June 2, 2021 Thirty Days Wild, Thomas Hardy, Minnie Aumônier, Secret Gardens of Paris by Alexandra D’Arnoux and Bruno De Laubadere, Norton Juster, a Spelling Bee, and Botanical Latin

How to bring more nature into your day and take part in 30 Days Wild | CountryFile

Botanical History On This Day

1840 Birth of Thomas Hardy, the celebrated English poet and novelist. Inspired by rural Wessex, Hardy’s writings often drew on the cycles of nature and garden imagery—his home and gardens, preserved by the National Trust, remain a tribute to his legacy and botanical sensibility.

1865 Birth of Minnie Aumônier, a poet, artist, and verse writer. Minnie created memorable lines about garden solace and the need for quiet to hear “the music amongst the trees.” Her romantic, sentimental poetry continues to adorn garden art today.

Unearthed Words

In Lilac Girls, Martha Hall Kelly gently reminds us of nature’s resilience:

“Father loved the fact that a lilac only blossoms after a harsh winter... It's a miracle all of this beauty emerges after such hardship, don't you think?” 

Grow That Garden Library™

Explore secret urban oases in Secret Gardens of Paris (2000) by Alexandra D’Arnoux and Bruno De Laubadere. This volume unlocks fifty of the city’s most cherished private gardens—ranging from formal and Japanese-inspired to eclectic and hidden havens—offering privileged, gorgeous glimpses of Parisian horticulture.

Buy it on Amazon: Secret Gardens of Paris by Alexandra D'Arnoux and Bruno De Laubadere

Today's Botanic Spark

1929 Birth of Norton Juster, the Phantom Tollbooth author who gave us a memorable spelling bee scene, linking botanical terms with the American heritage of task-sharing “bees” and touching on the complexity (and humor) of botanical Latin—names like Weberbauerocereus cephalomacrostibas and Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis.

Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener

And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.