September 3, 2019 Spring Bulbs for Pollinators, George Thorndike, Sara Allen Plummer Lemmon, George Vanderbilt, Biltmore, John Updike, September, Gardening with Conifers by Adrian Bloom, a Space to Cure Garlic, and Ringo Starr
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Monologue
Have you ordered your spring bulbs yet?
Here's a new perspective on planting spring bulbs - they're essential resources for pollinators.
Most gardeners think of spring-flowering bulbs in terms of color, which we desperately need after a long winter. But spring-flowering bulbs are valuable for another reason: they're an early source of nectar for pollinators.
Think about planting these spring bulbs this October to help out bumblebees, native bees, and other pollinators in the early days of spring:
Crocus, tulips, and daffodils are obvious choices. Other excellent spring bulb selections include fritillaria, grape hyacinths, winter aconites, snowdrops, squill, and Glory of the Snow (Chinodoxia). All of these bulbs can be planted now through the end of October.
And don't forget you can plant early-flowering spring perennials to accompany these bulbs. Choose plants such as early-flowering hellebores and lungwort.
Botanical History On This Day
1802 The Thorndike Oak was planted on this day by 13-year-old George Thorndike, a member of Bowdoin College’s very first class. The acorn he noticed after chapel grew into a mighty oak and an enduring commencement tradition, under which generations of Bowdoin students gathered before graduation.
1836 Sara Allen Plummer Lemmon, botanist and tireless plant advocate, was born on this day. Lemmon helped secure California’s golden poppy as the state flower and became the first woman to climb Arizona’s Catalina Mountains, later named Mount Lemmon in her honor, on what she and her husband called their “botanical wedding trip.”
1893 The Biltmore Estate was praised by The Times of Philadelphia on this day as a “poem in plants.” The article described George Vanderbilt’s transformation of mountains and fields into a cultivated landscape under the guidance of Frederick Law Olmsted, blending age and ambition into living scenery.
Unearthed Words
September arrives polished and fragrant in this seasonal poem by John Updike.
Grow That Garden Library™
Read The Daily Gardener review of Gardening with Conifers by Adrian Bloom
Buy the book on Amazon: Gardening with Conifers by Adrian Bloom
Today's Garden Chore
Prepare a sheltered, airy space to cure garlic.
Good airflow now ensures better storage later—and don’t forget to place your garlic order for October planting.
Today's Botanic Spark
1968 Ringo Starr returned to the Beatles to find his drum kit covered in flowers spelling “Welcome Back.” It was a reminder that even the most celebrated ensembles, like gardens, flourish best when every essential element is lovingly restored.
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And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.
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