November 21, 2019 Dancing with Bees, the Garden Works in Winter, Jan Gronovius, Albert Burrage, Harold Nicolson, A Potted History of Vegetables by Lorraine Harrison, Tchotchke Tidy Up, and the First Garden TV Show
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Dancing with bees | Bridget Strawbridge Howard @b_strawbridge
Bridget Strawbridge Howard has written a truly lovely new book.
"Brigit Strawbridge Howard was shocked the day she realized she knew more about the French Revolution than she did about her native trees. The thought stopped her—quite literally—in her tracks. But that day was also the start of a journey, one filled with silver birches and hairy-footed flower bees, skylarks, and rosebay willow herb, and the joy that comes with deepening one’s relationship with place.
Dancing with Bees is Strawbridge Howard’s charming and eloquent account of a return to noticing, to rediscovering a perspective on the world that had somehow been lost to her for decades, and to reconnecting with the natural world. With special care and attention to the plight of pollinators, including honeybees, bumblebees, and solitary bees, and what we can do to help them, Strawbridge Howard shares fascinating details of the lives of flora and fauna that have filled her days with ever-increasing wonder and delight."
Gardeners will LOVE @b_strawbridge's new book 'Dancing with Bees.' If you're looking for a gift idea for the holidays, this should be on your list!
Your Garden "Still Works" in the Winter - Neighborhood Greening | Mike Nowak @mikenow
This is an excellent post, @mikenow!
By cleaning up, we are “removing a garden’s protective layers"/habitat, inadvertently hurting butterflies; pupae can look like leaf litter. I think gardeners, like docs, mean to do no harm... We have much to learn & habits to change.
Highlights:
"Every yard should have a rotting log (or two!). Dead trees, rotting logs (also known as “snags”) are a crucial habitat for a wide range of insects–the lifeblood of our ecosystem."
"Keep your garden’s fallen leaves, plant stems, natural debris, and hiding places intact, not just in the fall, but throughout the year. Some insects require garden debris for more than just over-wintering habitat. Your garden is one place where it’s OK to be messy! You will provide important habitat for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects (the lifeblood of our ecosystem). A winter garden left intact will also provide winter seeds for birds, attract wildlife, and provide visual interest for you."
"Many species of native bees lay their eggs in the cavities of stems or rotting wood: some excavate pith-filled stems while others make their home in pre-existing cavities in rotting wood. According to Heather Holm, in her excellent book Bees, An Identification, and Native Plant Forage Guide, it is important to leave the garden alone in the fall and throughout winter. And because some native bees reuse these cavities in the spring, they should remain intact year-round. Holm explains, “Then in the spring, cut off the top of the old stems about 15″ above the ground, leaving flower stalk stubble. No further maintenance is required. Within a few weeks, new growth from the perennials hides the dry stems, and within a year or two, the stems naturally break down.”
Botanical History On This Day
1762 Jan Frederik Gronovius, Dutch botanist whose work is entwined with John Clayton’s Virginian flora, named Linnaea borealis for his friend Linnaeus and coined the name Hydrangea.
1859 Albert Cameron Burrage, American orchidologist and founding president of the American Orchid Society, assembled one of the world’s greatest private collections of tropical orchids.
1886 Harold Nicolson, diplomat and husband of Vita Sackville-West, was born; together they created the legendary garden at Sissinghurst Castle.
Unearthed Words
November’s laconic noons, tumbling leaves, and misty, smoke-veiled mornings are captured in autumnal lines by Emily Dickinson, Elsie N. Brady, and John Clare.
Grow That Garden Library™
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A Potted History of Vegetables by Lorraine Harrison
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A Potted History of Vegetables
Today's Botanic Spark
1936 In Your Garden — the BBC aired the very first gardening TV show, hosted by Cecil Henry “Mr. Middleton” from a garden at Alexandra Palace, launching Britain’s first celebrity gardener.
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