September 24, 2019 Magnolia for Four-Season Interest, William Herbst, Wilhelm Nikolaus Suksdorf, Samuel Butler, Not Just Desserts by Susan Belsinger, Strategic Garden Tidy Up, and Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie

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Monologue

One of my favorite shoulder season plants is my magnolia.

The beautiful white blossoms in the spring and the glorious yellow leaves in the fall bookend a summer of greenery. Then all winter long, the dormant flower buds will pop out, adding interest and promise during those final snowstorms in late March and April.

If you're looking for something that provides something new every season, add magnolia to your list.

Botanical History On This Day

1833 William Herbst, Pennsylvania physician and botanist, was born. He was a fungi devotee so beloved that C.H. Peck named Sparassis herbstii in his honor after receiving one “splendid” specimen.

1886 Wilhelm Nikolaus Suksdorf boarded a train for Cambridge to assist Asa Gray. It was an opportunity he nearly refused, and one that ended in heartbreak when Gray died, sending Suksdorf back to the Northwest with grief and 150,000 specimens.

Unearthed Words

In praise of the season that knows better, Samuel Butler reminds us that autumn is mellower than spring — and far richer in fruits than flowers.

Grow That Garden Library™

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Not Just Desserts by Susan Belsinger

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Not Just Desserts by Susan Belsinger

Today's Garden Chore

As harvest winds down, tidy strategically. Chop-and-drop healthy edibles, leave roots to feed the soil, and consider a cover crop as a handsome blanket for beds that need a little extra kindness.

Today's Botanic Spark

1967 The irresistibly sugary “Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie” by Jay & The Techniques hit No. 8 on the charts — proof that even the most reluctant drummer may be forced, by fate and radio contests, to sing about fruit.

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