January 21, 2021 Hillside Landscaping Ideas, Erwin Frink Smith, Rae Selling Berry, Rosemary Verey’s Thoughts on Patterns, American Grown by Michelle Obama, and Going Nuts on National Squirrel Appreciation Day
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Botanical History On This Day
1854 Birth of Erwin Frink Smith, esteemed USDA botanist who investigated the Peach Yellows disease and championed women in plant science.
Remembered for hiring and empowering female botanists, Erwin also published a heartfelt memoir of his late wife, Charlotte, celebrating her deep connection to the natural world and her remarkable observational skills.
1881 Birth of Rae Selling Berry, the remarkable Oregon gardener and plant collector. Rae’s deafness may have deepened her sensitivity to plants, leading her to amass a legendary collection of Rhododendrons and Primulas.
She meticulously sourced rare seeds from notable explorers and understood that,
“You don’t tell a plant where to grow; it will tell you.”
Unearthed Words
Today’s excerpt is from Rosemary Verey, who found artistic inspiration in patterns—both natural, such as silhouetted tree branches in winter, and man-made, like tractor marks in snowy fields. She reminds gardeners to look for lessons in symmetry and beauty everywhere in the landscape, even during the quiet, dormant season.
Grow That Garden Library™
Read my review of American Grown by Michelle Obama, a 2012 book chronicling the creation and impact of the White House Kitchen Garden. More than just Michelle’s gardening journey, it highlights community gardens nationwide and the joy, lessons, and healthy harvests that gardening inspires in schools, neighborhoods, and families.
Buy the book on Amazon: American Grown by Michelle Obama
Today's Botanic Spark
2001 National Squirrel Appreciation Day was established by Christy Hargrove. Squirrels play a vital role in forest regeneration.
Whether loved or loathed by gardeners for their acrobatics, squirrels are responsible for seed dispersal and help trees propagate—a hidden partnership that keeps forests thriving through even the harshest winter months.
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