January 28, 2021 New Year Plant Hunt 2021, Peter Collinson, Paul Ecke, Thoughts on Spleenwort by Susan Wittig Albert, Botanical Style by Selina Lake, and the Best Job Ever: Creating Herb Gardens
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Curated News
New Year Plant Hunt 2021: Day One | BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland | Louise Marsh
Botanical History On This Day
1694 Today is the birthday of Peter Collinson, a Fellow of the Royal Society and influential plant introducer who brought nearly 200 species to British horticulture, including the beloved Virginia Bluebell. His friendship with American gardeners like John Bartram and John Custis helped enrich English gardens with striking spring blooms, treasured by figures such as Thomas Jefferson. His famous words, "Forget not me and my garden," echo his lasting impact on horticulture.
1895 Birthday of Paul Ecke Sr., the “Mr. Poinsettia” who revolutionized the Christmas flower market. After moving his nursery to San Diego County, Paul developed a secret grafting technique that made Poinsettias compact and hardy, controlling 90% of the U.S. market by the mid-20th century. His son further boosted the plant's popularity by featuring Poinsettias on TV shows and in holiday magazines, thereby solidifying the plant’s iconic holiday status.
Unearthed Words
Today’s excerpt is from China Bayles' Book of Days. In it, Susan Wittig Albert writes that daisies herald spring, but dreaming of them in colder seasons predicts ill fortune. The daisy, genus Bellis, was valued in Roman times for treating battlefield wounds, hence the nickname “Bruisewort.” John Gerard noted its healing properties. Daisies also played a role in folklore and prophecy, as seen in the familiar game “He loves me, he loves me not.” According to,
Grow That Garden Library™
Read my review of Botanical Style by Selina Lake, a 2016 book that offers inspirational ideas for decorating with nature, plants, and florals indoors. Selina shares her signature looks built from antique botanical prints, flower stalls, potting sheds, and houseplants, along with five distinct botanical styling approaches.
Buy it on Amazon: Botanical Style by Selina Lake
Today's Botanic Spark
1983 On this day, The Charlotte News shared an article featuring Deborah Zimmerman’s approach to herb garden design as an art form, blending textures, colors, and heights for harmony.
Deborah's Elizabethan-style herb garden evokes historical scents, utilizing plants like lavender, rosemary, and chamomile to create a sensory experience. Deborah’s love for herbs and creative gardening grew from a small business into a passion-filled career, spreading beauty and joy through plants and design.
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