August 7, 2019 Queen Anne’s Lace, Andreas Marggraff, Henry Perrine, MS Swaminathan, Henry David Thoreau, John Ruskin, The Evening Garden by Peter Loewer, Mulch, and Lucy Cranwell of New Zealand
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Monologue
There’s that lovely saying that goes something like, "One man’s weed is another man’s wildflower."
This is especially true in the case of Queen Anne’s Lace.
In the Facebook group for the show, listener Danny Perkins shared how much he enjoyed letting Queen Anne’s Lace reign over his garden. I feel the same way. But others do not.... and I respect that.
I think one of the reasons I personally enjoy Queen Anne’s Lace is that it reminds me of Baby's Breath, which does not come back as a perennial in my garden. On the other hand, this year I started growing Valerian, and I would say it is another alternative to Baby's Breath, similar to Queen Anne’s Lace.
Another charming characteristic of Queen Anne’s Lace is that it’s a member of the carrot family. If you crush the leaves and stem, you’ll notice a carrot odor.
It's no wonder the scientific name for Queen Anne’s Lace is Daucus carota, and the common name is the wild carrot.
Here’s a fun fact: The Romans ate Queen Anne’s Lace as a vegetable.
And here’s an herbal application: The root juice of Queen Anne’s Lace is terrific for treating itchy skin.
Botanical History On This Day
1782 Andreas Marggraff, German chemist and quiet revolutionary, died after discovering how to extract sugar from beets—an insight that would later give rise to the modern sugar industry.
1840 Henry Perrine, physician, botanist, and tropical dreamer, was killed during the Seminole attack on Indian Key; his vision of South Florida as a botanical paradise lives on in the crops he introduced, including the avocado, mango, and key lime.
1925 M. S. Swaminathan, Indian geneticist and father of the Green Revolution, was born—forever altering global agriculture by insisting that food security is not a privilege, but a human right.
Unearthed Words
August, it seems, is a month when berries bend branches and philosophers sharpen their pens.
Words for a High-Summer Day, inspired by Henry David Thoreau and John Ruskin, remind us that abundance and weather alike are matters of perspective.
Grow That Garden Library™
Read The Daily Gardener review of
The Evening Garden: Flowers and Fragrance from Dusk Till Dawn by Peter Loewer
Buy the book on Amazon: The Evening Garden by Peter Loewer
Today's Botanic Spark
1907 Lucy Cranwell, New Zealand botanist and beloved educator, was born. Later, she enchanted generations of children through her legendary “Botany Trots,” gentle wanderings that made science feel like an adventure.
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And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.
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