August 5, 2019 Tussie-Mussies, Jeanne Baret, Fred Paxford, Candice Wheeler, Wendell Barry, The Herb Garden Cookbook by Lucinda Hutson, Start Pansy Seed, Elaine Cramer and the Hydrangea Bloom Festival

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Monologue

One of the things I love to do at the end of spending time in my garden is to make some tussie-mussies.

Tussie-mussies are also called nosegays or posies; they are small flower bouquets typically given as a gift. Mine are pretty small - with cuttings no longer than 6 inches. I like the charm of these little tussie-mussies. They are super fun to drop off in someone's mailbox or set down near the register at your favorite barista's. They look perfect when placed on top of a book or added to the top of a gift-wrapped package.

Irene Deitsch wrote a book called Tussie-Mussies a few years ago, and she explained the etymology of the word tussie-mussie, which I found quite helpful.

“A ‘tussie’ is a nosegay, which is a Middle English word for a small group of flowers held together in a little bouquet.

'Mussie’ refers to the moss that was moistened and put around the stems of the flowers to keep them from wilting. That’s why they’re called tussie-mussies.”

Botanical History On This Day

1807 Jeanne Baret, the first woman to circumnavigate the globe, died after disguising herself as a man to join a botanical expedition. She quietly introduced the world to bougainvillea along the way.

1898 Frederick William Calcut Paxford, gardener to C. S. Lewis and inspiration for Puddleglum, was born. He was an indispensable steward of The Kilns and a man of dry wit and deep loyalty.

1923 Candace Wheeler, designer, gardener, and writer, often called the mother of interior design, died, leaving behind gardens, books, and the enduring belief that planting is a divine joy.

Unearthed Words

Through his words, farmer, poet, and philosopher Wendell Berry reminds us that agriculture, grief, justice, and beauty are inseparable.

Grow That Garden Library™

Read The Daily Gardener review of
The Herb Garden Cookbook by Lucinda Hutson

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The Herb Garden Cookbook by Lucinda Hutson

Today's Botanic Spark

1998 Hydrangea Fest, Yanked by the Roots—a bittersweet tale from British Columbia reminding us that even canceled parades can plant hope, one hydrangea at a time.

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