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The Adirondack Botanical Society: A Vibrant Community with an Active Facebook Group
“I used the “measure” app on my iPhone to measure the trunk of a large eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). I attach a photo that the app generates with the total length printed on the screen. ” April 30, 2011 Today is the tenth anniversary of the Adirondack Botanical Society. “[ABS is] an organization…
Read MoreA Look Back at the Massive Funeral for Charles Darwin
“Darwin was buried at the Abbey next to the eminent scientist Sir John Herschel and just a few feet away from Sir Isaac Newton.” April 26, 1882 On this day, thousands of people attended the funeral of Charles Darwin, which was held at noon sharp at Westminster Abbey. On his deathbed, at Down House,…
Read MoreCelebrating St George’s Day with Garden Poems about Bluebells
“Bluebells are reminders of the very origins of ‘spring,’ the great gush of life.” Today, April 23, is St George’s Day – the feast day of the patron saint of England, St. George. Known as the dragon slayer, St. George was partial to the color blue, and he is remembered with the English bluebell…
Read MoreRemembering the Dedication of the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden and Garden Designer Bunny Mellon
“In fact, the basketweave brick hardscaping in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden is a replica of Bunny’s paving at Oak Spring. To make the surface permeable, Bunny ensured that no mortar touched the bricks. April 22, 1965 On this day, the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden was dedicated. Jackie did not attend the dedication. Her mother attended…
Read MoreEnglish Gardener and Writer Frances Perry and her Thoughts on Ferns
“Sure enough, there was a baby fern growing inside. The spores can survive in their millions until conditions for growth are right.” April 21, 1985 On this day, the garden writer Frances Perry shared a charming article in her regular gardening column in The Observer about how to grow a fern spore. She wrote: My father-in-law,…
Read MoreCelebrating Scottish Nurseryman Peter Barr: Daffodil King and Primrose Prince
“Over his lifetime, Peter bred over two million daffodils in his Surrey nursery. Peter’s work even inspired a daffodil craze after the Civil War ended.” April 20, 1826 Today is the birthday of the Scottish nurseryman and merchant Peter Barr. Peter is remembered as the Daffodil King and the man who popularized the Daffodil. …
Read MoreCelebrating National Orchid Day with Orchid Lovers
“Orchids were not made by an ideal engineer; they are jury-rigged from a limited set of available components.” Today is National Orchid Day. It has been observed annually on April 16th since 2015. Orchids are my new go-to order from the florist. If I need to give a gift, I’ll send an orchid because…
Read MoreRemembering English Loyalist and Botanist Alexander Garden: the Gardenia is his Namesake
“Botanic Sparks are sweet stories to close the show that draw gardeners closer to gardening, as John Ellis’ letters inspired Alexander Garden. April 15, 1791 Today is the anniversary of the death of the English botanist Alexander Garden. Alexander’s story is fascinating, starting with the fact that he had the perfect last name for a…
Read MoreRemembering Jim Zampini and the Art and Joy of Growing Crab Apples
“If you want to plant a mini-orchard of Crabapple trees, space the saplings 6 to 15 feet apart. Group them on the closer end of that range if you are planting dwarf or more upright varieties.” April 14, 2017 On this day, the Beijing Crabapple Conference began. Visitors toured the Crabapple Garden during the…
Read MoreFun Facts for Gardeners on National Licorice Day
“The secret to licorice flavor and sweetness is hidden in the plant’s long roots and rhizomes.” Today is National Licorice Day. The botanical name for licorice means “sweet root.” In Dutch, it’s zoethout (“Zoot-Howt”), which means “sweet wood.” Licorice is fifty times sweeter than sugar. The secret to licorice flavor and sweetness is hidden…
Read MoreRachel Summers, Owner of Curious Wilds Forest, Lifts Neighborhood Spirits by Identifying Trees with Sidewalk Chalk
“The first image showed a label for a London Plane tree on the sidewalk, which read: My favorite! Takes pollution out of the air.” April 9, 2020 Last year, in the early days of the worldwide lockdown due to COVID-19, an English arborist started adding a charming touch to her neighborhood by labeling local trees…
Read MoreCelebrating First Lady Betty Ford: Lifelong Gardener and Founder of the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, Colorado
“Just walking along these winding paths – with the abundance of beauty so close to the touch – brings an introspection and sense of calm too often missing in our lives.” April 8, 1918 Today is the birthday of the beloved First Lady Betty Ford. As a woman, Betty Ford consistently defied the odds.…
Read MoreCelebrating Newspaper Editor and Nature-lover W. Earl Hall
“It’s the best time of the year for gardeners: the season is before us, and the garden offers limitless possibilities.” April 7, 1897 Today is the birthday of W. Earl Hall, the Editor and publisher of the Mason City Globe-Gazette. He’s remembered for loving weather-lore. Earl wrote, “Science has never drummed up quite as effective…
Read MoreRemembering Florida Botanist Alvan Wentworth Chapman: an Apalachicola Naturalist and Namesake of the Chapman Botanical Garden
“If [you are] really anxious to make [plant] discoveries… buckle on your knapsack and make a tour of Florida.” April 6, 1899 Today is the anniversary of the death of the botanist and physician Alvan Wentworth Chapman. Alvan spent the last fifty years in Apalachicola, in territorial Florida. Alvan adored botany and devoted all his…
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