August Archives

The 1975 Canning Lid Shortage: Too Many Gardeners

“Part of the cause is the tremendous increase in the number of home gardeners. The Federal Office of Consumer Affairs estimates that 12 million new gardeners have joined the market for home canning equipment in the past two vears.” August 14, 1975 On this day, The Hearne Democrat, out of Hearne, Texas, announced a nationwide…

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

The Mysterious L.E.L Today is the birthday of the English poet and novelist Letitia Elizabeth Landon – and when she first started out, she signed her poems with her initials – L.E.L. Letitia wrote, “I will look on the stars and look on thee, and read the page of thy destiny.” Letitia’s destiny was set…

James Dickson

The “Lynx-eyed” Seedsman Today is the anniversary of the death of the Scottish nurseryman and seedsman James Dickson. James Dickson led a remarkable life. He was born to a poor family in Scotland. As a young boy, he began working as a gardener on the nearby estate of an Earl. The job was a perfect…

Ada Hayden

The Iowa State Botanist Today is the birthday of botanist Ada Hayden. Ada was the curator of the Iowa State University herbarium. As a young girl growing up in Ames, Iowa, she fell in love with the flora surrounding her family’s home. Ada was a talented photographer, artist, and writer, and she put all of…

Stamp Act

The Stamp Act A crowd gathered under a large elm tree in Boston. The group was there to protest the Stamp Act that was passed by the British Parliament. The Stamp Act imposed a tax on paper in the American colonies, which meant that all the paper had to have a stamp on it. So,…

Forest and Stream

The National Audobon Society The magazine Forest and Stream debuted. Forest and Stream featured outdoor activities like hunting and fishing. It was dedicated to wildlife conservation, and it helped launch the National Audubon Society. In 1930, the magazine merged with Field & Stream. This post was featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: helping gardeners find their roots, one…

Summer’s Lease

by William Shakespeare Summer’s lease hath all too short a date. As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all. William Shakespeare

Midsummer Joys

by Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr. Give me the joys of summer, Of Summer Queen so fair, With a wealth of lovely flowers And fruits and sun-kissed air! Talk not to me of winter With ice and frost and snow, Nor changing spring and autumn When howling winds will blow. No, I will take the joys…

Catch the Transient Hour

by Samuel Johnson Catch, then, oh catch the transient hour; Improve each moment as it flies! Life’s a short summer, man a flower; He dies – alas! how soon he dies! As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all. Samuel Johnson

A Look Back at Albert Ruth, Fort Worth’s First Botanist, and His Incredible Twinflower Specimen from the Smoky Mountains

“Dr. Sharp knew it was NOT a Patridge Berry when he saw the specimen. It was obviously mislabeled. Sharp knew the specimen was a twinflower, the flower named for Carl Linnaeus, the Linnea Borealis – an extremely delicate plant.” August 13, 1892 On this day, the botanist Albert Ruth collected a plant in Sevier County…

Peter Kalm

Niagara Falls: A Natural Attraction The botanist Peter Kalm visited Niagara Falls. Niagara was a natural attraction for botanists like Peter who studied under Carl Linnaeus. (It was actually Linnaeus who came up with the idea to send trained botanists to Niagara.) There are no records of the plants that Peter collected on this day…

Meriwether Lewis

Shoshone to Snowberries Today Meriwether Lewis discovered the Snowberry or Symphoricarpos albus. I love the story of how Lewis came across the Snowberry. Meriwether was really looking for the Shoshone Indians, but he found the Snowberry instead. Meriwether wrote in his journal that he discovered something like a small honeysuckle, except that it was bearing…

Edward August Von Regal

Garten Flora Today is the birthday of the Russian botanist Edward August Von Regal. Edward was born in Switzerland – but he lived most of his life in Russia. Edward worked in a number of botanical gardens, including gardens in Germany and Switzerland. In 1852, Edward founded a magazine called Garten Flora, where he described…

Benedict Roezl

Orchid Master Hunter August 13, 1823 Today is the birthday of Benedict Roezl, who was born on this day in Czechoslovakia. Benedict was probably the most famous collector of orchids during his lifetime. Benedict had an interesting life. As a gardener, he traveled all over Europe. He was also the founder of a Czech…