Ann Taylor

Today is the birthday of the English poet and literary critic Ann Taylor. Her sister Jane was a poet as well. Ann famously said, “The most important thing is to wear a smile.” Here's a collection of poems about the garden by Ann Taylor. Come And Play In The Garden Little sister, come away, And let us in the garden play, For it is a pleasant day. On the grass-plat let us sit, Or, if you please, we'll play a bit, And run about all over it. But the fruit we will not pick, For that would be a naughty trick, And very likely make us sick. Nor will we pluck the pretty flowers That grow about the beds and bowers, Because you know they are not ours. We'll take the daisies, white and red Because mamma has often said That we may gather then instead. And much I hope we always may Our very dear mamma obey, And mind whatever she may say. The Gaudy Flower Poem Why does my Anna toss her head, And look so scornfully around, As if she scarcely deigned to tread Upon the daisy-dappled ground? Does fancied beauty fire thine eye, The brilliant tint, the satin skin? Does the loved glass, in passing by, Reflect a graceful form and thin? Alas! that form and brilliant fire, Will never win beholder's love; It may, indeed, make fools admire, But ne'er the wise and good can move. So grows the tulip, gay and bold, The broadest sunshine its delight; Like rubies, or like burnished gold, It shows its petals, glossy bright. But who the gaudy floweret crops, As if to court a sweet perfume! Admired it blows, neglected drops, And sinks unheeded to its doom. The virtues of the heart may move Affections of a genial kind; While beauty fails to stir our love, And wins the eye, but not the mind. The Field Daisy I'm a pretty little thing, Always coming with the spring; In the meadows green, I'm found, Peeping just above the ground, And my stalk is covered flat With a white and yellow hat. Little Mary, when you pass Lightly o'er the tender grass, Skip about, but do not tread On my bright but lowly head, For I always seem to say, "Surely winter's gone away." Grow That Garden Library The Seed Underground: by Janisse Ray The subtitle of this book is: A Growing Revolution to Save Food. Ray writes: “There is no despair in a seed. There's only life, waiting for the right conditions-sun and water, warmth and soil-to be set free. Every day, millions upon millions of seeds lift their two green wings.” Ray's book takes us to the frontier of seed-saving. She shares beautiful stories from gardeners around the country who are working to preserve our food by growing old varieties, heirlooms, and eating them. Gardeners will love this book because, as a gardener, Ray is relatable, and her stories feature ordinary gardeners who are trying to save open-pollinated varieties of old-time seeds - the true treasures in our Gardens. Ray's book is not just about gardening, but also about preserving our food by saving seeds before they disappear. Ray helps us understand why seeds are under threat and why a lack of seed diversity is something that should concern all of us. Ray is a writer, naturalist, and poet. This is one of my favorite books on this topic, so I hope you'll check it out. You can get a used copy of The Seed Underground: A Growing Revolution to Save Food by Janisse Ray and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for under $4. Great Gifts for Gardeners Stonebriar 9 Inch Clear Glass Dome Cloche with Rustic Wooden Base, Antique Bell Jar Display Dome, For Plants, Succulents, Fairy Lights, Photos, Medals, Decorative Fill, and More, Medium $31.99 Add a rustic touch to your home decor with Stonebriar's clear glass bell-shape cloche with a wooden base. This cloche features a clear glass dome with a decorative knob so you can easily remove it. The rustic wooden base measures 6.1 inches in diameter and is the perfect size to display your favorite pillar candles, flowers, succulents, medals, photos, and fairy lights. This glass cloche is small enough to use in any room in your home but big enough to make a statement. Add your favorite filler and create a unique centerpiece for your kitchen or dining room or place a filled cloche on your mantel for a little added decoration. This cloche is also the perfect party decoration. Buy multiple cloches for rustic tabletop display. - This decorative cloche is the perfect size for any tabletop measuring 9" in height, and the wood base with metal trim measures 6.1" in diameter - Glass dome inner measurements are 4.7" in diameter and 6" in height. It can easily fit your favorite pillar candles, flowers, succulents & more - Rustic wooden base cloche is available in 2 separate sizes. Buy one size or buy both sizes and create your own unique display set. Today’s Botanic Spark 1784Today is the birthday of the American Floral Dictionary writer, Elizabeth Wirt. Elizabeth was the second wife of William Wirt, who served as an attorney general of the United States. They had ten children. In 1829, Elizabeth wrote her floral dictionary. She published it anonymously, using the very mysterious name ‘by a Lady.’ Wirt featured lovely tidbits in her dictionary - quotes and prose by poets and writers accompanied the information for each plant. Her dictionary also included extraneous information that would be of interest to gardeners in the early to mid-1800s: the Structure of Plants, the Structure of Flowers, and a sketch on the Life of Linnaeus. Elizabeth shared all she knew about the history of each flower she featured in her dictionary. Gardeners adored her book. It was republished every two years. In the 1835 edition, Elizabeth finally felt confident enough to publish the book using her name "Mrs. E. W. Wirt of Virginia.”The final edition of her book was published in in 1855 it was the first book of its kind in the United States to feature colored plates. You can see a copy of Wirt's dictionary online for free.