September 4, 2019 The Must Go Container, Henry Wise, George London, Alfred Rehder, Isabella Preston, Willa Cather, Geoffrey Hill, Gardener’s Guide to Compact Plants by Jessica Walliser, Ordering Spring Bulbs, Charles Joseph Sauriol, and Plants Growing Together
Subscribe
Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart
Support The Daily Gardener
Connect for FREE!
The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community
Monologue
I had to chuckle the other day as I was putting together my fall containers.
The first thing I do when I transition from one season to another is determine which plants are salvageable - the ones that have enough gas to go another season. One of my pots turned out to be a bit of a jumble. I call it my "Must Go" Container in honor of my husband's Great Aunt Lena.
Here's the backstory: Great Aunt Lena would babysit my husband and his siblings when they were little. She was helping out my in-laws while they were both at work, and she was famous for making a casserole at the end of the week, which she called "Must Go" hotdish. Phil's dad used to tell how one particular Must Go hotdish was extra memorable because, when he was dishing himself up a plate, he pulled out a whole piece of pizza from the depths of this hotdish, which no doubt was combined with a can of cream of mushroom soup.
In any case, my "Must Go" container turned out to be a bit of an homage to Great Aunt Lena; individually, the plants looked fine. But, put together, the effect was jumbled - a "Must Go" container if ever there was one. I'll have to redo it this weekend.
Botanical History On This Day
1653 Henry Wise, English gardener, designer, and nurseryman, was born. Working closely with his partner George London, he helped define the formal Baroque garden in England, designing landscapes for royalty, including Queen Anne, and creating enduring masterpieces such as the Chestnut Avenue at Bushy Park and the walled kitchen garden at Blenheim Palace.
1863 Alfred Rehder, an Arnold Arboretum taxonomist and dendrologist, was born. His monumental scholarship shaped modern dendrology, contributed to the foundations of the USDA Hardiness Zones, and culminated in a five-volume bibliography cataloging every known work on woody plants published before 1900.
1881 Isabella Preston, Canada’s first professional woman plant breeder and the “Grand Lady of Canadian Horticulture,” was born. Renowned for her lilies and lilacs, Preston created more than 200 cultivars and left a legacy of practical wisdom, famously urging gardeners to embrace stone as flowers’ most steadfast companion.
Unearthed Words
September poetry speaks in abundance and quiet assurance, as captured in today’s selection of garden-minded reflections.
Grow That Garden Library™
Read The Daily Gardener review of Gardener’s Guide to Compact Plants by Jessica Walliser
Buy the book on Amazon: Gardener’s Guide to Compact Plants by Jessica Walliser
Today's Garden Chore
Begin planning your spring bulb order.
Early ordering ensures the best selection—whether for garden beds or winter forcing—and allows time for thoughtful placement before colder weather arrives.
Today's Botanic Spark
1938 Author and conservationist Charles Joseph Sauriol recorded a gardener’s quiet rebellion against weeds, planting herbs side by side and delighting in the harmony of shared purpose—proof that gardens, like ideas, thrive when allowed to mingle.
Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener
And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.
Featured Book
