The Daily Gardener

Have you ever taken a class on gardening? If you're in the Calgary area, there's an excellent class taking place tonight from 7 to 9 PM It's part of the "Garden On" Lecture series. Tonight's focus is on herbs. If you're new to gardening, herbs make for wonderful starter plants. They are easy to grow, generally trouble-free, and versatile. They can be incorporated into almost any garden situation. Tonight's class will cover

• What makes an herb an herb
• Propagation
• Harvesting

The class will be at the Acadia Recreation Complex in Calgary tonight at 7 PM. Brevities #OTD It's the birthday of Enid Annenberg Haupt, born today in 1906. The very woman the president of the New York Botanical Garden called, "The greatest patron American horticulture has ever known." Enid was one of eight children; her parents Sadie and Moses had one son and seven daughters. Her father was the founder of a large publishing empire. Enid followed in his footsteps was an heiress to the large family fortune. Enid's first marriage ended in divorce. Her second marriage to Ira Haupt launched her philanthropic activities and introduced her to the world of gardening. When they were engaged, Ira gave Enid a cymbidium orchid. At the time, cymbidium orchids were rare in the United States. Enid was immediately enthralled by it. She told Ira that for her wedding present from him, she would be very happy with a gift of 13 cymbidium orchids. She was set on learning how to grow them herself and propagate them on her own. In fact, the cultivar Cymbidium Enid Haupt was named in her honor. Enid found this ironic, since that particular orchid is known for its fertility. Enid could not have children of her own. However, she and Ira eventually adopted a little girl they named Pamela. Enid's brother, Walter, gave her a chance to be a publisher. Initially,Enid was terrified. Yet, Enid had proved she had many talents. She was a good writer. She loved to grow orchids. She had an impeccable sense of style. When it came to running a magazine, Enid felt she was over the tips of her skis. Walter insisted she give it a go. In 1953, Enid was put in charge of the magazine Seventeen. She ran the magazine until 1970. During her tenure, Seventeenmagazine was more popular than Glamour, and twice as popular as Mademoiselle. At one point, more than half of the teenage girls in the United States were reading Seventeenmagazine. When Enid died in 2005, she had donated more than $140 million to charities. Her favorite charities involved gardening. This is how Enid became known as "the fairy godmother of American horticulture" and "the patron saint of public gardens." One of Enid's largest gifts was to the New York Botanical Garden. Over her lifetime, Enid gave them over $34 million – $5 million of which was dedicated to the restoration of the stunning Victorian glass greenhouse now called the Enid Haupt Conservancy. Without Enid, the greenhouse would have been demolished. In 1993, Enid told the Times, "I must have a project.That should be my middle name; Project. I'm really and truly not happy without one." And it was in Enid Haupt, who said, "Nature is my religion. There is no life in cements and paint. " #OTD Today in 1995 Allison Hargraeves became the first woman to reach the top of Mount Everest unaided. When she got to the peak, Hargraeves planted a silk flower. #OTD On this day in 2013, Ohio State University's greenhouse smells like a mix of sauerkraut and dead fish. This scent was from the bloom of the corpse flower, the rare titan arum. The corpse flower is from Sumatra. Discovered in the late 1800s by an Italian botanist, there have been less than 200 blooms in the world since its discovery. In 1889, newspapers around the world were offering an account of the first recorded bloom at the Royal Gardens at Kew. Reports mentioned that it was hard to describe the appearance of the flower. That said, it reminded readers that many arums have a similar appearance; Calling to mind the jack-in-the-pulpit, the wild turnip, skunk cabbage, and the calla lily – all types of arums. In addition, many arums emit a repulsive odor. Finally, this week marks the beginning of National Public Gardens Week, which runs from today, May 13, through May 19. The kick off to this week begins today with National Public Gardens Day. This celebration started in 2009 as part of the effort to bring attention to the country's public gardens. You can be part of the celebration, by visiting a public garden in your area this week. Unearthed Words In 1982, on this day, Vassar College acquired the journals of John Burroughs. One of the countries leading naturalist Burroughs had kept a journal over the last 45 years of his life. The first entry in the first notebook happened on this day May 13, 1876. Burroughs writes about the Redstart; a medium sized bird known as a May warbler. Males are mostly black with bright orange patches on the sides, wings, and tail. Here's what it said: "Standing in the road over in the woods, I saw a lively little shadow cast by some object above and behind me, on the ground in front of me. Turning, I saw the source of it– The Red Start Performing its astonishing gymnastics in a leafless oak tree… It is the quickest And prettiest Of the flycatchers." A fan of Emerson's, Burroughs often told people that he felt Emerson was his spiritual father. Burroughs followed Emerson's rules for enlightenment: Sit alone and keep a journal In his very last notebook, Burroughs wrote: Men who write journals, Are usually men of certain marked traits– They are idealists; They love solitude rather than society; They are self-conscious, and they love to write… Their journals largely take the place of social converse. Two such a man, his journal becomes his duplicate self, And he chose to it what he could not say to his nearest friend. It becomes both an altar and a confessional. As I was reading about John Burroughs and his journals, I stumbled on something Burroughs had written at the thought of others reading the entries in his diaries (as he called them). "I do not expect you to read them all — only here and there where you get some real glimpse of me. I looked into some of them last night. They seem too sad. I seem to have put all my sunshine into the books, and all my gloom into the Diaries. Remember they were written for my eyes alone — a sort of cemetery where I could turn and mourn over my vanished days and vanished thoughts." Today's book recommendation: Beth Chatto's Garden Notebook The Garden Notebook was Chatto's monthly diary and it is super readable and engaging. As a nursery owner and operator, Chatto offers up her hints and tips about unusual herbaceous, alpine and other plants. It's so hard to believe, but on this day last year we lost Beth – one of the most influential plants people of the last half-century. Chatto's naturalistic gardens taught gardeners to incorporate new and different varieties of plants. She also stressed the importance of focusing on foliage; embracing the fleeting nature of blossoms. Chatto started a small nursery outside London in 1967. She called it Unusual Plants. Leveraging this special interest, Chatto created ten years worth of metal winning displays at the Chelsea Flower Show and of course, her displays featured unusual plants that were often initially dismissed as weeds. Today's Garden Chore: Incorporate herbs into shaded areas in your garden. If you think all herbs need full sun, you'll be pleased to know that you can grow a fair selection of herbs in shade. Save your shaded areas for growing lemon balm, parlsey, anise hyssop, wild ginger, and spicebush. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart As I was researching Enid Haupt, I came across a wonderful articleIn the Austin American-Statesman from June 18, 1971. It sheds light on Enid's life after retirement from Seventeenmagazine. The article shared fantastical scenes from inside Enid's Park Ave. Apartment: Instead of curtains,Enid had Potted Camillia plants on either side of the windows. In order to survive indoors in New York, they needed to be misted three times a day. And there was a rug in her drawing room that Enid claimed she had waited 23 years to acquire. It was from the Palace of Versailles and it featured antique hollyhocks and tulips on a rose background. Enid said, "Plants are my life. I feel responsible for them." And Enid cautioned against babying plants, she said "I have a protective attitude without pampering. If you pamper a plant, It's like a person. It grows too soft." Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Have you ever intuited the name of a plant? A few years ago, I traveled to San Diego. I was sitting on a bench outside the hotel and I spied the most amazing blossom - three bright orange petals and three blue petals - it looked like the head of a bird. My mind latched onto "bird of paradise," I looked it up on my phone and sure enough, it was just that. Brevities #OTD English author, translator, and Clerk to the Kitchen of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Leonard Mascall (died 1589) was buried at Buckinghamshire, in 1589. Mascall published a number of books; all were aimed at household management. In 1572 Mascall published, "A book of the Arte and Maner Howe to Plante and Graffe All Sortes of Trees."Along with cultivating fruit trees, this book was the first to refer to the secateurs or pruning knife. The word secatuers is taken from the Latin secare'to cut'. Mascall's last book was published a year after he died. Called "The Booke of Engines and Traps." In it, Mascall shared 34 traps and 9 Recipes for poison bates; most of which were dedicated to trapping mice. Mascall wrote about how to control slugs and snails - he described picking them off by hand early in the morning. #OTD It's the birthday of John Hope who lived during the Scottish enlightenment; he was a botanist , a famous professor, and founder of one of the leading botanical gardens in Europe, born on this day in 1725. Hope produced considerable work on plant classification and physiology. He was appointed to positions of the King's botanist for Scotland and superintendent of the Royal Garden in Edinburgh. At the time, Edinburgh was THE place to study medicine and all medical students had to take botany courses. Hope created a school for botanists after spinning off the materia medica (pharmacy) department of the school which allowed him to specialize exclusively on botany. Hope was a captivating instructor. He was one of the first two people to teach the Linnean system, he also taught the natural system. He was one of the first instructors to use big teaching diagrams or visual aids to teach his lectures. His students traveled from all over the world Europe, America, and India. Hope taught over 1,700 students during his tenure and they included the likes of James Edward Smith, founder and first President of the Linnaean Society, Charles Drayton and Benjamin Rush. A field botanist, Hope encouraged his students to go out an investigate the Flora of Scotland and he awarded a medal every year to the student who collected the best herbarium. With Hope's impressive resume came impressive wealth. By the time Hope died, he had amassed more than £12,000 which he left to his wife. #OTD It's the birthday of Alan Robertson Gemmell; a Professor of Biology at Keele University and a regular member of the panel on the BBC Radio program Gardeners' Question Time beginning in 1950 and co-hosting for some 30 years, Gemmel was born in 1913. When Gemmell was invited to appear on the Gardeners Question Time, Keele Univeristy allowed it provided the school would be mentioned in the credits and as long as Gemmell appeared during University time. Gemmell spoke with a calm, Scottish voice. In his obituary, it was said he could, persuade followers of Gardeners Question Time to plant, "the most vicious weed." An academic, Gemmel often disagreed with fellow panelists like Fred Loads or Bill Sowerbutts who offered more off-the-cuff or hearsay advice. It was Alan Gemmell who wrote in one of his columns, "One of the major loves of my life is the potato. In fact my colleagues on Gardener's Question Time sometimes referred to me as spud Gemmel, since not only do I enjoy devouring that delectable vegetable, I also enjoy devouring anything which has been written about it. #OTD This entire week, May 5 - May 11 is International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW). (ICAW) is the largest and most comprehensive education initiative of the compost industry. It is celebrated nationwide in Canada and in other countries each year during the first full week of May. Started in Canada in 1995, ICAW has continued to grow as the importance of composting and the long-term benefits from organics recycling. Each year, a theme is chosen. The theme for this year is Cool the Climate - Compost! #OTD This weekend is the 30th Anniversary of the Friend's School Plant Sale in Minneapolis/St. Paul. With more than 2,450 plant varieties — may be the largest plant sale in the U.S. It's a fund-raising event sponsored by theFriends School of Minnesota, a small Quaker K – 8 school in the Hamline-Midway area in Saint Paul. New Plants for 2019 include: Peony, Sweet Marjory: Neat and sweet pink cactus-style flowers with streaks of cream, green, and deep rose pink. Yellow fluff of stamens in the center. Slightly fragrant. Early to mid-season. French Hollyhock, Bibor Felho: Fuchsia with dark purple veins and halo surrounding a white center star. Blooms June–September. "Bibor Felho" is Hungarian for 'Purple Cloud.' Considered a biennial to short-lived perennial, but can be treated as a self-seeding annual. Drought-tolerant. Unearthed Words It's the birthday of scientist Cecelia Page who discovered while still in graduate school that stars are made largely of the two lightest chemical elements – hydrogen and helium; she was born in 1900. When Celia was eight, she decided to become a scientist. She had been walking in an orchard when she suddenly recognized a plant she had heard her mother describe – the plant that looks like a bumble: the bee orchid. Later she recalled her excitement at seeing the plant the first time: "For the first time I knew the leaping of the heart, the sudden enlightenment, that were to become my passion… These moments are rare, and they come without warning, on 'days to be marked with a white stone'." And it is Ceclia Page who said these wonderful quotes: "An admission of ignorance may well be a step to a new discovery." and then this one (which harkened back to Page's discovery of the bee orchid). "The reward of the young scientist is the emotional thrill of being the first person in the history of the world to see something or understand something." Today's book recommendation: Botanical Sketchbooks by Helen and William Bynum Botanical Sketchbooks is a compendium of the diverse ways plants have been observed, studied, and immortalized in centuries of art. Botanical Sketchbooks features 275 illustrations of flora from around the world, dating from the 15th to 20th century. In addition, the book highlights some rare works and lesser-known botanical artists. Today's Garden Chore It's another Photo Friday in the Garden. Today go to a spot in your garden and take as multiple shots of one thing from a number of different vantage points. One of the ways we get better at taking pictures of our garden, is by experimenting with perspective. The wonderful thing about digital, is that you can take as many pictures as you want. Challenge yourself with a number: 20 shots, 50 shots, or more of the same thing. Then, see how many capture what you wanted exactly right. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart While I was researching Leonard Mascall, I came across a bit of his advice regarding the placement of tender trees and shrubs. What I especially loved about this is the notion that even in the 1600's, gardeners would push zones a bit. This is from The Guardian (www.theguardian.com), Dec 9, 1891: "Mascall said, "Commonly, the most part of trees do love the sun at noon, and yet the south wind is very contrary against their nature, and specially the almond tree, the apricot, the mulberry, the fig tree, the pomegranate tree." A gardener remarked: I am sure there is much in this. It is quite certain that all Japanese trees like shade and a north aspect; and the finest most fruitful old mulberry tree that I have ever seen is at Rochester, growing in a corner where it looks to the north and east, and is thoroughly protected from the south and west." Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Take two gardeners. They grow up learning to garden from the same person. They read the same books on gardening. They go to the same gardening workshops. They tour the same public gardens. Yet, their gardens will look different from each other. Unique. Gardens are art. They are personal. Remember that the next time you are trying to copy the look of another garden. The difference isn't just topographical... When it comes to your garden: yes, consider microclimates, plant varieties, soil, sun, and so forth. But also, make sure to add yourself to the list of variables. Brevities #OTD Today is the birthday of botanist Count Alexandre Henri Gabriel de Cassini born on this day in 1781. His second great grandfather was the famous Italian astronomer, Giovanni Domenico Cassini; he discovered Jupiter's Great Red Spot and the Cassini division in Saturn's rings. By the time Alexander was born, his family had married into French nobility (that's why he was born in Paris). Unfortunately, it was a bad time to go to France. Their Italian heritage and scientific work would not insulate the Cassini's from public resentment as the stage was set for the French Revolution. Cassini took a decidedly different path than his ancestors. He was the fifth generation in a family of star scholars, so Alexandre is often distinguished from the rest of his family as Cassini V. Cassini pursued the bar instead of the stars; as in the legal profession. As a lawyer, Cassini worked his way to the highest legal position in France in his time; "President of the Chamber." Like many folks, botany was his hobby; not his day job. It is quite notable that Cassini's botanical accomplishments took place in his off time. Cassini's heart belonged to the sunflower family (Asteraceae) and he focused pretty much exclusively on the Compositae. It was fitting then, that the genus Cassinia(the sunflower genus) was named in his honor by the botanist Robert Brown. Over two hundred years later, many of Cassini's detailed descriptions are still valid. Cassini married his cousin. At the age of fifty, Cassini died of cholera. His father outlived him by thirteen years. Alexandre Cassini was the last of his name; a punctuation mark on the wonderful Cassini legacy. #OTD On this day in 1807, Lewis and Clark returned a book that they had borrowed from Benjamin Smith and Barton to help them on their expedition. Before they had started their track, Meriwether Lewishad visited Bartonat his home. Upon leaving, he left with a copy of The History of Louisianaby Antoine le Page. Lewis memorialized the gesture in the flyleaf of the book. Here's what he wrote: "Dr. Benjamin Smith Barton was so obliging as to lend me this copy of Mons. le Page's History of Louisiana in June 1803. It has been since conveyed by me to the Pacific ocean through the interior of North America on my late tour thither and is now returned to its proprietor by his friends and obedient servant, Meriwether Lewis. Philadelphia, May 9, 1807." #OTD On this day in 1888 in Delaware, the Peach Blossom was voted in as the State Flower. Peach blossoms are a beautiful, deep pink color. The blooms appear very early in the year. Frost is always a concern. The fruit is botanically known as a drupe; It has a fleshy outer layer that covers a hard shell which contains a single seed. The decision to go with the peach blossom, was prompted by Delaware's reputation as the peach state. At the time, Delaware was known as the peach state and she boasted orchards containing more than 800,000 peach trees (Prunus persico, a native of China). Delaware's peach trees were introduced by the Spanish. By the 1600s, peaches were so plentiful, it was said that Delaware farmers fed them to their pigs. By 1875, Delaware was the country's top peach producer... until the yellows. The yellows was a blight that destroyed Delaware's orchards. In the late 1800s, Delaware was knocked from the top spot as a peach producer. Today, Delaware produces roughly 2,000,000 pounds of peaches every year. America's leading peach grower is the state of California, producing 950,000 tons annually. Unearthed Words #OTD It's the birthday of botanist Hewett Cottrell Watson, the father of British plant geography born today in 1804. Watson investigated the variability of British plant species across their ranges & compared the flora of Britain to the Azores. In recognition of his great contributions, the botanical society of the British Isles named their journal Watsonia. Beginning in 1834, Watson was one of the first botanists to research plant evolution. Watsons work also paved the way for a new science now known as ecology. When Darwin created his theory of evolution, he was standing on the shoulders of curious early evolutionists like Watson. Darwin's popularity and success overshadowed the folks like Watson who came before him. Yet, it's obvious that when Watson read Darwin's Origin, his reaction was one of wonder... and also self reflection. He spent his adult life trying to reach Darwin's conclusion. Now as an old man, he could see the match he had lit being passed to a true torch-bringer. After reading origin, Watson wrote to Darwin. His letter is part proud dad, part awed fan, and yet, he still takes time to advise Darwin on areas to improve or take heed. In two different passages, Watson points out that Darwin had succeeded where he had stopped short; saying Darwin had figured out the quo modo or the method to knit the strings of the theory of evolution together. Watsons letter to Darwin is quite something to read – even after all this time: 21 Nov 1859 My dear Sir Once commenced to read the 'Origin'I could not rest till I had galloped through the whole.I shall now begin to re-read it more deliberately. Meantime I am tempted to write you the first impressions, not doubting that they will in the main be the permanent impressions. 1st. Your leading idea will assuredly become recognized as an established truth in science, i.e. "natural selection". (It has the characteristics of all great natural truths, clarifying what was obscure, simplifying what was intricate, adding greatly to previous knowledge). You arethe greatest Revolutionist in natural history of this century, if not of all centuries. 2d. You will perhaps need in some degree to limit or modify, ... the principle of 'natural selection'. 3d. Now these novel views are brought fairly before the scientific public, it seems truly remarkable how so many of them could have failed to see their right road sooner... A quarter century ago, you & I must have been in something like the same state of mind,on the main question. But you were able to see & work out the quo modoof the succession, the all-important thing,while I failed to grasp it. ... How greatly this,with your chronology of animal life,will shock the ideas of many men! very sincerely | Hewett C. Watson C. Darwin | Esqe Darwin Correspondence Project, "Letter no. 2540," accessed on 26 April 2019, http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/DCP-LETT-2540 Today's book recommendation: A Nation in Bloom: Celebrating the People, Plants & Places of the Royal Horticultural Society by Matthew Biggs The foreword is written by Alan Titchmarsh. This is a book about the RHS; the world's largest gardening charity but what it does and why is little understood and rarely celebrated. From defining new gardening trends at the Chelsea Flower Show, to ranking the best dahlias to grow at the Wisley trial grounds, to inspiring communities with Britain in Bloom, educating children to grow and eat their veg through the Campaign for School Gardening, the RHS works tirelessly to improve the gardener's lot. With the use of evocative archive images and contemporary photos by award-winning Jason Ingram, this beautiful book explores the past, present and future of this most influential organization by listening to the voices of those working today. From the thousands of volunteers in the society's five unique gardens (Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex, Harlow Carr in Yorkshire and new addition Bridgewater in Salford), to the one million visitors to its inspirational flower shows (including Chelsea, Hampton Court, Tatton Park, Cardiff, Wisley and Chatsworth); the society gives meaning to more than 475,000 members, millions of television viewers and visitors from around the world. The RHS is the best of gardening, and this book presents the best of the RHS. Behind the scenes, access all areas, this book will give lasting pleasure to anyone who enjoys their garden. Today's Garden Chore Repeat after me: Prune time follows bloom time. Not sure when to prune spring-flowering shrubs like lilacs, and climbing roses? Prune time follows bloom time. Just after the blooms fade, it's time to prune. Spring flowering shrubs set their buds in the fall on last year's growth. If you prune them in fall or winter, you remove next spring's flower buds. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart While I was researching the adoption of the Peach Blossom as the Delaware State Flower, I ran across a botanist named Erwin Frink Smith. Smith had attempted to solve the problem of the peach yellows. Had Smith solved the problem, he will would have become world-famous. But, he didn't. Years later, it was actually the botanist Louis Otto Kunkel who discovered that a type of leafhopper was carrying the disease. In researching Smith, I discovered a rare combination of kindness and intellect. Smith married the pretty Charlotte Mae buffet on April 13, 1893.They were quite happy together. They shared a love for reading and poetry. Tragically, Charlotte was diagnosed with endocarditis and she died eight months later on December 28, 1906. Smith dealt with his grief by putting together a book made up of poetry, stories, and a biography of Charlotte. The book is called for her friends and mine: A book of aspirations, dreams and memories. Of it, Smith says, "This book is a cycle of my life— seven lonely years are in it. The long ode(on page 62) is a cry of pain." There are many touching passages – too many to share here now. (There's a link to it in the show notes that you can use to access it.) But there's one passage from Smith describing her amazing ability to see the world with profound clarity and I thought you'd like it: Her visual powers were remarkable. They far exceeded my own. Out of doors her keen eyes were always prying into the habits of all sorts of living things: ants, spiders, bees, wasps, fish, birds, cats, dogs. Had she cared for classification, which she did not, and been willing to make careful records, she might have become an expert naturalist. Form in nature seemed to interest her little, or at least comparative studies of form. What did interest her tremendously was the grade of intelligence manifested in the lower forms of life. She would spend hours watching the habits of birds and insects, and never without discovering new and interesting things. Whether she looked into the tops of the tallest trees, or the bottom of a stream, or the grass at her feet, she was always finding marvels of adaptation to wonder at, and links binding the world of life into a golden whole. She made lists of all the birds that visited her neighborhood. She knew most of them by their songs, and some times distinguished individuals of the same species by little differences in their notes, as once a song-sparrow at Woods Hole, which had two added notes. She knew when they nested and where, how they made their nests, and what food they brought to their young. In studying birds she used an opera glass, not a shotgun. She was, however, a very good shot with the revolver. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

 
You know the saying bad things come in threes?
 
The dishwasher stops working. You get in a car accident. Your credit card gets stolen.
 
Well, when it comes to our plants; like us, they can be experiencing a constellation of problems as well.
 
Yet, we often see plants as far less complex; minimizing their needs to a singular solution.
 
"It just needs more sun."
 
"Better drainage will do the trick."
 
Instead of just trying one solution, consider that maybe multiple changes are needed.  
 
 
 
Brevities

#OTD On this day in 1820, President James Monroe signed a bill granting “a tract of public land in the City of Washington, not exceeding five acres" for the America's botanic garden.

Monroe genuinely liked the idea and he agreed to let them place the botanic garden on property adjacent to the Capitol on the west. Work was started to clear and drain the soggy land, and trees were planted. By 1827, Secretary of the Treasury Richard Rush circulated a letter to foreign dignitaries calling for, "all such trees and plants from other countries not heretofore known in the United States, as may give promise, under proper cultivation, of flourishing and becoming useful... .” The letter included detailed instructions for preparing seeds and plants for travel so that they couldbe propagated in the Botanic Garden.

In 1856, Congress officially named the United States Botanic Garden and established regular funding to nurture its growth.
 


#OTD It's the birthday of botanistEmil Christian Hansen, born today in 1842.  
 
Prior to Hansen, brewing was a volatileexperiment and batches could easily get infected with disease. Hansen forever changed the brewingindustry with his discovery of way to separate pure yeast cells from wild yeast cells.  
 
Hansen's method was created while he was working for the Carlsberg Laboratory.  Carlsberg Labs did not patent the process.  instead, they decided to publish it.  They shared a detailed explanation so that brewers anywhere could build propagation equipment and use the method.
 
Hansen named the yeast after the lab– Saccharomyces Carlsbergensis – and samples of Carlsberg No. 1 (as it was called) were sent to breweries around the world by request and free of charge.  Within 5 years, most European breweries were using Carlsberg No. 1.  By 1892, American breweries, Pabst, Schlitz and Anheuser-Busch, were manufacturing their beers with pure yeast strains.
 
Hansen was a renaissance man. At various points in his life, he attempted careers an actor, a portrait artist, a teacher, an author, (he wrote under a pseudonym). And it was Emil Hansen who made the first Danish translation of Charles Darwin’s Voyage of The Beagle.
 
 
#OTD On this day in 1904 botanist Paul J. Kremer was born.

Kremer spent his childhood on a farm in Ohio and he got his advanced degrees atOhio State getting his M.S. (1929) and Ph.D. (1931) degrees in plant physiology. At Ohio State he learned ofthe importance of the relationship between plants and water relations.

After graduating, Dr. Kramer joined the faculty of Duke University. He taught at Duke his entire career until his retirement in 1974. Kremer served as the James B. Duke Professor of Botany.

Kramer influenced the careers of more than 40 graduate students and authored more than 200 publications. Building on his studies at Ohio State, Kramer developed a leading research center on plant water relations and tree physiology.

Kramer recognized the difficulty of studying environmental stresses on plants because the variables are so interconnected Light, temperature, and humidity being so interdependent that a change in one affects the others. This lead Kramer to establish a controlled-environment laboratory to study and quantify plant responses. He set up labs for this purpose atthe University of Wisconsin and at Duke and North Carolina State University. Kramer's efforts were part of a growing trend in curiosityabout theeffects of environmental stresses on plants - an ongoing concern as scientists study climate change.



#OTD On this day in 2014, the Veggie Plant Growth System was activated on the International Space Station.
 
“Veggie”  was the first fresh food production system and it was developed by Orbital Technologies Corp. (ORBITEC) in Madison, Wisconsin, and tested at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The purpose of Veggie is to provide a self-sufficient and sustainable food source for astronauts as well as a means of recreation and relaxation through therapeutic gardening.
 
In 2018 one of the goals of the Veggie-3 experiment  was to grow food for crew consumption. Crops tested included cabbage, lettuce, and mizuna.

"I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was still unexplored."

"There are some four million different kinds of animals and plants in the world. Four million different solutions to the problems of staying alive."

"I can't pretend that I got involved with filming the natural world fifty years ago because I had some great banner to carry about conservation - not at all, I always had a huge pleasure in just watching the natural world and seeing what happens."

"I don't run a car, have never run a car. I could say that this is because I have this extremely tender environmentalist conscience, but the fact is I hate driving."

"About 70 or 80 men jumped onto the track, brandishing knives and spears. To say I was alarmed is to put it mildly… I walked towards this screaming horde of men, I stuck out my hand, and I heard myself say 'good afternoon.' "
 


Today's Book Recommendation:Gardenlust:  A Botanical Tour of the World’s Best New Gardens by Christopher Woods

Tonight the Northwest Horticultural Society in Seattle Washington will host Christopher Woods as part of their Wednesday Evening Lecture Series starting at 6:45pm at the Center for Urban Horticulture.

Members: $5.00 Non-Members: $10.00

Gardenlust:  A Botanical Tour of the World’s Best New Gardens by Christopher Woods is a fascinating read. The cover shows a garden that's at the Golden Rock Inn in Nevis. The gardens were designed by Miami-based designer Raymond Jungles under the stewardship of New York artists Helen and Brice Marden, the owners of Golden Rock. 

After a long career in public horticulture, Chris Woods spent three years traveling the world seeking out contemporary gardens and he found fifty of the best.  His book is a botanical tour of the world's best new gardens - public, private, and corporate. Chris focuses on the gardens around the world that had been created or significantly altered -this century the 21st century.  Chris views the gardens through a variety of themes including beauty, conservation, architecture - plant and landscape, as well as urban spaces.

Chris's book was published in late September, and it's such a great reminder for us to get out of our own gardens and go see and learn from other gardens - especially public gardens.

Gardens Illustrated called it An extraordinary collection of 21st-century gardens that will arouse wanderlust… Whether you are a garden globetrotter or an armchair explorer, this book is definitely one to add to your collection.

With wit and humor, he describes the most arresting features in public parks in exotic locations like New Delhi and Dubai, mission-redefining botanic gardens in Chile and Australia, and the most enviable details of lavish private estates and gemlike city yards. Throughout, he reveals the fascinating people, plants, and stories that make these gardens so lust-worthy.

If you're in Seattle tonight, don't miss the opportunity to learn about the most intriguing, beautiful gardens around the world. Doors open at 6PM for plant sales and socializing with the presentation beginning at 6:45 PM. 
 
 

Today's Garden Chore
Plant Angelica archangelica.
 
Also known as Angelica root (Angelica archangelica) is the herb used to flavor Dubonnet, Bénédictine, and Vermouth. Quite honestly, if we were bees, we'd need a license to sell it; bees and pollinators go positively mad for it.
 
It has so much natural sugar, that Martha Washington once shared a recipe for how to candy it.
 
One explanation for the archangelica part of it's name is that according to folklore it blooms on this day - the day of Michael the Archangel and it was believed to be a preservative against evil spirits and witchcraft.
 
All parts of the plant were believed efficacious against spells and enchantment. It was held in such esteem that it was called 'The Root of the Holy Ghost.'
 


 
Something Sweet 
Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart


It's rhubarb time! Here's a delightful rhubarb pudding recipe from The Boston Globe from June 3, 1912.

 
Rhubarb Pudding
 
Arrange in layers and a buttered baking dish:
 
2 cups of breadcrumbs which have been soaked in water
 
2 cups of rhubarb
 
The grated rind of 1 lemon
 
Half cup of scalded raisins
 
1 cup of sugar
 
2 tablespoons of butter cut into tiny bits
 
Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the top
 
Sprinkle with buttered crumbs
 
Cover and bake 1 hour in a moderate oven
 
 
 
Thanks for listening to the daily gardener,
and remember:

"For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
 

You know the saying bad things come in threes? The dishwasher stops working. You get in a car accident. Your credit card gets stolen. Well, when it comes to our plants; like us, they can be experiencing a constellation of problems as well. Yet, we often see plants as far less complex; minimizing their needs to a singular solution. "It just needs more sun." "Better drainage will do the trick." Instead of just trying one solution, consider that maybe multiple changes are needed. Brevities #OTD On this day in 1820, President James Monroe signed a bill granting "a tract of public land in the City of Washington, not exceeding five acres" for the America's botanic garden. Monroe genuinely liked the idea and he agreed to let them place the botanic garden on property adjacent to the Capitol on the west. Work was started to clear and drain the soggy land, and trees were planted. By 1827, Secretary of the Treasury Richard Rush circulated a letter to foreign dignitaries calling for, "all such trees and plants from other countries not heretofore known in the United States, as may give promise, under proper cultivation, of flourishing and becoming useful... ." The letter included detailed instructions for preparing seeds and plants for travel so that they couldbe propagated in the Botanic Garden. In 1856, Congress officially named the United States Botanic Garden and established regular funding to nurture its growth. #OTD It's the birthday of botanistEmil Christian Hansen, born today in 1842. Prior to Hansen, brewing was a volatileexperiment and batches could easily get infected with disease. Hansen forever changed the brewingindustry with his discovery of way to separate pure yeast cells from wild yeast cells. Hansen's method was created while he was working for the Carlsberg Laboratory. Carlsberg Labs did not patent the process. instead, they decided to publish it. They shared a detailed explanation so that brewers anywhere could build propagation equipment and use the method. Hansen named the yeast after the lab– Saccharomyces Carlsbergensis – and samples of Carlsberg No. 1 (as it was called) were sent to breweries around the world by request and free of charge. Within 5 years, most European breweries were using Carlsberg No. 1. By 1892, American breweries, Pabst, Schlitz and Anheuser-Busch, were manufacturing their beers with pure yeast strains. Hansen was a renaissance man. At various points in his life, he attempted careers an actor, a portrait artist, a teacher, an author, (he wrote under a pseudonym). And it was Emil Hansen who made the first Danish translation of Charles Darwin's Voyage of The Beagle. #OTD On this day in 1904 botanist Paul J. Kremer was born. Kremer spent his childhood on a farm in Ohio and he got his advanced degrees atOhio State getting his M.S. (1929) and Ph.D. (1931) degrees in plant physiology. At Ohio State he learned ofthe importance of the relationship between plants and water relations. After graduating, Dr. Kramer joined the faculty of Duke University. He taught at Duke his entire career until his retirement in 1974. Kremer served as the James B. Duke Professor of Botany. Kramer influenced the careers of more than 40 graduate students and authored more than 200 publications. Building on his studies at Ohio State, Kramer developed a leading research center on plant water relations and tree physiology. Kramer recognized the difficulty of studying environmental stresses on plants because the variables are so interconnected Light, temperature, and humidity being so interdependent that a change in one affects the others. This lead Kramer to establish a controlled-environment laboratory to study and quantify plant responses. He set up labs for this purpose atthe University of Wisconsin and at Duke and North Carolina State University. Kramer's efforts were part of a growing trend in curiosityabout theeffects of environmental stresses on plants - an ongoing concern as scientists study climate change. #OTD On this day in 2014, the Veggie Plant Growth System was activated on the International Space Station. "Veggie" was the first fresh food production system and it was developed by Orbital Technologies Corp. (ORBITEC) in Madison, Wisconsin, and tested at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The purpose of Veggie is to provide a self-sufficient and sustainable food source for astronauts as well as a means of recreation and relaxation through therapeutic gardening. In 2018 one of the goals of the Veggie-3 experiment was to grow food for crew consumption. Crops tested included cabbage, lettuce, and mizuna. "I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was still unexplored." "There are some four million different kinds of animals and plants in the world. Four million different solutions to the problems of staying alive." "I can't pretend that I got involved with filming the natural world fifty years ago because I had some great banner to carry about conservation - not at all, I always had a huge pleasure in just watching the natural world and seeing what happens." "I don't run a car, have never run a car. I could say that this is because I have this extremely tender environmentalist conscience, but the fact is I hate driving." "About 70 or 80 men jumped onto the track, brandishing knives and spears. To say I was alarmed is to put it mildly… I walked towards this screaming horde of men, I stuck out my hand, and I heard myself say 'good afternoon.' " Today's Book Recommendation:Gardenlust: A Botanical Tour of the World's Best New Gardens by Christopher Woods Tonight the Northwest Horticultural Society in Seattle Washington will host Christopher Woods as part of their Wednesday Evening Lecture Series starting at 6:45pm at the Center for Urban Horticulture. Members: $5.00 Non-Members: $10.00 Gardenlust: A Botanical Tour of the World's Best New Gardens by Christopher Woods is a fascinating read. The cover shows a garden that's at the Golden Rock Inn in Nevis. The gardens were designed by Miami-based designer Raymond Jungles under the stewardship of New York artists Helen and Brice Marden, the owners of Golden Rock. After a long career in public horticulture, Chris Woods spent three years traveling the world seeking out contemporary gardens and he found fifty of the best. His book is a botanical tour of the world's best new gardens - public, private, and corporate. Chris focuses on the gardens around the world that had been created or significantly altered -this century the 21st century. Chris views the gardens through a variety of themes including beauty, conservation, architecture - plant and landscape, as well as urban spaces. Chris's book was published in late September, and it's such a great reminder for us to get out of our own gardens and go see and learn from other gardens - especially public gardens. Gardens Illustrated called it An extraordinary collection of 21st-century gardens that will arouse wanderlust… Whether you are a garden globetrotter or an armchair explorer, this book is definitely one to add to your collection. With wit and humor, he describes the most arresting features in public parks in exotic locations like New Delhi and Dubai, mission-redefining botanic gardens in Chile and Australia, and the most enviable details of lavish private estates and gemlike city yards. Throughout, he reveals the fascinating people, plants, and stories that make these gardens so lust-worthy. If you're in Seattle tonight, don't miss the opportunity to learn about the most intriguing, beautiful gardens around the world. Doors open at 6PM for plant sales and socializing with the presentation beginning at 6:45 PM. Today's Garden Chore Plant Angelica archangelica. Also known as Angelica root (Angelica archangelica) is the herb used to flavor Dubonnet, Bénédictine, and Vermouth. Quite honestly, if we were bees, we'd need a license to sell it; bees and pollinators go positively mad for it. It has so much natural sugar, that Martha Washington once shared a recipe for how to candy it. One explanation for the archangelica part of it's name is that according to folklore it blooms on this day - the day of Michael the Archangel and it was believed to be a preservative against evil spirits and witchcraft. All parts of the plant were believed efficacious against spells and enchantment. It was held in such esteem that it was called 'The Root of the Holy Ghost.' Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart It's rhubarb time! Here's a delightful rhubarb pudding recipe from The Boston Globe from June 3, 1912. Rhubarb Pudding Arrange in layers and a buttered baking dish: 2 cups of breadcrumbs which have been soaked in water 2 cups of rhubarb The grated rind of 1 lemon Half cup of scalded raisins 1 cup of sugar 2 tablespoons of butter cut into tiny bits Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the top Sprinkle with buttered crumbs Cover and bake 1 hour in a moderate oven Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Deep dives. Gardeners love to fall in love with particular plants. We can fall so hard, that we tune out other possibilities for our gardens. Then, in a fascinating twist, our deep dives can suddenly stop. As is often the case, those deep dives can be followed by a pivot. I started out as a shrub gardener. Then, I made a pivot to annuals and ornamentals and had nary a shrub in my garden. Then I was anti-annual. Then I moved into herbs and edibles. Now I'm a little bit of everything. Deep dives and pivots. Part of the process of growing a gardener. Brevities #OTD It's the birthday of the Dutch botanist Gerard van Swieten, born on this day in 1700. In 1740, Maria Theresa inherited the Habsburg Empire. When it came to medicine, Austria was about 200 years behind its European neighbors. Maria Theresa acted quickly, recruiting the best available medical experts to her court. Gerard van Swieten was one of the most important people she brought to Vienna. By May 1745, the Van Swieten family had sold all their belongings in the Netherlands and traveled to Vienna. Van Swieten laid the foundation for Austria's medical institutions. He totally reorganized the medical faculty of the University of Vienna; adding a botanical garden and a chemical laboratory, each headed by a professor. Swieten published, in Latin, five volumes on the writings of Boerhaave; the work influenced medical practice throughout Europe. It also contained the first description of episodic cluster headache. Swieten exchanged letters with Linnaeus on botanical matters for over a decade. He named his youngest daughter, Maria Theresia after the Empress, who was also her godmother. His son Godfried would become famous in his own right as Austrian ambassador and patron of great classical composers such as Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. One fascinating story about Swieten was his role in fighting superstition during the enlightenment, specifically with regard to vampires. In 1755 the Empress sent Swieten to Serbia to investigate. Swieten viewed the vampire myth as a "barbarism of ignorance" and his aim was to completely crush it. In 1768 "that all the fuss .... [comes from] vain fear, a superstitious credulity, a dark and eventful imagination, simplicity and ignorance among the people." Based on Swieten's report, Maria Theresa issue a decree that banned all traditional defences to vampires being put to the stakes, beheaded and burned. The genus of mahogany, Swietenia,was named after Swieten. #OTD in 1888, the first organizational meeting of the Rochester Parks Commission was held in Rochester, New York. They decided to invite the great American landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted to design a park system for the city. In fact, Rochester was the last municipal park system designed by the renowned Olmsted. Charles Sprague Sargent, the first director of Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum, called Rochester "a city in a forest." Trees have been a vital part of Rochester since the city's founding. It was essentially an impenetrable forest when the first settlers arrived. In early Rochester, trees were so plentiful that early settlers built roads from them. Rochester's Plank Road, now paved, is a nod to the road's original construction. #OTD On this day in 1901, the Fruit and Vegetable Committee reviewed 16 stocks of radish in Drill Hall as part of the Royal Horticultural Society's trial of salad plants at Chiswick. All of the radish were sown in a cold frame on March 7. Except on cold nights the lights were not put on the frames. 1. Early Gem ''. Veitch).-Ready for use April 29. Roots longish oval, scarlet, tipped with white. Foliage moderate. A very crisp and pleasant-flavored variety. 2. Ever Tender (R. Veitch).-Same as No. 3. 3. Gem (Barr).-Distinct from No. 1, being rounder, paler scarlet, but ready for use at the same time, and similar in foliage and flavor. 4. Krewson's Oblong Black (Masters).-Not true. Roots white. 5. Lily White (R. Veitch).-Ready for use April 30. Roots long, white. Foliage short and distinct. Crisp, and of very good flavor. 6. Mortlake Gem (Carter).-Ready for use April 29. Roots turnip-shaped, white, beautifully speckled and mottled with scarlet. Foliage very short. Crisp, and of good flavor. A very pretty variety. 7. Olive-shaped Extra Early Scarlet (J. Veitch). Ready for use April 26. Roots deep round or olive-shaped. Foliage short. Excellent in all respects, and one of the earliest and best. This variety is the same as "Deep Scarlet Olive-shaped," which received a F.C.C. April 21, 1897. 8. Olive-shaped Extra Early White (J. Veitch).-Ready for use April 26. A white form of No. 7, and equally good and early. (Syn.) "Forcing White Olive-shaped" and " First of All White," which received A.M. May 10, 1898. 9. Olive-shaped Jewel for use. April 29. , Roots oblong, deep scarlet. Foliage remarkably short. Crisp and of good flavor. (Syn.) "Olive-shaped Bright Red," which received A.M. May 5, 1896. This variety is also known as "Leafless," probably from the exceeding smallness of the foliage. 10. Scarlet Queen (Barr).-Ready for use April 30. Roots long, scarlet tipped with white. Foliage rather large. Crisp and sweet in flavor. 11. Triumph (J. Veitch).-Same as No. 6. 12. Turnip-shaped Extra Early Scarlet (J. Veitch).-Ready for use April 26. Roots scarlet. Foliage very short. Crisp and of excellent flavor; one of the best and earliest. 13. Turnip-shaped Extra Early White (J. Veitch).-Ready for use April 29. A white form of No. 12, but three ays later in com ing into use. 14. Turnip-shaped Early White (Barr). Same as No. 13. 15. Turnip-shaped (Barr).-Ready for use April 26. Roots deep, round, scarlet. Foliage very short. Crisp and excellent. Very similar to No. 7. 16. Wood's Frame White (R. Veitch). Ready for use April 30. A white form of the well-known Wood's Frame. #OTD On this day in 1936, Henry Teuscher arranged for the first sod was cut in preparing the space for the Montreal Botanical Garden. Teuscher had been appointed superintendent and chief horticulturalist of the future Montreal Botanical Garden. A visionary, Teuscher began dreaming of an ideal botanical garden. By fall, Teuscher had hired 2,000 unemployed men through Quebec government's unemployment assistance program to get building underway. By 1939, the administration building, production greenhouses, roads, and two lakes had been installed. WWII brought challenges for Teuscher that extended outside of the garden. A German, Teuscher was accused of being aspy for the Nazis. Although he was declared innocent, the accusations took a toll. In 1956, Teauscher was there to see the opening of his greenhouses, the realization of his dream for the garden. #OTD On this day in 2015, Bartram's Garden, in Philadelphia, was designated an American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) Horticultural Landmark. The prestigious award commemorates sites of horticultural accomplishments selected for historical, scientific, environmental, and aesthetic value. Bartram's joins an elite group of ASHS Horticultural Landmarks. The award was first presented to Monticello, home of President Thomas Jefferson. Other recipients include Longwood Gardens, Missouri Botanical Garden, New York Botanical Garden, Arnold Arboretum, and Fairchild Botanical Garden. How were Bartram's Gardens preserved? Andrew McCalla Eastwick (1806-1879) an engineer and the inventor of the steam shovel, made sure the historic garden was kept intact. Eastwick had banked a personal mint after building railroads for Czar Nicholas I of Russia. In 1850, he bought the 46-acre Bartram estate from John Bartram's granddaughter; Ann Bartram Carr. Unlike the fate of many old homes, Eastwick decided not to tear down the existing house. Instead, he kept the Bartram family homestead as a memorial, building his own mansion beside Bartrams. He vowed not to harm "one bush" planted by the Bartrams. Unearthed Words "Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven." ~ Rabindranath Tagore, born on this day in 1861 Today's book recommendation: Life in the Garden by Penelope Lively Penelope Lively takes up her key themes of time and memory, and her lifelong passions for art, literature, and gardening in this philosophical and poetic memoir. From the courtyards of her childhood home in Cairo to a family cottage in Somerset, to her own gardens in Oxford and London, Lively conducts an expert tour, taking us from Eden to Sissinghurst and into her own backyard, traversing the lives of writers like Virginia Woolf and Philip Larkin while imparting her own sly and spare wisdom. "Her body of work proves that certain themes never go out of fashion," writes the New York Times Book Review, as true of this beautiful volume as of the rest of the Lively canon. Lively said, "To garden is to elide past, present, and future; it is a defiance of time." Today's Garden Chore Trial something this year. Experiment with a few new varieties. Notice the differences. If you've ever seen the movie Runaway Bride, with Julia Roberts, there's a scene where she (Maggie) and Richard Gere (Ike) are arguing about eggs. Throughout the movie, Ike has been interviewing her former fiancés. He'd ask them how Maggie liked her eggs cooked. Maggie never formulated her own opinion, she just ordered whatever her fiancé ordered. Take basil. How can you know if you prefer Mammoth or Purple Ruffles until you've grown or cooked with both? Whatever plants you think you love, the odds are good you'll love a variation of it even more. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart In 1855, Darwin wrote to William Darwin Fox I am rather low today about all my experiments,—everything has been going wrong—the fan-tails have picked the feathers out of the Pouters in their Journey home—the fish at the Zoological Gardens after eating seeds would spit them all out again—Seeds will sink in salt-water—all nature is perverse & will not do as I wish it, & just at present I wish I had the old Barnacles to work at & nothing new. It was just a bad day. 23 years later - in 1878 on this day, he wrote to Thomas Henry Farrer, 1st Baron Farrer "At present I care for nothing in this wide world except the biology of seedling plants." Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."