Words November 9, 1953 Here's a quote from the Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas, who died on this day in 1953 at the Chelsea Hotel in New York. He had consumed 18 straight martinis. Nothing grows in our garden, only washing. And babies. ― Dylan Thomas, Welsh poet and writer Grow That Garden Library Urban Garden Design by Kate Gould This book came out in 2019, and the subtitle is Transform your outdoor space into a beautiful and practical escape. In this book, the award-winning garden designer Kate Gould offers refined solutions and crazy-good ideas for urban gardens. I appreciate Kate because she loves the challenge of small spaces, and she is a total maximizer in terms of her approach to design and plant selection. Kate is also passionate about helping her clients create a garden that is both personal and unique. And one of Kate's superpowers is connecting the outside design back to the home's interior to create a cohesive feel. This book is a stunning guide for gardeners keen to transform small and awkward outdoor spaces into beautiful and practical spaces. This book is 176 pages of spot-on guidance for gardeners who want to transform their little piece of heaven in the city into a private escape from the world. You can get a copy of Urban Garden Design by Kate Gould and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $4 Today's Botanic Spark November 9, 1934 Today is the birthday of the American astronomer, astrophysicist, and author Carl Sagan, born on this day in Brooklyn, New York. Carl helped explain space to the masses through his articles, books, and popular public television series "Cosmos." Here on earth, gardeners delight in his words about the natural world. We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever. — Carl Sagan, American astronomer, astrophysicist, and author A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called "leaves") imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time ― proof that humans can work magic. — Carl Sagan, American astronomer, astrophysicist, and author The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff. ― Carl Sagan, American astronomer, astrophysicist, and author, Cosmos

Today we celebrate a son of France who developed the first natural classification of flowering plants. We'll also learn about the young female garden writer who teamed up with an Australian botanical illustrator and turned out some fabulous garden classics. We salute the English Poet Laureate who wrote inspiringly about gardens. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a tour book of American Gardens that was just released this past week. And then we'll wrap things up with the birthday of one of the greatest plant collectors of all time. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to "Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast." It's just that easy. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to [email protected] Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events November 6, 1777 Today is the anniversary of the death of the French naturalist and botanist Bernard Jussieu. We remember Bernard for developing the first natural classification of flowering plants. And although both Bernard and his brother Antoine were botany professors in Paris, Bernard was the stronger botanist, and there's a famous story about his incredible dedication to botany: One time, after botanizing in Lebanon, Bernard was sailing back to France. Of course, drinkable water onboard a long voyage home would have been a precious commodity. Yet, Bernard Jussieu purportedly shared his precious water with a little Lebanon Cedar seedling he was bringing home. He wanted to plant the little seedling in the Royal Garden, and he was determined to bring the little tree back alive to Paris. The French say the seedling lived to be over 200 years old and grew to eighty feet high. As for Bernard Jussieu, in 1759, he was summoned to Versailles to develop the Royal Botanical Garden at the Petit Trianon. Unassuming and laid back, Bernard quietly began arranging the plants in the garden in a new way. Jussieu's system of organizing plants into a more natural order was revolutionary at the time, and his method was something he wouldn't disclose to others. However, Bernard did put together a catalog of the plants in his garden. Bernard recognized a kindred spirit in his nephew, Antoine-Laurent. Bernard trained him for four years, and when he came of age, Bernard confided his methods of plant classification. As a result, Antoine-Laurent's work extended his Uncle Bernard's ideas around grouping plants. It took Antoine-Laurent Jussieu almost twenty years of refinement and perfecting of his Uncle's work before he finally published it as the Bastille was falling in 1789. Antoine-Laurent Jussieu kept Linnaeus' binomial nomenclature in his book, Genera Plantarum, but he grouped plants by genera and then into families. He called his system natural and strived to let nature be his guide. Today, many plant families can be attributed to Jussieu. Today, there's a metro station near the Paris botanical garden named in honor of the Jussieu family - which boasted five notable botanists in the family over several generations. November 6, 1868 Today is the birthday of the botanist and garden writer Alice Lounsberry. (Note: Online databases report the date of birth as 1873 - which is incorrect as Alice was already two years old on an 1870 census with her brother and parents.) Alice was a New Yorker, and she developed a love for botany as a young girl. In her mid-twenties, she was already serving as a board member for the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG). But Alice is best known for her botanical books written with her dear friend and collaborator - the Australian botanical illustrator Ellis Rowan. So we have Alice and Ellis - and here's the fabulous story of how they met. In the late 1890s, Ellis decided to travel to New York. She caused a bit of a sensation during her first trip to the States a few years earlier. This trip was no different - except that Ellis contracted influenza after her arrival, and she needed to be hospitalized. Like Alice, New Yorkers read about Ellis's illness, and they sent cards and flowers to her hospital room to cheer her. Now Alice had an enormous sense of admiration for Ellis, and she felt she needed to do something more personal for her. So, Alice decided to hand-deliver a box of fresh wildflowers she had handpicked to the hospital and gave them to Ellis's nurse. Ellis was thoroughly charmed by the bouquet and the card which read, "From one flower seeker to another - and an admirer of your work." The following day, Alice visited Ellis. Even though Alice was twenty years younger than Ellis, the two hit it off. They spent an entire afternoon discussing botany and their work. When Alice offered to show Ellis where she liked to botanize for wildflowers, it was the incentive Ellis needed to get her health back on track. When Alice invited her to illustrate a book on Wildflowers she had been asked to write, their fates as writer and painter were jointly sealed. Together, they produced three books: A Guide to the Wild Flowers (1899) describing around 500 wildflowers. A Guide to the Trees (1900) describing nearly 200 trees & shrubs. And, Southern Wild Flowers & Trees (1901) where Alice wrote in the preface: "To learn something of the history, the folklore and the uses of southern plants and to see rare ones growing in their natural surroundings, Mrs. Rowan and I traveled in many parts of the south, always exercising our best blandishments to get the people of the section to talk with us. Through the mountainous region, we drove from cabin to cabin, and nowhere could we have met with greater kindness and hospitality." While they were working on their book on Southern Wildflowers, Alice and Ellis's time together was marred by tragedy. They were surrounded by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains when a telegram came for Ellis. Her only son, Eric, had died in South Africa. He was 22 years old. After finishing these books, the two women went their separate ways. Alice continued to write after working with Ellis - but without Ellis's artwork, her books failed to attract the same level of popularity. In 1910, Alice wrote a book called Gardens Near the Sea. In this book, Alice shared her thoughts on the garden: "For the garden is not only a place in which to make things grow and to display the beautiful flowers of the earth but a place that should accord with the various moods of its admirers. It should be a place in which to hold light banter, a place in which to laugh, and, besides, should have a hidden corner in which to weep. But above all, perhaps, it should be a place of sweet scent and sentiment." After suffering a stroke, Alice Lounsberry died at the age of 81 on November 20, 1949. Unearthed Words A garden that you make yourself becomes associated with your personal history and that of your friends, interwoven with your tastes, preferences, and character, and constitutes a sort of unwritten, but withal manifest, autobiography. Show me your garden, provided it be your own, and I will tell you what you are like. – Alfred Austin, British poet laureate, The Garden That I Love, 1894 Grow That Garden Library American Gardens by Monty Don and Derry Moore This book came out just last week, and the subtitle is 100 Contemporary Designs. In this book, the beloved British horticulturist Monty Don and world-class photographer Derry Moore take us on a diverse and mesmerizing tour of American Gardens. Monty and Derry take us on a garden adventure: from Jefferson's Monticello ("MontiCHELLo") to Longwood Gardens in Delaware to Middleton Place in South Carolina, to Central Park in New York, Bob Hope's Palm Springs garden, Frank Lloyd Wright's garden, and the Seattle Spheres, and many many more. This book will leave you with a richer understanding of some of America's top gardens with beautiful photography and fascinating garden stories. This book is 224 pages of gorgeous American Gardens, and I think it would make a wonderful gift for the holidays. You can get a copy of American Gardens by Monty Don and Derry Moore and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $38 Today's Botanic Spark November 6, 1885 Today is the birthday of the British plant collector and explorer Frank Kingdon Ward. During the beginning of the twentieth century, Frank Kingdon Ward went on twenty-four Indiana-Jones-like expeditions throughout Tibet, China, and Southeast Asia to search for rare and elusive species of plants. Among his many accomplishments, Frank found the legendary Tibetan blue poppy. Frank's accounts of his adventures are captivating. In 1942, he arrived in New Delhi after a 500 hundred mile walk over mountains and through jungles. The newspaper account said: "A thin, wiry little man in his 50s, Captain Kingdon-Ward...decided that the Japanese were getting too close for comfort, so he loaded two 60-pound bags of rice on two mules... But instead of taking the short road through the Chaukan pass, [he] decided to travel the 500-mile mule trail through Tibet... [Frank tramped] knee-deep in the snow [and] crossed the Himalayas at the 14,500-foot pass... [Frank said] "It was a pleasant walk and [my] reward is in the finding of dazzling flowers never seen before. You know they may always blush unseen — unless you manage to take them back and make them grow where others can admire them. They are a little bit of the enchantment of Asia transplanted into England or America. It is satisfying enough, if you can feel in an industrial age like the present, that you have brought home a little beauty for others to enjoy."