May 1, 2019 Lily of the Valley, Aimee Camus, Chicago Worlds Fair 1893, Arthur Galston, Wolcott Andrews, Phoebe Hinsdale Brown, The Orchard Thief, Susan Orlean, Bare Root Roses, Chris Van Cleve, and the State Flowers

20200101 The Daily Gardener Album Cover

Happy May Day! Today, the tradition in France is to give a sprig of Lily of the Valley to loved ones. Originally from Japan, Lily of the Valley has long been considered lucky. It’s a sweet scent, belies its high toxicity. Other names for Lily of the Valley include May Bells, Our Lady’s Tears, and…

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The Botanist’s Lament: Arthur Galston and the Birth of Agent Orange

Arthur Galston

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 1, 1943 On this day in 1943, an innocent botanical discovery twisted into something far more sinister, as botanist Arthur Galston observed that excessive application of a plant growth hormone caused catastrophic…

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