January 25, 2021 How to Grow Chillies, Robert Burns, the Star of Bethlehem Orchid, the Vegetable History of Neeps and Tatties, Botanica Magnifica by Jonathan Singer, and the Garden’s Three R’s of Renovation
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How to Grow Chillies | Gardener’s World
Botanical History On This Day
1759 Birth of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet, celebrated worldwide. Burns Night honors his legacy with poetry, music, and a traditional feast including haggis, neeps (rutabaga), and tatties (mashed potatoes). Gardeners cherish his poems, such as “Red Red Rose” and “To a Mountain Daisy,” which express a deep love for flowers and the simplicity of nature.
1862 Charles Darwin received a box of orchids, featuring the remarkable Star of Bethlehem Orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale). Darwin predicted that a moth with an extraordinarily long proboscis co-evolved with the orchid to pollinate it—a theory confirmed decades after his death, culminating in photographic evidence of the moth in action in 1992.
Unearthed Words
Today’s excerpt is from garden writer Lorraine Harrison, in her A Potted History of Vegetables. Lorraine shares the history of the Scots term "neep", which refers to rutabaga, the traditional root vegetable served with tatties (potatoes) on Burns Night. This classic dish is often enhanced with butter and spices like nutmeg or ginger, and traditionally enjoyed with a glass of whiskey, blending culinary and cultural heritage.
Grow That Garden Library™
Read my review of Botanica Magnifica by Jonathan Singer, a 2009 masterpiece showcasing 250 breathtaking photographs of rare and exotic flowers and plants. Presented like Old Master paintings in exquisite detail, the book combines artistry and botany to celebrate the world’s most extraordinary flora in 356 pages of stunning visuals and insightful descriptions.
Buy the book on Amazon: Botanica Magnifica by Jonathan Singer
Today's Botanic Spark
2002 The Vancouver Sun highlighted the three R’s of garden renovation: Restore, Renovate, and Revitalize. Expert Nenagh McCutcheon advises being honest in assessing garden decline, pruning to improve light and air, removing unwanted plants, and refreshing the soil to reclaim structure, color, and peace. Sometimes radical rethinking is needed when plants outgrow their spaces or lose harmony, empowering gardeners to give their gardens new life.
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