April 25, 2019 A Botanist’s Hello, Zucchini Bread Day, President Truman, NPSOT, Gustavus Adolphus College, Marcus E. Jones, Julia Morton, Alice Tangerini, Windflowers, Agnes Falconer, Roger L. Williams, Garden Markers, and George H. Engleheart’s Daffodils
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Monologue
Today I learned how botanists used to say "hello" to each other.
In the 1800s and 1900s, a common way for botanists to introduce themselves, often from the other side of the world, was to send each other plant specimens as the foundation for developing a relationship.
When it comes to friendship, plants are icebreakers, communicators, and binding ties all rolled into one.
Botanical History On This Day
2019 National Zucchini Bread Day celebrates a squash discovered in the Americas, refined in Italy, and beloved once it meets flour, sugar, and a warm oven.
1958 President Harry S. Truman planted a sugar maple in New York in honor of Arbor Day, adding a living legacy to the celebration of trees.
1981 The Native Plant Society of Texas was founded at Texas Woman’s University, formalizing a mission to protect and promote native flora.
2007 The Linnaeus @ 300 Symposium was held at Gustavus Adolphus College, honoring the tricentennial of Carl Linnaeus and the arboretum that bears his name.
1852 Marcus E. Jones was born, a prominent botanist of the American West whose Utah plant collections remain unmatched in scope.
1912 Julia Francis McHugh Morton was born, the poison-plant expert whose botanical sleuthing solved medical mysteries and even a murder case.
1949 Alice R. Tangerini was born, the only botanical illustrator ever hired by the Smithsonian, whose precise work endures despite profound vision loss.
Unearthed Words
Windflowers by Agnes Falconer, shared on National Poem in Your Pocket Day, captures the trembling grace of anemones in spring.
Grow That Garden Library™
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A Region of Astonishing Beauty by Roger L. Williams
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A Region of Astonishing Beauty by Roger L. Williams
Today’s Garden Chore
Refresh your garden labels by replacing mismatched markers with a unified set that brings order and calm to your beds.
Today’s Botanic Spark
1851 Reverend George Herbert Engleheart died on this day.
He devoted his life to breeding daffodils, sometimes choosing bulbs over sermons, and leaving behind hundreds of luminous cultivars.
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And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.
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