January 29, 2021 Eight Steps to Create a Stunning Winter Garden, Olga Owens Huckins, Larry McGraw, How Often Should You Prune Your Willows, Botanicals: 100 Postcards, and a Winter Joy: Scented Houseplants
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Eight Steps to Create a Stunning Winter Garden | Stihl
Botanical History On This Day
1958 On this day, a letter titled “Evidence of Havoc by DDT” was published in the Boston Herald by Olga Owens Huckins, a nature-loving journalist. Olga witnessed the deadly effects of aerial DDT spraying on songbirds around her bird sanctuary, spurring her to contact Rachel Carson.
The letter helped inspire Carson’s groundbreaking research and book Silent Spring, which led to public awareness and the eventual ban of DDT in 1972. Olga’s sanctuary lives on as a tribute to her and Carson’s environmental courage.
2005 Anniversary of the death of Larry L. McGraw, founder of the Home Orchard Society and a devoted pomologist. Larry collected and preserved over 300 apple varieties, promoted fruit growing, and researched historical apple seeds linked to the Whitman pioneers in Washington State. His legacy includes educating thousands about grafting and pruning fruit trees, as well as nurturing a diverse apple heritage.
Unearthed Words
“How often do you prune your willows?”
The answer varies depending on the gardener's vigor and the time available.
In today’s excerpt from Beth Chatto's Garden Notebook, Beth Chatto recommends pruning every February, removing about half the shoots to keep the youngest and brightest. Pruning heavier every few years can shock the plants, but it leads to magnificent regrowth.
Grow That Garden Library™
Read my review of Botanicals: 100 Postcards, a stunning 2017 collection from the New York Botanical Garden archives. This box set features 100 rare and vibrantly colored botanical art postcards, showcasing exotic flowers, cacti, and succulents.
Buy it on Amazon: Botanicals: 100 Postcards
Today's Botanic Spark
1998 The Courier-Journal out of Louisville, Kentucky, ran an article by Tovah Martin titled "Winter is the Best Time for Scented Plants."
Tovah reminds us that winter is the best time for scented houseplants. Winter scents from plants like heliotrope, hoya, Osmanthus fragrans (also known as sweet olive), and jasmines create intimate, fragrant experiences indoors when outdoor blooms are scarce.
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