The Daily Gardener

Gardeners. Horticultural experts. Professors, even. On the garden path, you can, from time to time, run into people that decimate you faster than a Japanese Beetle on green beans. Let's just set one thing straight. Gardening is good for you, but people who give garden advice can be bad for you. What they fail to realize is that gardening is an activity of the head AND the heart. I'm here to tell you, gardening is the absolute most wonderful pastime. But don't let anyone diminish your love for it. If the folks giving you advice aren't respectful, helpful, or loving - they shouldn't be in the business of helping people garden. The world needs every gardener it can get. The best thing you can give a gardener is encouragement. Brevities #OTD It's the death day of William Herbert (12 January 1778 – 28 May 1847). He was a British botanist, a distinguished scholar and poet, an Amaryllis breeder, and a clergyman who eventually became the first Dean of Manchester; the head of the Chapter of Manchester Cathedral. In 1837, Herbert wrote a book about the Amaryllidaceae ("am-uh-ril-id-AY-see-ee") or the Amaryllis ("am-uh-RIL-us") family. The Amaryllis was named after Virgil's shepherdess Amarysso from Greek mythology, meaning "to sparkle". Nearly two decades earlier, Herbert had split the genera in two – creating one genera for the original Amaryllis genera named by Linnaeus and for the other genera for what he called the Hippeastrum ("hip-ee-ASS-trum"). He explained his actions in writing saying: "Many years ago,...when I distinguished this genus,... I retained for it the name Amaryllis, and proposed that of Coburghia for Belladonna and Blanda. I was not then aware that Linnaeus had given the name Amaryllis to Belladonna, with a playful reason assigned; but as soon as I learned it, I felt, ... that the jeu d'esprit of a distinguished man ought not to be superceded, and that and that no continental botanist would submit to the change. I therefore restored the name Amaryllis to Belladonna, and gave that of Hippeastrum or Equestrian star to this genus, following up the idea of Linnaeus when he named one of the original species equestre." Hippeastrum is Greek; hippeus for rider and astron for star - thus, "horseman's star". Gardeners surmise that the closed buds of the flower look something like a horse's ear and the blossoms are shaped like six-pointed stars. As is often the case in horticulture, the more popular name didn't end up with the more popular genus. The the original Amaryllis genus ended up with only one species - the belladonna - although another species has been discovered. Meanwhile the Hippeastrum genus has a whopping 90 species and over 600 cultivars. It's clearly more significant, botanically speaking, after being hybridized in the 19th century. Thus, it's the hippeastrum genera that gives us the large bulbs we pot up in the winter and lovingly call by their common name: Amaryllis... but they are really Hippeastrum. So this November, when you're potting up your Amaryllis, think to yourself - Hip Hip Hooray - it's Hippeastrum day! What's the likelihood that actually happens? Yeah. It doesn't roll off the tongue, does it? The confusion about the two different genera stems from the fact that folks didn't like and don't likesaying Hippeastrum. When the change was announced, the eminent horticultural empire builder, Harry Veitch challenged it eloquently when he said, "Are we wrong in continuing to call these grand flowers after the name of the Virgilian nymph, and should we therefore drop the pleasing appellative with which they have been almost indissolubly connected from our earliest memory, and substitute the rougher Hippeastrum for the softer Amaryllis?' Veitch was not alone. The century growers from the infamous bulb families refused to go along with the name change. To this day, the bulbs are exported from the Netherlands in crates clearly marked Amaryllis. Yet, William Herbert is remembered fondly through the ages. The genus Herbertia of Sweet - a small genus in the Iris Family - commemorated him. Charles Darwinwrote about Herbert in the On the Origin of Species(1859): In regard to plants, no one has treated this subject with more spirit and ability than W. Herbert, Dean of Manchester, evidently the result of his great horticultural knowledge. And, the International Bulb Societyawards The Herbert Medalto people who advance the knowledge of bulbous plants. #OTD It's the birthday of Carl Richard Nyberg (May 28, 1858, – 1939) the Swede who created the blowtorch which in turn led to the flame weeder. Nyberg worked in various industrial companies, eventually landing at J. E. Eriksons Mekanikus. While he was there, he came up with the idea for the blowtorch. He built a prototype complete with safety features. Convinced he was on to something, he quit his job at Eriksons in 1882 and set up a workshop in Stockholm making blowtorches. Nyberg hadn't set up efficient production and he didn't have a dedicated or trained sales team. It flopped. Four years later, in 1886, he met a man named Max Sievert at a country fair. They struck up a conversation and Sievert was savvy enough to know realize the potential of Nyberg's blowtorch. Seivert started selling it and Nyberg was back in business. This time, Nyberg diversified. He made blowtorches as well as small paraffin oil and kerosene stoves. Nyberg's company went public in 1906 and Nyberg gave his employees stock in the company. Known as "Nybergs snobbar" or Nyberg's snobs, Nyberg's employees were better off than their peers in other companies.In 1922 Nyberg's old friend, Max Sievert, bought the company and he continued to own it until 1964 when it was bought by Esso. Although Nyberg worked on countless other inventions, his heart actually belonged to aviation. He became known as "Flyg-Nyberg" (Flying-Nyberg). For over two decades beginning in the late 1800's, he built and tested his plane, the Flugan (The Fly) on a circular wood track in his garden. Nyberg was the first to test his design in a wind tunneland the first to build an airplane hangar.Despite his inability to get his invention to fly, the fact he attempted it at all was something of a miracle; Nyberg was afraid of heights. Unearthed Words Greek mythology tells the story of Amaryllis, who was a lovestruck shepherdess. She met a handsome shepherd on the mountainside. His name was Alteo and she fell in love with him. But, the problem was that Alteo had a heart only for flowers. Oh, to be one of his beloved blossoms! Amaryllis went to the Oracle at Delphi who gave her a Golden arrow. The Oracle told Amaryllis that each night she must dress all in white and stand outside Alteo's house. Then she must pierce her own heart with the Golden arrow and knock on Alteo's door. For 29 nights, Alteo slept soundly, never hearing Amaryllis cry out; never hearing her knock at his door. But, on the 30th night, Alteo awoke to her cry, and when she knocked on his door, he opened it. There, Amaryllis stood in her white gown. Her heart was fully healed and on the ground, wherever her blood has been shed, were the most magnificent scarlet flowers Alteo had ever seen. Alteo knelt before her and pledged his undying love to Amaryllis. Now, every holiday season, we watch the Amaryllis bloom and we are reminded of the wonder and the power of love; which is the strongest power of all - stronger than even death. Here's a little poem I wrote about the Amaryllis: Amaryllis by Jennifer Ebeling Amaryllis is so sweet and fair, A name that's true; beyond compare. Though Herbert made the genera split, He picked a name we'd soon forget So goche, it starts with hippeasst, In the game of names, it comes in last Rather follow like sheep where Linnaeus led, Honoring a shepherdess who willing bled For the love of a shepherd who saw her not, But oh, Amaryllis, gardeners have not forgot. Today, we say Alteo who? But, at your name, we can construe The bulb that blooms in winter's chill. Amaryllis, you are with us still. Today's book recommendation: Medieval Herbals by Minta Collins Published in 2000, Minta's book the first book author Anna Pavord gives credit to for her work in The Naming of Names about the earliest work in plant taxonomy. Medieval Herbals provides one of the few resources on the subject of the earliest ideas and books of herbs. Minta explains how herbals became the backbone of knowledge for medical scholars. The books were expensive, difficult to obtain and often invaluable to historians, botanists, and the world of culture and art. I, for one, love that someone named Minta wrote a book about herbs. Hardcover versions of this book sell for over $300. However, the link in today's show notes, can get you to paperback copies on Amazon of this incredible resource for just over $30. That's a 90% savings. Today's Garden Chore: Address exposed tree roots with mulch instead of soil. Depending on your type of soil, and the type of tree, tree roots can sometimes erupt on the surface of the soil. Many gardeners want to bury the Exposed roots; But, putting more than an inch to an inch and a half of soil on top of the exposed root can actually smother the tree. Placing a small layer of mulch on top of the exposed tree root is preferred. Mulch is lighter, has more air pockets, and when rained on creates an organic tea; adding nutrients back into the soil. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart #OTD On this day in 1919, New Hampshire selected the purple lilac as the state flower Because they said it symbolized the hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State. In 1750, the first lilac was planted at the home of the first Gov. Benning Wentworth. An Englishman, Wentworth had brought the lilac along with other trees and shrubs when he immigrated to America. Nearly 200 years later, New Hampshire Gov. Francis P. Murphy commemorated a planting at the capital on April 25, 1939. He remarked, "Six roots were taken from the famous lilac trees In the garden of the first colonial governor of New Hampshire.So today, We are placing in the earth of the Capitol grounds root cuttings from the very first lilacs ever to come to America. We are very proud of this little flower which is uniquely ours and as I plant these routes today, I ask you to join with me in the hope that they may thrive and in the course of time, grow into full beauty." And here's one final note about the Wentworth lilacs: The lilacs planted at Mount Vernon by George Washington are also thought to be slips taken from the Wentworth estate. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Emerson once wrote, "To science there is no poison; To botany no weed; To chemistry no dirt." As much as I like this quote, I know most gardeners will beg to differ. To gardeners, there areweeds. As I mentioned in an earlier episode this month, we often forget one key variable in gardening; the gardener. Each of us, as gardeners, has our own point of view when it comes to weeds. On May 12, 1957, Vita Sackville West reached the same conclusion when she said, "It was borne in on me, not for the first time, how the weeds of one country are the flowers of another. Recently in the tropics I had been shocked on seeing my host and hostess as they wandered round their garden tearing up green oddments as we should tear up groundsel, . . . saying, 'That wretched thing! All over the place as usual!' This was Gloriosa superba, which we have to grow carefully in heat if we want it at all." Brevities #OTD It's the birthday of Ynes Mexia, A Mexican American botanist born in 1870. After a lifetime of turbulent personal challenges, Mexia discovered the Sierra Club at age 50. Throughout her life, nature had been a balm to her. She decided to enroll at Berkeley in order to take botany classes.She would take classes there on and off over the next 16 years; her goal was not to graduate but simply to learn more about plants. Mexia fell in love with fieldwork and she went on numerous trips through the southwestern part of the United States, Mexico, and South America. Mexia was especially drawn to unique plants and she absolutely adored sunflowers. In fact, on one of her botanizing trips, she discovered an entirely new genus of Compositae. Although Mexia was a late bloomer as a botanist, her collecting efforts proved extraordinary. Many scholars argue that she was the most accomplished plant collector of her time. Here are some highlights about her work:

• Mexia collected and preserved 150,000 plants, flowers, and leaves
• Her first trip yielded 500 specimens the same number that Darwin brought back on the Beagle.
• Mexia personally discovered 500 brand-new plant species.
• Her botanist peers were well aware of her staggering amount of work and expeditions. Specifically, Mexia enjoyed the thrill of working with botanist Alice Eastwood.

Yet, not even lung cancer could stop her from collecting plants. In 1938, she had returned to Mexico in search of new specimens. But her illness got the best of her, she was forced to cut her trip short and returned to the United States. She died at Berkeley on June 12th. Mexia's estate was donated in part to the Redwood Preserve in California. A 40-acre grove, home to one of the tallest trees, was named in her honor. Today, some 80 years after her death, scientists are still processing the plants she collected. #OTD It's the birthday of Queen Victoria. Kensington Palace is marking the bicentenary, the 200th anniversary, of Victoria's birth with an impressive floral display at the sunken garden. The display will include Flowers from the Victorian period, such as heliotropes, cannas, pelargonium, and begonias. There are many plants named after Queen Victoria including the Victoria agave. The giant waterlily, Victoria amazonica, Is also named for her. Violets were Queen Victoria's favorite flowers. When Victoria married Albert, she broke with protocol. Instead of wearing a crown, she wore a wreath of orange blossoms. #OTD On this day in 2018, The Oakville Horticultural Society outside of Québec, offered a screening of the documentary "The Gardener" featuring horticulturist Frank Cabot and his masterpiece garden Les Quatre Vents or the Four Winds. The film reflects upon the meaning of gardening and its impact on our lives. Cabot passed away at the age of 86, But before he died he shared his personal quest for perfection on his 20-acre English style garden and the state. The Four Winds Garden has been in the Cabot 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." Unearthed Words: The Naming of Plants by Linda Leinen Linda was inspired to write this poem after reading T.S. Eliot's poem delightful "The Naming of Cats". When I was researching yesterday's show which honored Carl Linnaeus's birthday and his system of categorizing plants by genus and species - or binomial nomenclature, I came across Linda's poem. If you already know "The Naming of Cats," you'll hear its echoes below. The naming of plants? It really does matter. It isn't correct to think all are the same. You may think at first I'm indulging in patter, but I tell you — a plant must have four different names! First comes the name that tells us its genus — Gaillardia, Solanum, Ilex or Phlox; Clematis and Salvia, Silphium, Quercus — the Latin is easy, not hard as a rock. There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter, some for the cactus and some for the canes — Monarda, Justicia, or even Lantana make lovely and sensible Latinate names. And then, every plant needs a name more particular, a name that's specific and quite dignified — else how could it keep all its stems perpendicular, spread out its anthers, or blossom with pride? For namings of this sort, I 'll give you fair dozens: lyrata, drummondii, frutescens, and more — crispus, limosa, luteola, texensis — those names help describe what we're all looking for. Of course, there are names by which most people call plants, like violet, hollyhock, iris, and thyme; there's nothing more common than sweet dandelions, or peaches, or rhubarb for making our wine. But above and beyond, there's one name left over, and that is the Name that you never will guess; the Name that no researcher ever discovers — which the plant itself knows, but will not confess. When you notice a bloom in profound meditation, its rays sweetly folded, or its leaves well-arrayed, its mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation of the seed of a thought of a thought of its Name: its sturdy and windblown, sunkissed and shadowed, deep and firm-rooted most singular Name. Wasn't that delightful? You can find Linda at her websites: Lagniappe - I'll let you discover the marvelousness of that name and all of Linda's work there. You can also find Linda at The Task at Hand, which is native plant centered and essentially photographic in nature. Today's book recommendation: The Naming of Names by Anna Pavord A few words to describe this book: gorgeous. indispensable. Pavord traces the history of plant taxonomy from the ancient Greeks to 17th-century British botanist John Ray. I'm down with anything by Pavord - and you can get used copies of this excellent book on Amazon through the link around $3. That's downright criminal. Today's Garden Chore It's another Photo Friday in the Garden: Today, take an inventory of your weeds. That's right. Weeds are going to take centerstage. Why? Because I bet you need help identifying at least a handful. Now you'll have photos of your weeds with you and you can get help identifying them. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart When I was researching Mexia, I learned that the concept of having plants named in her honor, gave her an immense satisfaction. It was almost as if she was scrambling to leave a botanical legacy in order to ensure her place in history. As of today, 50 species have been named in her honor. Like all plant explorers, Mexia had her war stories. The San Francisco Examinerhad an article that featured Mexia and they memorably titled it "She Laughs at Jungle Perils". Once Mexia had had accidentally eaten a poisonous berry. The indigenous people shared an ingenious remedy with her: "Sticking a chicken feather down her throat to coax the berries back up." Mexia traveled the entire length of the Amazon River. During one of her breaks from the jungle, she had even climbed Mount McKinley. When she nearly died after falling from a cliff, her team attempted to make her feel better, by naming two flowers after her: The Maxianthus mexicanasand the Mamosa mexiae. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, "But these young scholars... Love not the flower they pluck, and know it not, And all their botany is Latin names." There is more to gardening than nomenclature, and more than nomenclature there's actually growing and knowing plants. Brevities #OTD It's the birthday of Carl Linnaeus born on this day in 1707. It is said he liked flowers as a young child and whenever he was upset, he was given a flower to sooth him. On May 1st, 1753 the publication of his masterpiece Species Plantarumchanged plant taxonomy forever. It gave Linnaeus the moniker Father of Taxonomy; his naming system is called binomial nomenclature. Binomial means "two names" which in the naming game includes the plant's genus (which is capitalized or could be abbreviated by its first letter) and species or specific epithet (which is all lowercase and can be abbreviated sp.) If you have trouble remembering taxonomy, I like to think of it like the given name and surname of a person, but in reverse order. The names that Linnaeus assigned live on unchanged and are distinguished by an "L." after their name. And, it was Linnaeus himself who said: "God created, Linnaeus ordered." There are so many stories about Linnaeus; but I thought I'd share a few of the more obscure stories about him and his work. First, Linnaeus' friend Anders Celsius created the Centigrade thermometer in 1742; with water boiling at 0 degrees and freezing at 100. Three years later, it was Linnaeus who reversed the scale - sharing it in an article with the Botanical Garden at Uppsala University. Second, there is a memorable story about the genus Commelina; the genus for the Asiatic Dayflower. Linnaeus named the genus after the three Commelin brothers; two of whom achieved greatness in botany & one who died young before achieving anything in life. Linnaeus wrote: "Commelina has 3 petals, two of which are showy where the third is not conspicuous" Next time you see the Commelina communis or Asiatic Dayflower (with two large blue petals & one very small white petal) you can think of the Commelins and Linnaeus' kind memorialization of the three brothers. Another fun story about Linnaeus involved a trip he took to Lapland where he was given a raccoon named Sjupp. Linnaeus realized that he could use his new naming system to name animals as well as plants. He first classified racoons as Ursus lotor, the washing bear. Linnaeus kept Sjupp (who he described as 'tremendously stubborn') at the botanical garden of Uppsala. Fascinated bySjupp's interactions with his habitat, Linnaeus observed that his students would often find themselves pestered relentlessly by Sjupp if they carried food like raisins or nuts in their pockets. Linnaeus found himself in a number of predicaments. Once he was forced to leave Hamburg after he revealed that the mayor's prized "stuffed seven-headed hydra" was just a bunch of snake carcasses sewn to a weasel carcass. When Linnaeus published his taxonomy, he actually included a section for Animalia Paradoxa to debunk the existence of the fantastic like: unicorns, dragons, hydras and manticores. The national flower of Sweden is the Linnaea (Linn-ee-ah) borealisor the Twinflower; After naming over 8,000 plants, the Twin Flower was the plant to which Linnaeus gave his name. It was his favorite plant. Linnaea is the genus. Borealis is the species and it references where it is found (borealis means northern). As for the story of how he named it after himself, he was actually persuaded to do so by a Dutch botanist, his great friend, Jan Frederik Gronovius Twinflower belongs to the honeysuckle family. It's a sweet tiny plant, offering a faint scent of vanilla. One side note worth mentioning is how Linnaeus' collection ended up leaving Sweden and finding a home in London: When Linnaeus died in 1778, his belongings were sold. Joseph Banks, the president of the Linnean Society, acted quickly; buying everything of horticultural value on behalf of the society. Linnaeus' notebooks and specimens were on a ship bound for England. When the king of Sweden realized Linnaeus' legacy was no longer in Sweden, he sent a fast navy ship in pursuit; but it was too late. Banks precious cargo made it back to London first. Thus, Linnaeus's collection is in London at the Linnaeus Society's Burlington House. Unearthed Words The Swedish author August Strindberg said, "Linnaeus was in reality a poet who happened to become a naturalist". Samuel Taylor Coleridge noted the symmetry in taxonomy and poetry saying taxonomy was "the best words in the best order". Linnaeus wrote most of his prose and poetry in Swedish. Beautiful to swedish ears, much of his work outside of taxonomy is still unknown to the rest of the world. Linnaeus was a deeply religious man, and he often used parallelism in his writing, a method used often in the bible.The son of a clergyman, Linnaeus no doubt grew up hearing the scriptures which clearly influenced his writing as an adult. Here's a little text from Linnaeus on the difference between humans and various animals. You'll hear his use of parallelism clearly: "We have not the strength of the elephant, but our intelligence has tamed the strongest of them. We have not the speed of the hare, but our genius has learned to capture the speediest of them. We have not front feet to dig through earth like the mole, but our minds have devised ways to bore through hard bedrock. [...]" Today's book recommendation: Linnaeus: The Man and His Work by Sten Lindroth, Gunnar Eriksson, Gunnar Broberg, Tore Frängsmyr This is a nice little resource on Linnaeus - published in 1983. You can get used copies on Amazon with the link above for under $7. It includes the following lengthy essays: The two faces of Linnaeus, pp. 1–62; Linnaeus the botanist, pp. 63–109; Linnaeus as a geologist, pp. 110–155; Homo sapiens. Linnaeus' classification of man, pp. 156–194. Today's Garden Chore: Plant Cannas Once the danger of frost has passed, you can start to plant rhizomes like cannas. If this is your first time trying them, rhizomes should be placed horizontally in the soil, 4 to 6 inches deep, and spaced 1 to 2 feet apart. Next year, try getting them started early in pots or in a greenhouse about a month before they can be placed outside in warmer temps. Cannas are hungry eaters; they are happy to be fertilized monthly. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart When Linnaeus was 25 years old, he set out to explore the Lapland. He spent nearly six months there, and he came back with tales of a Scandinavia few people knew existed. The expedition had been trying: He had suffered hunger, mosquitoes, freezing temperatures, and had almost died from a rockslide and a gunshot. Through it all, Linnaeus fell in love with the Lapland; He even brought home a traditional costume complete with a magical drum as a souvenir from his adventure. Five years later, an obscure German painter named Martin Hoffman painted Linnaeus' portrait. And, guess what did he choose to wear for the sitting? His Lapland costume, of course. In Hoffman's Linnaeus, a 30-year-old Linnaeus is seen wearing boots made of reindeer skin. He's also wearing an early version of a toolbelt. Suspended from it is the magical drum, a needle to make nets, a snuffbox, a cartridge-box and a knife. Linnaeus is wearing traditional Laplander's gloves; and in his right hand he holds his favorite plant: the Twinflower, Linnaea borealis. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Here's a gardener's bedtime ritual for this time of year: Take sandpaper or a nail file and nick those nasturtium seeds before you soak them overnight; then sow them outside. They grow well in poor soil. The leaves and flowers are edible and are great in salads. Brevities #OTD It's the birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - born in 1859. Ten years ago, in 2009, aviolin made from a dying sycamore tree in Conan Doyle's garden was played to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth. The violin was a nod to Conan Doyle's creation, Sherlock Holmes, who played the violin while solving cases. If you search for "Conan Doyle Garden" on twitter, you'll see a fantastic photographic portrait of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle sitting at a table in his garden with his Irish terrier Paddy sitting beside him on a bench. Doyle and his wife, Jean, purchased a quaint, thatched cottage they called Bignell House. Running along the boundary of the garden was a trout stream and it also had a wicket gate leading directly to the forest. There was a miniature golf course and a croquet lawn. Jean added a number of garden gnomes and statuary to the garden. The Doyles were spiritualists. They believed in garden fairies, pixies, and elves. During the First World War, when two girls took created fake photographs of fairies, Doyle fell for the pictures. They inspired him to write The Coming of the Fairies a book making the case for the existence of fairies. The garden influenced Doyle's writing. He wrote about monkshood and other poisonous plants. When he has his character John Watson write a list of Sherlock Holmes limitations; Watson mentions he knew nothing of practical gardening however, he did note that Sherlock was, "Well up in belladonna, opium, and poisons generally." In The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet, Sherlock Holmes solves the case thanks to footprints in the garden. In Doyle's Through the Magic Door,he wrote about the value of understanding botany: "A very little botany will enable you to recognize every flower you are likely to meet in your walks abroad, and to give you a tiny thrill of interest when you chance upon one which is beyond your ken. In an interview with Doyle published in The Strand Magazine in march 1919, he shares his understanding of an odd message that had come to him during a séance. It said, "Food comes before etymology." He said, "On the day before that on which I attended this seance, I had told my two little boys, aged nine and seven (these are children of Sir Arthur's second marriage) that they must go to work and kill all the caterpillars and other predatory insects in our garden. They were not inclined to do it, for they are very tender-hearted little fellows, but I explained to them that these insects were just as much a menace to our food supply as the German submarines then were. They understood the necessity then, and started at once. So now you can see the significance of the message that I received : 'Food comes before entomology,' " Aside from his belief in the supernatural, Doyle greatly enjoyed being in his garden. He did most of his writing in the garden. He once remarked, "What a lovely thing a rose is!" And, Doyle once gave a speech heartily supporting the Early Rising Billor Daylight SavingBillwhich was published in the Daily Mailon April 21, 1909, where he stated: "Of every 100 people in the country ninety-nine would benefit by its passing. The only real objection is that it would set all the sundials wrong. (Laughter.) The need of this age is that people should get more in touch with nature; that they should have a little more fun in their lives; and I think that a measure which sends a man home one hour earlier to his wife and children, gives him a chance to cultivate his garden... would be of great benefit to the country." #OTD It was on this day in 1978 that the botanist Florence Meier Chase died. Meier studied the relationship between sunlight and algae at the Radiation Biology Laboratory (RBL), a part of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO). Meier, and her fellow botanists, used rooms in the tower and basement of the Smithsonian Castle for their research. "In the early days, scientists traveled between floors of the tower by climbing up and down a ladder through a trapdoor, often carrying trays of specimens or scientific equipment. In 1929, a very small elevator was installed in the tower to make the trip safer and easier." In 1937, on Valentine's Day, Meier was giving people a tour around the Smithsonian Castle. She was demonstrating the how she and her group used the ladders and trapdoors to get around. As tour wrapped up, Meier let the group take take elevator down as there wasn't enough room for her. As the elevator door closed, Meier waved goodbye, stepped backwards, forgot that the trap door was left open, and fell through to the floor below, breaking her back. While she was recovering at Garfield Memorial Hospital, her doctor was Dr. William Wiley Chase, the head of the surgery department. They married in 1939. Unearthed Words Today in 1885, Victor Hugo died; the author of the Hunchback of Notre-Dame as well as Les Miserables. A gardener, Hugo had many wonderful garden-inspired quotes: "Life is the flower for which love is the honey." "Sorrow is a fruit. God does not make it grow on limbs too weak to bear it." "A garden to walk in and immensity to dream in--what more could he ask? A few flowers at his feet and above him the stars." "How did it happen that their lips came together? How does it happen that birds sing, that snow melts, that the rose unfolds, that the dawn whitens behind the stark shapes of trees on the quivering summit of the hill? A kiss, and all was said." Today's book recommendation: Gardentopia by Jan Johnsen If you are looking to refresh your garden, or simply looking for Inspiration, Jan Johnsen's new book, Gardentopia: Design Basics for Creating Beautiful Outdoor Spaces,is the perfect choice. Jan's a fabulous designer and a popular speaker. She was featured on The Still Growing Gardening Podcast in Episode 588 and Jan is such a delight. She's a pragmatist, highly intuitive, and she's known for her positive and collaborative approach to "co-creating with nature." In her book, solutions are divided into five categories: Garden Design and Artful Accents" , Walls, Patios, Walks and Steps, Theme Gardens, Color in the Garden and Plants and Planting. There's plenty to inspire gardeners - the cover is spectacular, the advice is fantastic - this should be on your wish list and on your go-to gardener gift list for 2019 and beyond. Today's Garden Chore Incorporate more living mulch - ground covers - into your garden. Take a second to chat with any experienced gardener, and they will tell you that they value ground covers more with each passing year. Dependable and hardworking, these plants solve many landscape problems. Vita Sackville West was one of the first people to use the term "living mulch". She said, "But, I added, in my reply to my correspondent, why restrict your rosebeds to a mere edging? Why not allow plants to encroach all over the beds? It will do the roses no harm; in fact, it will supply a living mulchto keep the ground moist and the roses cool at the root." Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart In researching Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, I learned that the Spring before he died, Conan Doyle was bedridden. However, one morning, unattended, he got up and managed to go out to the garden. His family found him lying on the ground with one hand clutching his heart and the other holding a single white snowdrop. He languished until July 7, 1930, when he passed away with his family at his bedside. His last words were to his wife. He whispered, "You are wonderful." Newspaper accounts shared that, on a beautiful summer day, he was buried in the garden where he had been so much at home - beside his garden hut, which was erected for him as a writing room. Over 200 people attended the funeral. So many wreaths were sent from all over the world that they were spread over the large paddock west of the home; covering an acre of land with blooms. When Conan Doyle's coffin had been placed in the grave, "Lady Doyle kissed a rose and threw it in." Lady Jean Conan Doyle continued to live at Windlesham until her death on 27th June 1940, she was buried next to Sir Arthur. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Is your rhubarb bolting already? When your rhubarb seems to be bolting too early, ask yourself these questions...

• Is your rhubarb an heirloom or a new variety? Older varieties tend to bolt sooner. Try planting a newer variety.

• Is your rhubarb very established? The older your rhubarb, the quicker it bolts. If you divide your established rhubarb, it revitalizes your plant and can thwart flowering.

• Has it been super cold, hot, or is your rhubarb otherwise stressed? These threatening conditions can cause rhubarb to bolt. Make sure to mulch around your rhubarb to keep it cool as a cucumber.

Unlike other bolting edibles, bolting rhubarb does not affect the taste of the stems. So you can chillax about that. Now, for what to do with that rhubarb flower... well, I have a friend who cuts them and puts them in a vase and treats them like a cut flower. Brevities #OTD It's the birthday of Alexander Pope, a gardener poet who helped inspire the English landscape garden. Born to a Catholic family, Pope was an only child. He was exceptionally bright, self-taught in numerous languages and the classics. When Pope was twelve he contracted Potts disease (a form of tuberculosis); the illness impacted his spine - he was a hunchback- and he was only four and a half feet tall. He had a passion for gardens and garden design. Little details from Pope's garden plans show his regard for ancient Rome as he had incorporated both a vineyard and a kitchen garden. Pope's Palladian villa and garden were separated by a road. Pope cleverly used a tunnel to go under the road in order to create private access to the garden from his home. The tunnel became his grotto; a masterpiece of mirrors, candles, shells, minerals and fossils. He described the thrill of finishing the grotto in a letter to his friend Edward Blount in 1725: "I have put the last hand to my works... happily finishing the subterraneous Way and Grotto: I then found a spring of the clearest water, which falls in a perpetual Rill, that echoes thru' the Cavern day and night. ...When you shut the Doors of this Grotto, it becomes on the instant, from a luminous Room, a Camera Obscura, on the walls of which all the objects of the River, Hills, Woods, and Boats, are forming a moving Picture... And when you have a mind to light it up, it affords you a very different Scene: it is finished with Shells interspersed with Pieces of Looking-glass in angular Forms... at which when a Lamp ...is hung in the Middle, a thousand pointed Rays glitter and are reflected over the place." Pope's villa and grotto became a tourist destination. After he died, new owners of his property were so annoyed by the attention that they destroyed both the garden and the villa. Today, plans are underway to restore the grotto to its former glory. #OTD It's the birthday of Henri Rousseau was born on this day in 1844. Rousseau didn't start painting until he was 40 years old. He submitted his work to the Salon in 1886 and was ridiculed. Nonetheless, he returned every year for the rest of his life with new pieces. One harsh critic said that Rousseau painted with his feet. Rousseau became famous for his jungle paintings. Although he had never been to the jungle, he had been to the botanical garden at Paris. The place was his muse. Rousseau said, "When I step into the hothouses and see the plants from exotic lands, it seems to me that I am in a dream." Unearthed Words Alexander Pope on His Grotto at Twickenham Thou who shalt stop, where Thames' translucent wave Shines a broad Mirror thro' the shadowy Cave; Where ling'ring drops from min'ral Roofs distill, And pointed Crystals break the sparkling Rill, Unpolish'd Gems no ray on Pride bestow, And latent Metals innocently glow. Approach! Great Nature studiously behold; And eye the Mine without a wish for Gold. Approach; but awful! Lo! th' Egerian Grot, Where, nobly-pensive, St. John sate and thought; Where British sighs from dying Wyndham stole, And the bright flame was shot thro' Marchmont's Soul. Let such, such only tread this sacred Floor, Who dare to love their Country, and be poor. Today's book recommendation: The Land of the Blue Poppies by Frank Kingdon Ward During the first years of the twentieth century, the British plant collector and explorer Frank Kingdon Ward went on 24 impossibly daring expeditions throughout Tibet, China, and Southeast Asia, in search of rare and elusive species of plants. Ward discovered the legendary Tibetan blue poppy and thanks to Ward, the seeds were introduced into the world's gardens. Ward's accounts capture all the romance of his wildly adventurous expeditions, whether he was swinging across a bottomless gorge on a cable of twisted bamboo strands or clambering across a rocky scree in fear of an impending avalanche. Today's Garden Chore Take a cue from Alexander Pope and connect your house to your garden with a path. This is especially lovely if you have a kitchen garden or if you grow edibles. By uniting these two areas, you're conveying the significance of the garden - as part of your home. With a series of paths and steps, you can also create offshoots to garden rooms or other distinct spaces. If your garden is feeling disjoint or too much like an island, a passage way could be the perfect way to achieve connection and harmony. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart #OTD It's the birthday of Richard Walter Pohl born today in 1916. Pohl was an expert on the grasses of temperate and tropical America. He was an avid gardener, growing fruits, vegetables and ornamentals at his home garden. One of the most impactful experiences in Pohl's career was the chance to teach an agrostology course in Costa Rica. He lost his heart to the plants and people there. Pohl made over 20 field expeditions to Costa Rica, Central and South America after 1966. He botanized in the region, collecting bamboos and grasses, amassing over 15,800 plants in his lifetime. When Pohl died in 1993, one of his former graduate students observed something uncanny. All the Costa Rican bamboo Pohl had brought to the University Greenhouse was in bloom. The bamboo had grown for years without ever flowering and like Pohl, they were at the end their life cycle. Once bamboo flowers, it dies. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."