The Daily Gardener

Last week was one of turmoil in my garden. We decided to put new windows and siding on the house. Then we decided to enjoy the ravages of a hail storm which dumped ping pong ball sized hail on the garden for about five minutes - the entire storm lasted 30 minutes. I always remind new gardeners that we never garden alone. We're always gardening and partnership with Mother Nature and in this partnership, Mother Nature always has her way. Sometimes we may feel like we win, but I kind of think it's like the first time you play Go Fish or some other game with your child, they just THINK they won. In any case, I am using this as an opportunity to address some crowding in my garden beds. In some places everything is just gone and I suppose I could see it as an early start on fall cleanup. The one thing I'm grateful for is the replacement of this large 14 x 20' Arbor on the side of our house. I had started growing a number of lines on it over the years and then settled on golden hops when I was going through my hops phase. Over the past few years I've decided I'm not a fan of hops. The vines are aggressive and sticky and the sap can be irritating to the skin. And I wasn't a huge fan of the color. My student gardeners will help me cover the area with some landscape fabric to make sure it does not come back and then I'm thinking climbing hydrangea would be lovely. Brevities #OTD Today is the birthday of Karl Franz Anton Ritter von Schreibers. Schreibers was an Austrian naturalist and a botanist. In 1806, Schreibers became the director of the Vienna Natural History Museum. He was a good botanist and ecologist, but his heart belong to minerals and meteorites. Schreibers made Leopold Trattinick curator of the museum herbarium which was founded in 1807. The Austrian Empire had a thing for plants and horticulture. So expeditions were sent to collect new materials including minerals for the museum. Many famous botanists were involved with these expeditions including Carl Phillip Von Martinus. In 1848, during the revolution, the museum caught on fire. The protesters not only destroyed the library Schreibers had carefully built up, they destroyed Schreibers home - his living quarters or right inside the museum. It broke Schreibers heart. He retired and died four years later. #OTD Happy birthday to Elias Magnus Friesz who is born on this day in 1794 in Sweden. The area where Friesz grew up, was rich in fungi and his father was a self-taught botanist. Put the two together, and it's no wonder Friesz developed a lifelong interest in mycology. In fact, Friesz developed the first system that was used to classify fungi; so we remember him for that. There's a wonderful picture of Elias as an octogenarian. He looks like he could've been Dumbledore's best friend. He was a happy botanist and he worked tirelessly until the day he died in February 1878. #OTD Happy birthday to John Torrey who is born on this day in 1796. Torreywas the first American botanist to study the flora of New York State. The area Torrey botanized included what is now Greenwich Village, the area of the Elgin botanic garden which is now Rockefeller Center, and Bloomingdale which is now the upper side west side of Manhattan, as well as Hoboken New Jersey. Torrey's Calendarian was a phenological record where he documented the plants he observed - recording the species, location, and date of first bloom. Farmers often kept similar records to track planting seasons and growing cycles. Thomas Jefferson did the same thing in a book he called The Calendar. The New York botanic garden has digitized this manuscript so you can check it out when you get a chance. And, if you live in Colorado, it might interest you to know that Torrey's peak in Colorado is named for John Torrey. #OTD It's the birthday of the illustrator Walter Crane, born in Liverpool #OnThisDay in 1845. Gardeners appreciate Crane thanks to one of his most stunning works - a book called "A Floral Fantasy in an Old English Garden" which was published in 1899. Crane's book was intended to be a children's book - but for gardeners it is really something of a graphic novel telling the storyof the hidden life and society of flowers. The flowers are personified. For example, the Dandelion is portrayed as a bold knight - his shield is made of a large dandelion blossom. And, the Foxgloves are a happy group; comprised of cousins and brothers and sisters. The book continues to appeal thanks to Crane's beautiful artwork and the allure of the enchanted realm he created; complete with Fairies, the Four Seasons, Old Man Time, knights, and other creatures. There are 46 illustrations in this little book. Original copies of this rare book sell for over $1,000. You can view the entire book for FREE using this link in today's show notes. #OTD Today, we remember Geoff Hamilton who was born on this day in 1936. Hamilton was a presenter of the BBC's Gardener's Worldin the 1980s and 1990s he was also a gardener himself. Hamilton had a twin brother and as a young kid he became interested in horticulture by working in his family's garden. One of his first jobs was helping out at a local nursery down the road from his house. He became the editor forPractical Gardening Magazineand then he moved into television. He was the longest serving presenter on a Gardener's World. In his Wikipedia entry, it says that many in the garden world were puzzled by the fact that Hamilton never received any recognition from the Royal Horticultural Society for his work. Hamilton's personal garden at Barnsdale consists of 38 themed gardens over 8 acres and it remains open to the public. It is run by his son who also gardens and is a writer. Unearthed Words As I listened from a beach-chair in the shade To all the noises that my garden made, It seemed to me only proper that words Should be withheld from vegetables and birds. A robin with no Christian name ran through The Robin-Anthem which was all it knew, And rustling flowers for some third party waited To say which pairs, if any, should get mated. Not one of them was capable of lying, There was not one which knew that it was dying Or could have with a rhythm or a rhyme Assumed responsibility for time. Let them leave language to their lonely betters Who count some days and long for certain letters; We, too, make noises when we laugh or weep: Words are for those with promises to keep. by W.H. Auden - Their Lonely Betters Today's book recommendation: The Gardens of Emily Dickinson by Judith Farr Farr's book helps us understand the poets relationship with specific flowers. It also helps us understand some of the floral symbolism that Dickinson uses in her poems which Dickinson herself called "Blossoms of the Brain". Without this information, they can be difficult to understand. Gardening was a huge part of Dickinson's life. Jasmine was on her list of favorite flowers. It was third, next to dearest Daphne, and except for wildflowers, which Dickinson considered dearest of all. Today's Garden Chore Plant Pickerel Weed. If you have a pond, or need a water plant for a trough or such on your property, consider planting Pickerel Weed. The foliage looks great and it blossoms for six months depending on where you live. In winter, it dies back completely. Think of Pickerel Weed like a mint; if you don't want it to spread, grow it in containers and place the pots at the water's edge. Pickerelweed is a hit with butterflies and other pollinators because of it lovely purple blossom. It grows well in Zones 3-10. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart Today is the day that the botanist Sylvia Edlund was born in Pittsburgh. She earned a PhD in botany from the University of Chicago Edlund was sickly as a child. She was often confined to her bed. She said that she took up botany because she thought she shouldn't study study anything she'd have to chase She worked for the United Nations assembling an inventory of plants and animals in the far north. She worked for the geological survey of Canada for 20 years but was forced to retire in 1994 after an inflamed appendix went undiagnosed and ended up affecting her short term memory. Edlund died in British Columbia in 2014 at the age of 69. Her colleague, Fenja Brodo, wrote a tribute to her in The Ottawa Citizenthat was especially touching. She wrote, "It was not easy for her being the lone botanist, and a female at that, working in a predominantly male environment. Sylvia met the challenge and became an internationally recognized leader in plant distribution patterns in the Arctic. She showed that ground ice melt was the water source for the unexpectedly lush green valleys in parts of the High Arctic and demonstrated how climate, substrate, and geomorphic processes influence what can grow where. Sylvia was always an artist, with pen, paints and fabrics. She wrote and illustrated (water colours) a booklet on Common Arctic Wildflowers of the Northwest Territories for schoolchildren of the north. Each Christmas, she made another set of delightful felt animal ornaments, which she presented to friends. (For two years, her creations adorned the tree at the Canadian Museum of Nature.)" Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Today, August 14, is Saint Werenfrid's Day. Werenfrid is the patron saint of vegetable gardens. He is often portrayed as a priest holding up a ship with a coffin in it or displayed as a priest laid to rest in his ship. Werenfrid is also invoked for gout and stiff joints; which, if you're a vegetable gardener, those three sometimes go together. Brevities #OTD Today, in 1765, a crowd gathered under a large elm tree in Boston. The group was there to protest the Stamp Act that was passed by British Parliament. The act imposed a tax on paper in the American colonies which meant that all the paper had to have a stamp on it. So, if you were publishing a newspaper, or needed a mortgage deed, or court papers, it all had to be printed on paper with a tax stamp on it. There was an elm tree that became a rallying point for resistance against the British and that tree became known as the Liberty Tree. The tree had been planted in 1646 - just sixteen years after Boston became a city. As the colonists began rejecting orders from Britain, the tree became a bulletin board of sorts. As it's symbolism grew, protesters would share calls to action on the trunk. When the stamp act was repealed, the tree was THE place people went to celebrate; hanging flags and streamers, as well as lanterns from its branches. After the war began, Thomas Paine wrote an ode to the Liberty Tree in the Pennsylvania Gazette. It said: "Unmindful of names or distinctions they came For freemen like brothers agree, With one spirit endued, they one friendship pursued, And their temple was Liberty Tree…" Four months later, in August, British troops and Loyalists descended on the tree. A man named Nathaniel Coffin Jr. cut it down. #OTD On this day in 1873, the magazine Forest and Stream debuted. Forest and Streamfeatured outdoor activities like hunting and fishing. It was dedicated to wildlife conservation and it helped launch the National Audubon Society. In 1930, the magazine merged with Field & Stream. #OTD Today in 1880 for the botanist Ada Hayden was born. Hayden was the curator of the Iowa State University herbarium. As a young girl, growing up in Ames, Iowa, she fell in love with the flora surrounding her family's home. Hayden was a talented photographer, artist, and a writer, and she put all of those skills to good use documenting Iowa's prairies. Hayden became the first woman to earn a PhD from Iowa State. She inherited her grandparents farm and she often brought her botany students there to walk through the Prairie and to take notes on their observations. Hayden's life work was to save the vanishing prairie ecosystem. Hayden loved the Prairie. She wrote, "Throughout the season, from April to October, the colorful flowers of the grassland flora present a rainbow-hued sequence of bloom. It is identified with the open sky. It is the unprotected battleground of wind and weather. When Dr. Hayden died, the University named a 240-acre-tract of virgin Prairie, Hayden Prairie, in her honor. #OTD On this day, in 1960, FTD had their 50th anniversary convention at Cobo Hall in Detroit. And there's a lovely video of the convention that's available to see on YouTube. I shared it in the The Daily Gardener Community Facebook Groupor you can see a link to it in today show notes. The video was prepared for those members who could not attend. It is utterly charming. You get to see 50's fashions. You get to see a revolving floral stage. It was a three-day long extravaganza in Detroit - it it just so fun to watch. #OTD Today is the anniversary of the death of the botanist Edgar Walter Denison, who was an expert on Missouri's wildflowers. Denison died in Missouri on this day in 1993. Tennyson had emigrated to the country from Stuttgart, Germany In 1927. He left behind much of his extended family; including a famously brilliant cousin named Albert Einstein. Denison's book, Missouri Wildflowershas sold nearly 100,000 copies since its first printing in 1962. Denison illustrated the book as well. One of the reasons the book was so popular is because the way the book is organized. It especially appeals to gardeners; It's organized by color and within colors by month of blossom. As a result, gardeners can find a species quickly and with ease. Denison had an amazing personal garden. He had over 1,000 varieties of plants which he grew from seed; he hated the thought of removing a plant from its native habitat. Denison had a special relationship with the Missouri Botanical Garden. The gardens director, Peter Raven, said, "An old-fashioned European gentleman in many ways, Edgar Denison exceeded most of our citizens in his deep love for the plants that enrich and beautify Missouri ." Denison's former next-door neighbor, horticulturist Patrick Brockmeyer, said Denison told him everything he knew about plants including pruning, fertilizing, weed control naturally; he was a naturalist. Brockmeyer felt Denison's presence when he visited the garden. He said, "He was there. I don't care what anyone says, that man was in that garden. I could tell by the way the birds were singing." Unearthed Words "How sociable the garden was. We ate and talked in given light. The children put their toys to grass All the warm wakeful August night." - Thomas Gunn, Last Days at Teddington Today's book recommendation: Tulipomania: The Story of the World's Most Coveted Flower and the Extraordinary Passions It Aroused by Mike Dash It's hard to believe, but in the 1630s, the tulip trade was a big deal. Tulip bulbs changed hands for incredible amounts of money. At one point, flowers were being sold for more than the cost of a home. This was truly Tulipomania and as the book shares, it was the first futures market in history. The book documents the ancestry of the tulip. From their origins in Asia, migrating west to Turkey, and then to Antwerp where a man working on the docks, sees a stray bulb on the ground, picks it up, takes it home, and ate it - thinking it was an onion. Dash is an excellent writer. The book is a delightful read. Today's Garden Chore Line the bottom of your pots with burlap or a coffee filter. This way water will drain, but you don't have to worry about soil leaking out. If you use burlap, you could cut a piece that's big enough to extend from the lip of the pot down to the bottom of the hole and then back up again. I love to see little hints of burlap lining the inside of my pots. It adds an extra layer of texture and dimension - and I think it's quite charming, especially if you're giving the plant as a gift. So, one of the chores my student gardeners help me with, is cutting a swath of burlap and then lining the terra-cotta pots in the garden. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart Today in 1975, The Hearne Democrat, out of Hearne, Texas announced there was a canning lid shortage. Here's what it said: "The problem has reached crisis proportions in parts of the country where home gardeners have planted crops in hopes of saving on grocery bills. As harvest begins, these home gardeners are discovering the canning lid shortage means there is no way of preserving their ripe fruits and vegetables for fall and winter use... Part of the cause is the tremendous increase in number of home gardeners. The federal office of Consumer Affairs estimates that 12 million new gardeners have joined the market for home canning equipment in the past two years... Another part of the problem is that, in addition to the greatly increased number of gardeners who need lids, some home canners have been buying far more lids than they will need. Because of this hoarding for future use the shortage has been aggravated." Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Boy, nasturtiums are such wonderful plants aren't they? August is a time when your nasturtiums look fabulous; even after a summer of blooming their hearts out. Right about now, you're nasturtiums will bloom better if you remove a few of the center leaves. Opening up the plant a little bit will promote airflow - and allow the sun to shine on the base of the plant. Nasturtiums are 100% edible. You can add the petals to any salad - just as you would watercress. In fact, you can make a beautiful sandwich with nasturtium flowers and a little salad dressing. Jane Eddington shared this idea in the Daily Newsout of New York, in 1928. She wrote, "If you have never tried a nasturtium leaf spread with a thin mayonnaise between two thin slices of bread and butter, you do not know how pleasant a little bite – in two senses – you can get from this "Indian cress" filling. And before I forget, I found this wonderful article on nasturtiums that was featured in the Hartford current out of Hartford Connecticut in August of 1914. It had all of these wonderful recipes for nasturtiums It not only gave some good advice about nasturtium capers and nasturtium sandwiches, but also, a nasturtium sauce for fish, meat, and vegetables, a nasturtium vinegar, and a nasturtium potato salad. I'll have all of that in today show notes -if you're geeking out on nasturtiums. And, here is a little insight on how nasturtiums like to coexist with us: the more we cut nasturtiums - to bring in as cut flowers, or to eat them raw, or as capers - the more they are they will bloom. Regular cuttings seem to encourage more lateral development and therefore you get more flowers. Win win. If you protect your plants with burlap or sheets on cold fall evenings, your nasturtiums just might surprise you and bloom well into November. Brevities #OTD Today, in 1750, the botanist Peter Kalm visited Niagara Falls. Niagara was a natural attraction for Bartness like Kalm who studied under Karla Nas Niagara was a natural attraction for botanist like Kalm who studied under Carl Linnaeus. (It was actually Linnaeus who came up with the idea to send trained botanists to Niagara.) There are no records of the plants that Kalm collected that day. However, botanists suspect that Kalm's Labelia and Kalm's Saint John's Wort were collected there; both would have been named for him by Carl Linnaeus. #OTD Today, in 1805, Meriwether Lewis discovered the Snowberry or Symphoricarpos albus. I love the story of how Lewis came across the Snowberry. He was really looking for the Shoshone Indians; but he found the Snowberry instead. Lewis wrote in his journal that he discovered something like a small honeysuckle; except that it was bearing a berry as, "large as a garden pea and as white as wax." The plant was a true new discovery to the scientific community. And, Lewis showed his botany chops when he said he thought it resembled the honeysuckle because it actually IS a member of the honeysuckle family. The Latin name is from the Greek meaning "fruits joined together", because the berries are clustered in pairs. The berries aren't good for eating; they're pretty tasteless. But, the birds, and especially grouse, love it. Lewis probably took a specimen of the Snowberry because some of the seeds made their way to Philadelphia. They were given to Thomas Jefferson's favorite nurseryman: Bernard McMahan. Then, McMahan did what he always did; he grew them and sent cuttings to Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson wrote him in October of 1812 saying that the Snowberries were thriving in his garden. He gushed that they were, "some of the most beautiful berries I have ever seen." #OTD Today is the birthday of the Russian botanist Edward August Von Regal who was born on this day in 1815. Regal was born in Switzerland - but he lived most of his life in Russia. Regal worked in a number of botanical gardens, including gardens in Germany and Switzerland. In 1852, he founded the magazine Garten Florawhere he described all the new species he had encountered. By 1855, Regal made his final move to Saint Petersburg where he made his home. He oversaw the imperial botanical garden and he even started a Russian gardening society, as well as a number of journals. Regal was a very hands-on botanist. When he went to St. Petersburg he immediately addressed the setup and the level of excellence. He changed how all the plants were arranged and rebuilt the green houses (most of which were heated by hot water). Regal loved to arrange plants in groups based on geography. For instance, he would have an area for plants of St. Petersburg, and an area for the plants of Siberia, and an area for the plants of North America, and so on. And if you're a fan of Curtis's botanical magazine which was started by William Curtis (who was employed at Kew), you'll appreciate knowing that volume 111 is dedicated to Edward August van Regal. #OTD Today is the birthday of Benedict Roezl who was born on this day in 1823 in Czechoslovakia. Roezl was probably the most famous collector of orchids during his lifetime. Roezl had an interesting life. As a gardener, he traveled all over Europe. He was also the founder of a Czech botanical magazine called Flora. Eventually, Roezl made his way to the United States. He was making his way south to Mexico, so after first landing in New York, he went to Denver. There, he collected the Yucca angustifolia. Roezl indeed ended up in Mexico. For a time, he owned a restaurant. But he was also trying to make a business out of growing a nettle that is called the Boehmeria niveawhich produces a fiber that can be harvested. Roezl was a tinkerer. He had built a machine to extract the fiber from the Boehmeria and he had brought it to an exhibition. Someone asked if his machine would be able to extract fiber from an agave. When Roezl attempted to try it, his hand got entangled in the machine and was crushed. The accident changed his life and he begin collecting plants full-time. Roezl used an iron hook in place of his amputated hand; it made him popular among the locals who brought him plants. Roezl started collecting for Frederick Sander who was known as the king of orchids. But it was really Roezl that made it all happen. Although, as a collector, he was a bit of a mess. Still, Roezl collected over 800 orchids from Mexico and South America, along with thousands of other plants like agaves and cacti. In Columbia, he discovered the Zambia Roezlii; the tallest and oldest orchid of all. Even though Roezl was 6'2" tall, and had that imposing iron hook for a hand, during his collecting days, Roezl was robbed 17 times and, once, even attacked by a jaguar. Roezl collected for Sander for 40 years. At the end of his life, Roezl returned to Czechoslovakia. His country welcomed him home with open arms and he was honored by the Russian czar. When he died at home in his bed, his funeral was attended by the Austrian emperor. Today, there is a statue of Roezl in Prague. It's located on the southern end of Charles Square - if you happen to go. #OTD Today is the anniversary of the death of the nurseryman and botanist John Gould Veitch who died on this day in 1870. The Veitch Nursery dynasty was a force in the British nursery trade. Their dominance was born out of the idea to hire their own plant hunters to collect exclusively for them. John Gould Veitch became a plant hunter himself. He's remembered for collecting in Japan and in Australia where he once complained that the seeds of many plants, "were so tiny he did not know if he was collecting seed or dust." John Gould Veitch's life was cut short by tuberculosis. He died when he was just 31 years old. Unearthed Words "Every year, the bright Scandinavian summer nights fade without anyone's noticing. One evening in August you have an errand outdoors, and all of a sudden it's pitch-black. It is still summer, but the summer is no longer alive." ― Tove Jansson, The Summer Book Today's book recommendation: The Orchid Hunter by Leif Bersweden The subtitle of the book is "A young botanist's search for happiness. Bersweden was 19 years old, when he set off on a project to see all 52 species of wild orchid in Britain and Ireland. Over one summer, as he passed his gap year, before going to Oxford University. Bersweden was 12 years old when he asked his mom about plants. He's continued to learn about them ever since. Bersweden attempted to see and photograph the wild orchids of the UK in a single season. He's a talented writer and a passionate plantsman. I won't spoil it for you - you'll have to read for yourself whether he completes his quest. The book is funny, enthusiastic, and brilliant Today's Garden Chore Add more ground cover I feel like you could add this to do to your garden chores throughout the growing season. Carpeting the ground with ground covers is one of the best ways to combat weeds. It's also one of the best ways to help your garden feel lived in. The best part about ground covers is they will often do quite well in areas where grass may struggle. Shade loving ground covers, like Lily of the Valley or Bugle Weed are wonderful options. And, wouldn't you rather have a Johnny Jump Up or a Sweet Violet, than some unwanted weed in the garden? Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart Today, in 1892, the botanist Albert Ruth collected a plant in Sevier County that he thought was Partridge Berry. Over 40 years later, this specimen ended up at the University of Tennessee. The year was 1934, and the University of Tennessee's herbarium had been destroyed in a fire which was especially sad since the herbarium was par excellence and contained over 30,000 specimens. But, the botanist and university professor, AJ Sharp, rose to the challenge. He put out the call for new specimens from botanists all over the globe and they sent them. Albert Ruth's Partridge Berry made its way to Dr. Sharp. When he saw it, Dr. Sharp immediately recognized that the Partridge Berry was not the plant that he had been sent. It was an obvious mislabel. Instead, what Sharp was looking at, was the twin flower; the flower named for Carl Linnaeus, the Linnea Borealis – a plant that is extremely delicate. Although it can be found in Greenland and Alaska and Scandinavia, it has not been known to be found in the Smoky Mountains. And, no one has ever been able to find the spot where Ruth found this twin flower. There of been two attempts to locate it led by Dr. Peter White out of the University of North Carolina. White cautions for anyone attempting to search for it in the great Smoky Mountains to take heed. He said the two things you need to botanize in the great Smoky Mountains are excellent rock climbing experience and a great life insurance policy. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

If you're looking to grow an onion that won't make you cry and give you that bad breath, Sweet Onions are your thing. If you buy them in the store, they're usually more expensive than the regular onions. Sweet Onions are sweet because the sugar and water content are higher. That's the upside. The downside to the higher sugar and water content, is that they won't store as long as regular onions. Sweet Onions have a lower level of sulfur compounds which means they're also easier to digest - and it also means they won't cause your eyes to tear up during prep work. Vidalia onions were the first sweet onions to be sold across the United States. They were growing primarily in Georgia - Vidalia, Georgia to be exact. Today, we have other options including Walla Walla Sweet Onions from Washington, Maui Sweet Onions from Hawaii and Spring Sweets from Texas. Sweet Onions can be traced back to seeds brought over from the Canary Islands in 1898. Brevities #OTD It's the birthday of Thomas Andrew Knight who was born in England on this day in 1759. Knight served as the second president of the Royal Horticultural Society. He assumed the position at the urging of his friend Joseph A Banks. Knight's inclination was always to turn inward. Banks helped him overcome that. He also encouraged Knight to begin reading scientific papers published by authors. Otherwise, Knight was purposefully shutting himself off from outside influences. During his life, Knight had inherited 10,000 acres of land and he used the land to conduct all kinds of experiments on plants like strawberries, cabbages, and peas. Knight was a born pragmatist. His breeding efforts were always designed to help make better plants in order to feed the masses. #OTD It's the anniversary of the death of Sir William Jackson Hooker who died on this day in 1865 Hooker was both a botanist and a botanical illustrator. Like Thomas Andrew Knight, Hooker enjoyed the friendship of Joseph Banks. Hooker was wealthy; he didn't need a patron to fund his expeditions. His first expedition was to Iceland in the summer of 1809. This was another one of Bank's ideas - and Hooker went to there to collect, as well as to make trials of everything he discovered. Unfortunately, on his way home, there was a terrible fire. Most people don't realize it, but Hooker nearly died. All of his work was destroyed in the fire. Yet, Hooker was able to reconstruct his discoveries and publish an account called Tour in Iceland. Turns out, his mind was a steel trap. Hooker was known worldwide for an unsurpassed herbarium. By 1841, he was appointed the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Hooker brought Kew to greatness; expanding the gardens from 10 to 75 acres, adding a 270 acre Arboretum, and establishing a museum for botany. In 1865, there was a throat infection going around at Kew. Hooker contracted it and died. His son Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, and outstanding botanist in his own right, succeeded him at Kew. #OTD Today in 1930, a United States patent was issued to Clarence Birdseye for his method of packaging frozen foods. One of Birdseye's first jobs, was as a field naturalist for the USDA. The job lead him to Labrador in Canada on a for trading expedition. During his time there, Birdseye observed that the Eskimos froze their food; finding fresh food during the winter was next to impossible. Birdseye became fascinated by their quick freezing process which cleverly used the elements of wind, ice, and super cold temperatures. Birdseye noticed when the fish was frozen quickly, it tasted amazing when it was thawed. Birdseye's immediately wondered if the same process could be used with fresh vegetables and other foods. Five years later, when he returned to the United States, he invented the quick freeze machine and he started his own frozen food company. Five years after that, he sold his business to Frosted Foods for $22 million. The year was 1929. Unearthed Words "One day you discover you are alive. Explosion! Concussion! Illumination! Delight! You laugh, you dance around, you shout. But, not long after, the sun goes out. Snow falls, but no one sees it, on an August noon." ― Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine Today's book recommendation: The New Healing Herbs by Michael Castleman This book features 135 of the most widely used medicinal herbs. There is a very helpful cure finder chart that shares treatments for more than 100 common conditions; for example: cinnamon to treat cuts and scrapes, Saint Johns Wort to speed healing, etc. For each Herb, there are drawings, the history of the herb, plus instructions for growing it in your herb garden. Today's Garden Chore Start seeds for fall crops. Your fall crops can include another round of quick-maturing edibles for the fall harvest. Try to get your seeds in before the 15th. Then, if you're wondering what to plant think about leafy greens. Plants like spinach, lettuce, or beets are great and they can also be grown for their green leaves. Plants like lettuce and spinach, kohlrabi, radishes, and green onions are also an option - as well as turnips. Peas and lettuce can handle the cool temperatures and even light frost. These crops are also excellent options for growing in cold frames. Don't forget that bush beans, beats, and sprouts also appreciate to the cool temps of fall - it's my favorite time to grow - which is why fall is often called a second spring. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart On this day in 1806, Thomas Jefferson's 24 double tuberoses, Polianthes tuberosa,were blooming. Jefferson had obtained them from Bernard McMahan's nursery and he wrote McMahan the following January to request for more tuberoses. McMahan has also created a gardeners calendar which included a list of seeds; including month by month instructions. The calendar was so foundational to Thomas Jefferson's gardening practice, that McMahan became his garden mentor. The two exchanged regular letters about gardening. And, it was Jefferson who selected McMahan to cultivate the specimens collected by Lewis and Clark - which he did. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Every now and then, plants can surprise you. In this case I'm talking about more than just a beautiful bloom or general survival. I'm talking about variations that could lead to exciting new varieties. This topic was covered in the newspaper out of Richmond Indiana on this day in 1938. Here's what it said: "Black Hull Wheat - the wheat that increased production by millions of bushels in the Southwest - came from just one plant discovered in his wheat field by Earl Clark in Sedgwick county, Kans. The Wayzata ever-bearing strawberry came from just one plant discovered in a patch of June-bearing strawberries in Hennepin county, Minn. And, John Brown discovered an entirely new kind of watermelon - and a dandy - in his melon patch in White county, Illinois. Keep your eyes open." Brevities #OTD It was on this day that the German botanist and internationally-regarded landscape architect Ludwig Winter was born. Winter taught Karl Forrester - of Karl Forrester grass fame - when he came to visit him in Italy. Early on, Winter was drawn to exotic plants. When he began gardening in Italy he experimented with them. Instead of letting them go crazy or turn into a jungle, Winter's tropical gardens were very controlled and created a scene. Winter's reputation is inextricably bound to palm trees and Palm Gardens became symbolic of the seaside resorts along the Italian Riviera. Ultimately, Winter's contribution was making exotic plants accessible to all gardeners, not just to the wealthy. Winter also created new concepts in the marketing of nurseries. Winter came up with the idea of using nurseries to permanently exhibit plants. This would help his clients imagine the end result of garden designs and to promote various schemes that could be replicated in the clients garden. Winter's best gardens were created along the Italian Riviera - some exist still today. When Monet saw the area, he wrote: "Water, flowers, and poetry merge into a musical harmony of colors that my eyes have never met…. In addition, to paint certain landscapes you should have a palette of gems and diamonds. It is wonderful." #OTD It was on this day in 1854 that two years of simple living near Walden Pond in Massachusetts was shared with the world in the form of a book; Henry David Thoreau's Walden was published. It was Henry David Thoreau who said: "The question is not what you look at, but what you see." "Gardening is civil and social, but it wants the vigor and freedom of the forest and the outlaw." #OTD Today, in 1869, the explorer John Wesley Powell named an area of the Grand Canyon after his botanist George Vasey. Known as Vasey's Paradise,water spills out from the north rim of the Grand Canyon into the Colorado river. It's a spectacularly beautiful waterfall. A year earlier, in 1868, during Powell's preliminary expedition, Vasey had accompanied him and collected a large number of plants. Vasey returned to Illinois where he became the curator of the Illinois State University Natural History Museum and ultimately the chief botanist of the USDA. Here's what Powell wrote in his about Vasey's Paradise, on August 9, 1869: "The river turns sharply to the east, and seems enclosed by a wall, set; with a million brilliant gems. What can it mean? Every eye is engaged, everyone wonders. On coming nearer, we find fountains bursting from the rock, high overhead, and the spray in the sunshine forms the gems which bedeck the wall. The rocks below the fountain are covered with mosses, and ferns, and many beautiful flowering plants. We name it Vasey's Paradise, in honor of the botanist who traveled with us last year." #OTD Today is the birthday of the Belgium botanical illustrator, Helen Durand, who was born on this day in 1883. After taking classes in art and botany, Durand worked full-time in the garden of the royal Belgian Institute. Durand was meticulous and her work as an artist. Once she spent more than 105 hours drawing the cone of the Abies nobilis - commonly called the red fir, noble fir or Christmas Tree. #OTD Today is the birthday of Rachel Lowe Lambert Lloyd Mellon also known as Bunny Mellon. She got her nickname from a family nurse. Bunny's earliest memory was shared in the preface in one of her books. Bunny wrote that she remembered, "... being very small near a bed of tall, white, phlox in my godmothers garden. This towering forest of scent and white flowers was the beginning of ceaseless and trust, passion, and pleasure in gardens and books." Bunny's greatest passion was garden design. She became well known after designing the White House Rose garden. Bunny was a close friend of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. One of Bunny's first gardens was designed for Hattie Carnegie, who was a clothing designer. At the age of 23, Bunny designed her garden and even planted it. In exchange, Carnegie gave her a coat and a dress from her salon. A woman after my own heart, Bunny loved books and she had a wonderful collection of rear garden books, manuscripts and botanical prints. In fact, Bunny credited her books for inspiring her designs. She said, "my beginning, started with rare books on plants and garden plants, mostly French or Italian. They were like my Bibles." Unearthed Words Fairest of months ! ripe Summer's Queen ! The hey-day of the year, With robes that gleam with sunny sheen Sweet August doth appear. With rosy fruit her skirts are drest, Flowers her glory swell, And birthday wishes are most blest, Breathed 'neath her potent spell. - Richard Combe Miller Today's book recommendation: Complete Illustrated Guide to the Holistic Herbal by David Hoffmann This book offers advice on how to gather herbs and prepare remedies. Also includes a lovely reference in an A to Z format. For each herb, it tells how to grow, harvest, dry store and use each plant. Beginners using herbs will appreciate the step-by-step instructions for making tinctures, decoctions, infusions, and other types of homemade medicines. Today's Garden Chore If you're looking to add more shrubs to your garden, consider adding Black Lace Black Elder. Black lace is a very versatile plant. It handles tough conditions with ease. When it flowers it really goes overboard and tt looks extra-fantastic against the finally cut foliage. Each of the flowers has five stamens; the fragrance is lovely and it's extremely popular with pollinators. Black Lace is perfect for growing in a hedge and if you chop it back in spring to keep it more compact, you'll get even darker leaves - Bonus! Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart Today in 1945, the Japanese arborist, Masayuki, propagated a new generation of flame trees from the mother tree. The mother tree had survived the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. One of the trees is now located at the Glasgow botanic garden. It is planted at the entrance of the herb garden. And also here's some bonus sugar for you today: Today in 1967, the song San Francisco, performed by Scott McKenzie, started a four-week run at the number one spot on the UK singles chart. It's also referred to as the unofficial anthem of the counter culture movement of the 60s. The song starts out with these lyrics: "If you're going to San Francisco be sure to wear some flowers in your hair. If you're going to San Francisco you're going to meet some gentle people there." Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

John Tabb wrote: "A flash of harmless lightning, A mist of rainbow dyes, The burnished sunbeams brightening From flower to flower he flies." He's talking of course about the hummingbird. Gardeners are enthralled by hummingbirds and will do next to anything to attract them to their garden. One of my happiest memories is being in my garden, working away, when I suddenly felt a little displacement of air on my cheek and I turned and found myself staring right at a hummingbird. Pure magic. Hummingbirds find food entirely by sight. If they see red, they zoom in for a closer look. This is why all the hummingbird feeder's have that "McDonald's cherry red" as a prominent feature of the feeder. On the other hand, the liquid it does not need to be red. Remember that. You can make your own simple nectar by combining one part sugar to four parts water in a sauce pan and then make a simple syrup by boiling it for two minutes. Allow the mixture to cool before before you fill your feeders and replace it every couple of days. And whatever you do, don't add anything else to your syrup. Do not add red dye and do not add honey; both are harmful two hummingbirds. And yes, you may not see them. Hummingbirds are notoriously sneaky. They can feed every 15 minutes without you even knowing, unless you're sitting right there or you happen to have your nest cam trained on your feeder. Finally, hummingbirds love some plants more than others. They are especially fond of honeysuckle. Their favorite flowers have to meet to their color criteria – red, red orange or pink blossoms. John Audubon called them "glittering fragments of the rainbow". Brevities #OTD Today is the day that the botanist Carl Peter Thunberg died in 1828. Thunberg has been called by many names – the father of South African botany Thunberg had actually been taught by Carl Linnaeus and Linnaeus encouraged him to continue his work in Paris and Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, Thunberg met the Burmans, a father and a son, and both botanical experts. From there, Thunberg joined the Dutch East India Company and he botanized in South Africa for three years. After South Africa, he traveled to Japan where he stayed for a little over a year. Before he went to Japan, Thunberg needed to learn Dutch. The Japanese were not about to convert to Christianity and so they had closed the country off to all European nations except for Holland in order to learn more about medicinal plants. When Thunberg went to Japan he was posing as a Dutchman instead of a Swede. In fact, during the 18th century, Thunberg was Japan's only European visitor and his Flora japonica published in 1784 was a revelation to botanists around the world. During his time in Japan, Thunberg discovered the Easter Lily growing near the city of Nagasaki. He also discovered Forsythia in Japan and he named it to honor William Forsyth. #OTD Today is the birthday of the Canadian botanist Julia Wilmotte Henshaw who was born on this day in 1869. Remembered as one of British Columbia's leading botanists, Henshaw studied for a bit with the botanist Charles Schaefer and his wife Mary Schaefer Warren. The two were surprised when Henshaw published Mountain Flowers of America in 1906. Rumor had it that the Schaefers may have felt Henshaw had co-opted their work, but another perspective would be that Henshaw was simply more driven and she was definitely an experienced author. In either case, the work needed to be published and by that time Henshaw had already written a few books so she was not slow to publish. In any case, she went on to publish two additional volumes on Canadian wildflowers. Henshaw was a founding member of the Canadian Alpine Club. Henshaw had a regular column called The Note Book that was featured in the Vancouver Sun newspaper where she was known as gentle Julia by her fellow journalists. Her weekly column is a delight to read even today. In April of 1937, she wrote: "If one were to tabulate all the proposals put forward as to what is to be done with that monstrosity called a fountain, in the centre of Lost Lagoon, I think it would occupy a whole column in the newspaper! Some want it to continue to work as a fountain, illuminated or not; others propose to turn it into a rockery." The last one she wrote talked about was a continuation of the previous weeks discussion of the destruction of forest areas. Henshaw always wrote with conviction and in that last column she aimed to rouse awareness: "I refer to the practice which has increased with each passing year of shipping enormous quantities of young Douglas firs by the carload to the United States for use as Christmas Trees. Surely this is a matter which should be promptly and peremptorily stopped." And here's a lovely excerpt from her post for this day August 8, 1935 "When one stops for an instant in the whirligig of daily life to think of "All things bright and beautiful," three words spring into prominence, namely music, children and gardens, each bringing a separate form of loveliness before our eyes, yet all three correlated in color, fragrance, and form." #OTD It's the anniversary of the death of the landscape painter John Henry Twachtman who died on this day in 1902. Twachtman was an impressionist painter known as one of "The Ten" a group of American Impressionists. It was said, they were gardening with a paintbrush. By the middle of the 1880s, American impressionists were returning home from France where they had learned to paint out-of-doors. At home in America, the gardening movement was well underway. So, when they were looking for things to paint, outside gardens became one of the foremost subjects. Following in the footsteps of Monet, the painters would gather their things and go out in search of flowers. This is a period of time, clearly drew the two great arts of painting and horticulture together. During this period, the painters or their spouses or their families often started gardens of their own. In the case of Twachtman, he lived in Greenwich, Connecticut and he turned his suburban yard into a place of beauty. In fact, Twachtman is known for featuring flowers from his own garden as well as painting his family casually living their life and enjoying the outdoors. Twachtman's painting called, In the Greenhouse, was exhibited by the National Gallery in 1902. And here's a funny story about John Twachtman that was shared in the El Paso Herald in 1902: A man who had once bought one of his landscape paintings, wanted Twachtman to weigh in on the hanging of the picture. Twachtman expressed his approval of the background, the height at which the canvas was hung, and the light. He said, "Indeed, there is only one change to make." "What is that?" inquired his host solicitously. Twachtman replied "You should hang it the other side up. I always have."

Unearthed Words

"A break in the heat away from the front no thunder, no lightning, just rain, warm rain falling near dusk falling on eager ground steaming blacktop hungry plants thirsty turning toward the clouds cooling, soothing rain splashing in sudden puddles catching in open screens that certain smell of summer rain."

- Raymond A. Foss, Summer Rain

Today's book recommendation: Herbs: Delicious Recipes and Growing Tips to Transform Your Food by Judith Hann Today's book is one of my favorites - Judith Hahn offers delicious recipes and growing tips to transform your food. And, I love the way Judith starts out talking about herbs in the forward of her book she writes, "Herbs have taken over my life. They have been catalysts in the kitchen, liberating my cooking by encouraging me to be more creative. And they have also helped me to become a more serious plantswoman, using the different shades of green, the texture and shape of the leaves, their intoxicating aroma and their glorious flowers to transform the look of my garden." And did I mention that this book is absolutely beautiful? Because it is- and the photography inspires creativity like crazy. My favorite part of the book is all the anecdotes along with Hahn's advice on how to make the most of the herbs in your garden.

Today's Garden Chore Today is the day to put the word peonies on your calendar. And you should put peonies on your calendar every day between now and the end of September to remind you that now is the time to transplant or divide your peonies if they need it. Peonies are best propagated through division. And when you plant a peony it's important not to bury their eyes. Experienced gardeners will tell you to plant your Peony high; with the crown no more than an inch or so beneath the soil surface. And remember: peonies no longer have to look like your grandma's did back in the 1920s. Now, peonies have an entirely new range of looks.

Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart Here's a charming story I ran across about Thunberg's time in Japan. During his visit, Thunberg was confined to a small artificial island in Nagasaki harbor. Ever the clever end-rounder, Thunberg came up with a strategy to obtain botanical samples. Thunberg bought a goat. Then, he asked his Japanese assistants to collect plants to feed the goats. Thunberg knew that goats are picky eaters and it was through the plant material collected for the goats that Thunberg ended up receiving five different species of hydrangea previously unknown to the West. These hydrangeas would have been the lace caps – the ones that produce the beautiful UFO ring of blooms around the flowerhead of small florets and Japan was very private about them. Can you imagine his excitement? The entire time Thunberg was away, which amounted to an incredible nine-year journey from his native Sweden, Thunberg sent plants and letters to Linnaeus who in turn said that he had never had, "more delight and comfort from any other botanist". #FavoriteStudent #TeachersPet Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

There's that lovely saying that goes something like, "One man's weed is another man's wildflower". This is especially true in the case of Queen Anne's Lace. In the Facebook group for the show, listener Danny Perkins shared how much he enjoyed allowing Queen Anne's Lace to reign all over in his garden. I feel the same way. But, others do not.... and, I respect that. I think one of the reasons I personally enjoy Queen Anne's Lace is because it reminds me of Baby's Breath - which does not like to return as a perennial in my garden. On the other hand, this year, I started growing Valerian and I would say that it is another alternative to Baby's Breath and it is similar to Queen Anne's Lace. Another charming characteristic of Queen Anne's Lace is that it's a member of the carrot family. If you crush the leaves and stem, you'll notice a carrot odor. It's no wonder the scientific name for Queen Anne's Lace is Daucus carota and the common name is wild carrot. Here's a fun fact: the Romans ate Queen Anne's Lace as a vegetable. And here's an herbal application: the root juice of Queen Anne's Lace is wonderful for treating itchy skin. Brevities #OTD It's the anniversary of the death of Andreas Marggraff who died on this day in 1782. Marggraff was a German chemist. In 1747, he figured out a way to isolate glucose from raisins. That same year, he announced his discovery of finding sugar in beets and he came up with a way to use alcohol to extract it. Marggraff's discovery was not used commercially while he was alive. It wasn't until 1802, that the first beat sugar refinery opened its doors... and the modern sugar industry was born. #OTD Today in 1840 the world lost a wonderful physician and botanist by the name of Henry Perrine. As a botanist, Perrine was first recognized for his work with quinine as a cure for malaria. Perrine also served as a US Ambassador to the Yucatán. As a result of his position, Perrine was able to bring many tropical plants from Mexico and Caribbean to the United States. In 1838, the United States Congress gave Perrine a land grant which he used to establish a place to grow plants in the Florida Keys. At the time Florida was a territory. Perrine believed that the Florida Keys and South Florida offered the perfect climate for creating what he hoped would be one of the great botanical gardens of the world. Perrine's vision was to turn the wasteland into a tropical paradise Perrine shared his hopes when he wrote to Congress, saying: "This land will grow every tropic a growth in abundance… With settlers on 5 acre parcels, growing such plants - this South Florida area [can] support more population than any... area in the entire south end [as well as] the happiest living conditions…" On Christmas day and 1838, Dr. Perrine and his wife and their children moved to Indian key Perrine was in love with his new surroundings. Unlike many South Florida settlers, Perrine believed that he could live in peace; side-by-side with the local American Indians. Perrine's work was showing promise until this day in 1840. Perrine 's neighbor was a radical named Jacob Hausman. Hausman had gathered a small militia and had offered Congress a deal; he would kill every American Indian in South Florida and they would pay him $200 per body. Congress never got Hausman's letter, but the Seminole Indians in Florida had learned of Hausman's plan. It's no wonder, then, that on this day in 1840, they attacked Indian key. But, their chief target, Hausman, had escaped the attack by slipping away in a boat. Dr. Perrine could hear the attack happening outside his house. He quickly tucked his wife and children into a turtle crawl beneath their house and he slid a chest of his Mexican seeds over the trap door in order to conceal it. When the opportunity presented itself, Dr. Perrine spoke to the Indians in Spanish identifying himself as a friend and a doctor. The Indians left... but they returned that evening. They chased Perrine to the cupola of his house where they killed him. Then they set the house on fire. Perrine's wife and children survived the entire ordeal in the turtle crawl, making their way through a narrow tunnel to the sea along side the turtles. The following day a naval vessel rescued Hester Perrine and her children. Today, Perrine and his legacy lives on in the botanicals he brought to Florida: the avocado, the key lime, the mango, and numerous agave. #OTD Today is the birthday of the Indian geneticist MS Swaminathan. Swaminathan is the father of India's Green Revolution; a movement which distributed high-yield wheat and rice varieties to poor farmers When Swaminathan had graduated from college, he recognized that the number one issue facing his country was food scarcity. While others were concerned with independence, Swaminathan felt that agriculture was the country's highest priority. Instead of pursuing medicine, which was his natural inclination, he decided to pursue degrees in agriculture. And, he continued to get a variety of degrees from numerous top universities from around the world. Swaminathan felt he could best help his country by solving the food problem. On January 4, 1968, Swaminathan gave a lecture at the Indian Science Congress where he first coined the term Green Revolution. Swaminathan wanted to marry technology development and dissemination with ecology. By developing high yielding wheat and rice varieties that small farmers could afford, the people of India became more independent. Today, Swaminathan believes that every person has the right to have food. This belief was forged during what he calls India's ship to mouth existence - when India had to wait for ships from America, or other parts of the world, to bring in food. The journey from ship to mouth to seeing food as a right is a huge paradigm shift; one which professor Swaminathan has so humbly lead.

Unearthed Words "In August, the large masses of berries, which, when in flower, had attracted many wild bees, gradually assumed their bright velvety crimson hue, and by their weight again bent down and broke their tender limbs." - Henry David Thoreau "Summer is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces up, snow is exhilarating; there is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather." - John Ruskin Today's book recommendation: The Evening Garden: Flowers and Fragrance from Dusk Till Dawn by Peter Loewer This book reveals both the history and science of the night garden. The topic of night-blooming plants has always fascinated gardeners. For example, newspaper articles over the past two centuries have shared excited reports of blooms on the night blooming cereus. This book came out in the early 90's and was advertised to gardeners who found themselves working long hours during the daytime which equated to little time for gardening. This book offers information about the history and the raising of night blooming plants as well as chapters on night fragrances, wildlife, and plans for outdoor lighting. It's an oldie but goodie. You can get copies of this book on Amazon using the today show notes for as little as $.25

Today's Garden Chore Add another layer of layer of mulch to your summer garden. Just adding an extra layer of mulch helps keep the roots of your plants cooler and more moist during hot weather. In turn, that helps to lower the stress level of your plants during this time of the year. This is also a good time to cover up some of the unsightly areas in your garden (spots where you have divided or harvested). Or you can also refresh areas where your mulch has decomposed. Don't forget that organic mulch is continuously decompose in your beds which in turn helps feed the soil. That said, you don't want to go into fall or winter with your soil uncovered because open soil is an invitation for weeds - and that's a party you do not want to have to clean up after.

Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart Here's a little story about the New Zealand botanist Lucy Cranwell who was born On this day in 1907. Imagine yourself at 21? What were you doing? Well, at 21, Lucy was appointed the curator at the Auckland Museum. Barely more than a child herself, Lucy had a special talent for engaging young students. Ever-encouraging and relatable, Lucy sparked a love of horticulture in her students. Lucy, herself, had an excellent teacher growing up in the form of her father who was a trained nurseryman. Lucy grew up helping with the large orchard on their property. It's no wonder then, that Lucy loved exploring and being in the field. During her days at the University Field Club, her peers knew her as the strongest and fastest walker at the University. One of Lucy's dearest friends was the botanist Lucy Beatrice Moore. The two Lucys went on many botanical field trips together. It was a common practice during these trips to sleep out in the open in a sleeping bag. There were many mornings when the the women woke to find themselves covered in frost. Lucy Cranwell served as the curator in Auckland for 14 years. During that time she collected over 4,000 plants for the herbarium and she created something she called "Botany Trots" - a term I absolutely adore. Botany Trots were these little botanical excursions for the children of New Zealand. Now, isn't that sweet? Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Well, the time we've waited for all year is here; it's time to harvest tomatoes. I want to give you just a quick word of caution when it comes to harvesting your tomatoes. As gardeners, sometimes we wait too long to harvest them. Sometimes that can be unintentional, and other times, we think that letting them stay on the vine is best. However, if you wait too long, the tomatoes split. This is especially true with heirloom tomatoes. If you're growing heirlooms it's best to let them ripen in a cool, dark, place. Don't be tempted to put them on a sunny window or countertop. They won't appreciate the view or the attention. Remember, heirloom tomatoes, are very fragile. The price for their fantastic flavor? Lots of TLC.

Brevities

#OTD Today is the birthday of horticulturalist Frank Cabot who was born on this day in 1925.

It's hard to believe that we lost Frank just eight years ago. He was a tremendous gardener and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his work in founding the nonprofit The Garden Conservancy. Cabot lived until the age of 86 and he spent his life perfecting his 20-acre English-style garden and estate. His masterpiece garden is known as Les Quatre Vents, or the Four Winds, and it's been in his family for over 100 years. There's a wonderful video of an interview that Martha Stewart did with Frank. He tells about the moon bridge being a copy of a moon bridge from Seven Star Park in China. "I'm a great believer in plagiarizing. I think all gardeners are. There's no reason why one shouldn't plagiarize. Why not take someone else's good idea and adapted to one's site. This garden really represents that; it's just Ideas that were gleaned from other sources." #OTD Today is the birthday of Andy Warhol who was born on this day in 1928 Warhol painted a series called Flowers that debuted in 1964. This series of paintings was unique. Warhol found the original photo for it in a magazine called Modern Photography.

All the canvas Warhol used for the Flowers series was square. He only painted on 24 and 48 inch canvases. In these paintings, Warhol applied his masterful use of color; making the flowers much more vibrant against their background. Although Warhol's Flowers have been compared to Van Gogh's bouquets and Matisse's Cutouts, it seemed no one could agree what kind of blooms were featured in the Flowers. The New York Herald Tribune identified the blossoms as anemones. The Village Voice said they were nasturtiums. Other publications said they were pansies. There was no way to really tell. The series of prints showed the same flowers over and over again in different color combinations and backgrounds.

Warhol once said, "My fascination with letting images repeat and repeat - manifests my belief that we spend much of our lives seeing without observing." Warhol's Flower series is considered a likely source for the phrase "flower power" which became an anthem for the non-violence movement. Whether or not that's true, Warhol's psychedelic flowers were totally in sync with the movement.

Warhols assistant once recalled, "When Warhol... made flowers, it reflected the urban, dark, death side of that whole flower power movement... there is a lot of depth in there."

Warhol's inclinations aligned with the 1960's flower children. He once wished aloud: "I think everybody should like everybody."

My favorite Andy Warhol quote is one that gardeners will identify with.

He said,

"I always notice flowers." #OTD On this day in 1954 that the botanist David Fairchild passed away. He was 85 years old. In terms of accomplishments, Fairchild hit it out of the botanical park. He was single-handedly responsible for the introduction of more than 200,000 plants to the United States; including pistachios, mangoes, dates, nectarines, soybeans, and flowering cherries. In conducting his work, Fairchild traveled around the globe numerous times. Without David Fairchild; the Washington Mall would not have the beautiful Japanese flowering cherries. When that first shipment of cherry trees arrived in the United States, it was infested with insects and diseases. It was a blessing in disguise. Japan was so embarrassed by the shipment, that they immediately shipped new specimens. And, Japan sent experts to the States to make sure that the trees were taken care of properly. And, plants like kale seem to be a relatively new phenomenon in gardens across the country. But, it was actually David Fairchild, and not Trader Joe's, who brought kale to the United States. And, David Fairchild brought the avocado here as well. Looking back over Fairchild's life, it's clear he had a few lucky breaks that helped change the trajectory of his life. For instance, on his first collecting expedition, he met a world traveler and wealthy benefactor named Barbara Latham who funded Many of his adventures. And, in 1905 he married Mary Ann Bell; his father-in-law was none other than Alexander Graham Bell. Finally, the next time you're in Florida, stop by the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables which is filled with many of the plants that were collected by Fairchild and it's named in his honor. Unearthed Words We celebrate the birthday of Alfred Lord Tennyson who was born on this day in 1809. Tennyson was the fourth of twelve children in his family and he became one of the most well loved Victorian poets. Today, you can take a tour of Tennyson's walled garden on the Isle of Wight. Both the home and the garden have been restored to their former glory and the property gets top ratings on TripAdvisor. An 1895 newspaper shared this charming account of Tennyson's garden: "Another orchard which I shall never forget is that which lives alongside Tennyson's Garden. It was only natural that one should recall the poets lines: (From In Memoriam:)

"O sound to rout the brood of cares, The sweep of scythe in morning dew, The gust that round the garden flew, And tumbled half the mellowing pears!"

(And, from Song of the Lotos-Eaters:) "Lo! sweeten'd with the summer light, The full-juiced apple, waxing over-mellow, Drops in a silent autumn night."

And, here's Tennyson's most quoted sentiment is a favorite among gardeners: "If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever." Today's book recommendation: Flora's Dictionary : The Victorian Language of Herbs and Flowers by Kathleen Gips

Oh, to live in Victorian times; when the meaning of a flower had so many more possibilities than just, "I love you". This book is a delight for the gardener who enjoys learning the difference between a red rose and a white one during this time in history. In addition to flowers, this book even shares the meanings of fruits and vegetables. Many of the meanings are rooted in classical literature; in that regard, this book provides added insight across subjects. Today's Garden Chore If you want to keep growing, keep sowing. Now is the time to sow more seeds - to grow more leafy greens like lettuce and arugula and spinach; and more vegetables that mature quickly like radish, and dill, and turnip. This time of year, I like to reseed kale as well. There's nothing like eating young kale shoots grown in the fall. If you're having a hot fall, don't forget that you can cover your crops with reemay to protect them from the sun and help keep them cool. There are so many wonderful resources out with advice on extending the growing season. Check out anything by Nikkie Jabbour and you'll find yourself in excellent company. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart

When I was researching Tennyson, I came across a story about a fan of his named Professor John Stewart Blackie. Blackie was a Scottish scholar known for his wit and kindness, as well as his flamboyance. In 1864, in one of his letters, Blackie described what it was like meeting Tennyson: " The poet (Tennyson) came downstairs from a hot bath which he had just been taking, quite in an easy unaffected style ; a certain slow - heaviness of motion belongs essentially to his character, and contrasts strikingly with the alert quickness and sinewy energy of Kingsley : head Jovian, eye dark, pale face, black flowing locks, like a Spanish ship-captain or a captain of Italian brigands something not at all common and not the least English. We dined, talked, and smoked together, and got on admirably." Long after, in his old age, Miss Stoddart tells us, the Professor spoke of this visit with a reference very unusual to him in allusion to his contemporaries, and a few flowers gathered in Tennyson's garden were carefully pressed and affixed to his copy of his "in Memoriam". Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

One of the things I love to do at the end of spending time in my garden is to make some tussie mussies. Tussie mussies are also called nosegays or posies; they are small flower bouquets typically given as a gift. Mine are pretty small - with cuttings no longer than 6 inches. I like the charm of these little tussie mussies. They are super fun to drop off by someone's mailbox or simply to set down near the register of your favorite barista. They look perfect when placed on top of a book or added to the top of a gift-wrapped package. Irene Deitsch wrote a book called Tussie Mussies a few years ago and she explained the etymology of the word tussie mussie - which I found quite helpful. "A 'tussie' is a nosegay, which is a Middle English word for a small group of flowers held together in a little bouquet. 'Mussie' refers to the moss that was moistened and put around the stems of the flowers to keep them from wilting. That's why they're called tussie-mussies." Brevities #OTD Today is the anniversary of the death of Jeanne Baret who died on this day in 1807. Baret was the first woman to have circumnavigated the world as part of the expedition which was led by Louis Antoine de Bougainville. Beret was able to join the expedition after posing as a valet to the expedition's naturalist: Philibert Commerçon. Before the expedition, Baret had been employed as Commerçon's housekeeper. A few years later his wife died and Baret took over the management of the household in addition to having a personal relationship with Commerçon. Commerçon had poor health and it was likely that he needed Baret to join him on the expedition because he needed her assistance. Baret herself was actually a botanist herself and her own right. When the ship stopped in Rio de Janeiro, an old leg injury prevented Commerçon from collecting specimens. Thus , it was Baret who ventured out into the tropics and returned with the lovely tropical vine that would be named to honor the expedition's commander: Bougainvillea. #OTD It's the birthday of Frederick William Calcut Paxford who was born on this day in 1898. Paxford was CS Lewis's gardener from 1930 until Lewis' death in 1963. Paxford was the inspiration for Puddleglum; the marsh Weigle and the silver chair in the chronicles of Narnia where Puddleglum was described as, "an inwardly optimistic, outwardly pessimistic, dear, frustrating, shrewd countryman of immense integrity." Paxford and Lewis were the same age. However, Paxford had served during World War I, and he had been gassed as a soldier. Nearly a decade after the war, Lewis bought his property in Oxfordshire called the Kilns. When Paxford was hired, he spent many years preparing the grounds. He leveled the lawn in front of the house. He set out flowers and a Rose arbor. He established both an orchard and a vegetable garden. and he helped raise rabbits and chickens. Lewis called Paxford, "our indispensable factotum" (A factotem is an employee who does all kinds of tasks.) Meanwhile, Paxford always referred to Sinclair Lewis as "Mr. Jack". Here are a few of Paxford's memories about Lewis: "Mr. Jack loved the trees and would not have a tree cut down or lopped. When we had to take some [branches] to make a rose trellis, we had to get them when he was away for a few days and cover up the cuts with mud so that they would not be seen." Paxford lived in a little private Bungalow in the garden and he stayed there for 33 years. When Lewis died, Paxford was only bequeathed 100 pounds. To which he replied, "Well, it won't take me far, will it?" #OTD Today is the anniversary of the death of Candice Wheeler who died on this day in 1923. Candice Wheeler is often called "the mother of interior design". In addition to design, Wheeler loved gardening and she helped create the artist community of Onteora. Onteora was known for its unique homes and gardens. In its prime, it was a summer colony teaming with artists set in New York's Catskill Mountains. Wheeler's garden was known as Wildmuir. Wildmuir had wonderful lawn, specimen rhododendrons, laurels, and evergreen trees. In the 1920s, Wildmuir was updated by Harold Caparn, who designed the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. Like Martha Stewart, Candice Wheeler was multitalented. Her publishing credits include a variety of books; from How to Make Rugsto Content in a Garden. Content in a Gardenis partly an essay and partly a guide as to what can be grown in a small space. Wheeler wrote from her own experiences. In a 1923 newspaper advertisement for the book, the reviewer wrote that Candice Wheeler and her daughter, Dora Wheeler Keith, "are thoroughly in sympathy with nature, of which the former writes as charmingly as the latter illustrates it." And it was Candace Wheeler who said, "One of the most perfect and unfailing joys of life is planting. It is the creative joy felt by God." Unearthed Words Today, we honor the poetry of Wendell Erdman Barry, an American author whose extraordinary nature poetry grew out of his experiences as a farmer. Barry is responsible for so many wonderful quotes and poems. It was difficult to pick just a few. Here are some of my favorites: "Eating is an agricultural act." "Better than any argument is to rise at dawn and pick dew-wet red berries in a cup." "Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do." "I don't believe that grief passes away. It has its time and place forever. More time is added to it; it becomes a story within a story. But grief and griever alike endure." Today's book recommendation: The Herb Garden Cookbook by Lucinda Hutson Southern Livingsaid this about Lucinda Hutson's book: "Lucinda Hutson's garden is something of a legend in Austin. An invitation from Lucinda, an authority on ethnic herbs and an accomplished cook, to sample a new dish or special punch in her flamboyant setting is a guaranteed fiesta. . . . And her gusto for entertaining and cooking is exemplified in her recipes [in] The Herb Garden Cookbook." If you've ever wondered what to do with all the herbs growing in your garden, Hutson's book will be an inspiration for you. This book was published back in 2003, but it is a classic. You can get used copies on Amazon using the link provided in today's show notes for under three dollars. Today's Garden Chore Now is the time to start pansy seed for fall color to your beds and containers and window boxes. Pansies can handle cooler temperatures. When your geraniums and begonias and other summer bloomers are starting to get leggy and spent, pansies are nice way to add a dash of color with their adorable little faces. If you look closely at pansies, you'll see that their petals are heart-shaped and they overlap. Despite their sweet faces, pansies are tough. They will survive a frost. They can bounce back from single-digit temperatures (which I think is incredible). And remember, pansies love morning sun the best - they're not thrilled with hot afternoon sun. They're too cool for that. Just a heads up: Pansy seed can be finicky and slow going, so check out some YouTube videos for germination tips to ensure success. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart On this day in 1998, The Province out of Vancouver, British Columbia shared an article written by Peter Clough that caught my attention. The title was called Hydrangea Fest Yanked by Rootsand began with the sentence, "It's a blooming shame." Here's what it said: "Saturday was supposed to be the inaugural SurreyWhite Rock Hydrangea Blossom Festival. For organizer Elaine Cramer, it was going to be the realization of a dream she's had for 15 years to bring a world-class floral parade to the Lower Mainland. Now it's not going to happen; not this year at least. After months of planning, the parade has been cancelled. [...] Elaine is no novice when it comes to hydrangeas. She actually studied them at university. Her garden's home to several varieties. [Elaine] says Surrey was equally enthusiastic. In fact, she says, it was Mayor Doug McCallum who convinced her that the best route through Surrey was 152nd Street. So she was a little shocked two weeks ago when she sat down before the city's special-events committee to be told by chairwoman Council Judy Higginbotham that her permit had been denied. She's been working with Surrey officials for more than a year and only now does she learn of the problem. Elaine and her 30 volunteers plan to give away more than 10,000 hydrangea bushes between now and October with next year's parade in mind. That's if she can get a permit." Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Right about now you might be thinking about doing a little garden cleanup and preparation for fall. One of the questions I get from gardeners this time of year has to do with whether or not to let some of your plants go to seed. After spending most of the summer deadheading and illuminating all of the brown stuff on our foliage, it can be tough for some gardeners to let things go to seed. But there are many benefits to letting some of the plants in your garden bolt in all their glory. First of all, there is tremendous ornamental value that extends into winter if you allow your perennials to keep their seed heads. (Think of the seeds heads offered by cilantro, kale, arugula, basil and so forth). Second, seeds offer food and habitat to native bees and other creatures. Thirdly, saving seeds from the garden saves you money because it eliminates the need to buy seed for next year. (Think of your tomatoes and other edibles). This practice also allows you to keep heritage plants alive for future generations. That's exactly how the heirlooms we know and love have been passed down through the generations. The main thing, is to allow nature to do most of the drying for you. Your seeds will have a much higher success rate if you let them dry as much as possible before you collect them. And finally, allowing plants to go to seed means that you will have less to plant and subsequent seasons thanks to volunteer plants. Each year my garden is blessed with Queen Anne's lace, Indian Paintbrush, Columbine, Forget-Me-Nots, Lettuce, Dill, Foxglove, Valerian, Lovage and Beets. All planted by God; all perfectly placed and happy as a result. My volunteers find a way to utilize the tiniest nooks and crevices in my garden. Brevities #OTD It's the anniversary of the death of the landscape and portrait painter Thomas Gainsborough who died on this day in 1788. Gainsborough is known for his painting of the Blue Boy today. You can visit Gainsborough's house in Suffolk. There is a garden there with a spectacular mulberry tree dating to the early 1600s during the reign of James I who encouraged the planting of mulberry trees in order to establish a silk industry. The king and his advisers lacked the knowledge about Mulberry trees of which there are two kinds. The white mulberry feeds silk worms and the black supplies the fruit. Gainsborough's Mulberry (as well as every other Mulberry cultivated in England) was the black Mulberry. Although England never successfully became known for silk worms, the craft of silk weaving became firmly rooted. In addition to the large Mulberry, the Gainsborough garden includes two Beds for Herbs and another that is strictly devoted to plants used for dying fabric. The rest of the garden is made up of plants that were available during Gainsborough's lifetime. #OTD Today in 1820 the first potatoes were planted in Hawaii. Turns out the, the American brig, the Thaddeus, brought more than the first missionaries to the island brought. #OTD On this day In 1938, the Belvedere Daily Republican, out of Belvedere Illinois, published a small article about a tree named for Benjamin Franklin. Here's what it said: "About 200 years ago, John Bartram, an eminent botanist, discovered a strange flowering tree in a Georgia forest and named it "Franklinia" in honor of his fellow Philadelphian, Benjamin Franklin." #OTD It's the anniversary of the death of the poet Wallace Stevens who died on this day in 1955. Stevens said, "Death is the mother of beauty. Only the perishable can be beautiful; which is why we are unmoved by artificial flowers." Stevens was one of the most skilled poets of the 20th Century he lived his entire adult life near Elizabeth Park in Hartford Connecticut. By day, Stevens worked at Hartford insurance company where he became a Vice President and by night he was a poet; it was in an unusual combination. Stevens lived 2 miles from his work and he walked to work every day; undoubtedly using the time to find inspiration and to write poems. The park across from his house was one of his favorite places. Elizabeth Park is huge; covering over 100 acres with formal gardens, meadows, lawns, green houses, and a pond. Stevens wrote the following poems About Elizabeth Park: Vacancy in the Park The Plain Sense of Things Nuns Painting Water Lilies By 1950, Stevens was awarded the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for his poetry. And, here's a little known fact about Wallace Stevens: He once started a fist-fight with Ernest Hemingway in Key West. Unearthed Words Today is the birthday of the victorian poet William Watson who is born on this day in 1858. Watson was overlooked two times for the role of poet laureate because he had included his political views about the government's policy regarding South Africa and Ireland into some of his poetry. Late in his life, he was invited to write a poem to commemorate the Liverpool cathedral in 1924 to help raise money. He did the job, but the church wasn't thrilled that Watson had written about the squalid conditions of the cities population - which was in stark contrast to the Grand Cathedral. Once Watson died, England embraced him. Rudyard Kipling said he was. "someone who had never written a bad line". Here's a poem by William Watson that gardeners will appreciate. It's called simply Three Flowers: I made a little song about the rose And sang it for the rose to hear, Nor ever marked until the music's close A lily that was listening near. The red red rose flushed redder with delight, And like a queen her head she raised. The white white lily blanched a paler white, For anger that she was not praised. Turning I left the rose unto her pride, The lily to her enviousness, And soon upon the grassy ground espied A daisy all companionless. Doubtless no flattered flower is this, I deemed; And not so graciously it grew As rose or lily: but methought it seemed More thankful for the sun and dew. Dear love, my sweet small flower that grew'st among The grass, from all the flowers apart,— Forgive me that I gave the rose my song, Ere thou, the daisy, hadst my heart! Today's book recommendation: The Cook and the Gardener : A Year of Recipes and Writings for the French Countryside by Amanda Hesser This award winning book offers a lovely blend of cookbook along with garden stories that allow you to live vicariously with Hesser on a culinary school of estate in burgundy France. Since the book is about traditional French gardening and cooking, it also captures the local customs and wisdom cultivated in provincial France. Each chapter covers a month. The book can be read one season at a time, following along with the changes on the calendar and in the harvest. Each season offers a recipe for stock. The little stories about the gardener are delightful and there are wonderful tips that gardeners will appreciate appreciate. For instance, Amanda learned not to pick cabbages before a frost because the frost enhances the flavor. There's a lovely recipe for pumpkin soup as well as all kinds of preserves. This is my favorite kind of book because it's part cookbook, part garden story, and part history. Best of all, the tone is cozy-cozy, charming, and conversational. Today's Garden Chore Propagate some slips of mint. Cut it with a sharp knife below a joint, take off leaves from the bottom 2-3 inches, and then put your cuttings in a glass filled with water for a week or so. It will take a week or two for the roots to form, but don't change the water. (Go ahead and add more if needed). This is one of the simplest ways to propagate mint, as well as other herbs. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart Just a quick heads up that tomorrow, August 3, is Garden Day at Longwood Gardens. There is a keynote presentation from Matt Ross who is the Director of Continuing Education there. Matt will give two Keynote talks titled, "Go Green, Go White, Get Variegated" and another one called "Hidden Gems: the Best Gardens in America You've Never Heard Of." In addition, there will be nine breakout sessions to check out. So, if you live near Longwood, please go on my behalf and then tell me all about it. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."