From Enigma to Eden: The Extraordinary Life of Mavis Batey

Mavis Batey

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. May 5, 1921 On this day, dear friends of the green and growing, we celebrate the birth of a most remarkable woman: Mavis Lilian Batey. Imagine, if you will, a life that reads…

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Alexander Pope: Poet of Words, Gardens, and a Glittering Grotto

Alexander Pope (1688-1744), a prominent English poet of the 18th century, known for his satirical and philosophical works.

Bridge in Bath, Capability Brown, and Prior Park May 21, 1688 Today is the birthday of the British poet, critic, gardener, and satirist Alexander Pope. Known for his poetry and writing, Alexander Pope is less remembered for his love of gardens. Yet Alexander was a trailblazer in terms of garden design and originality. He designed…

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The Master of Landscapes: Remembering Capability Brown’s Enduring Gardens

Lancelot Capability Brown thumbnail image

Lady Nature’s Second Husband Today is the anniversary of the death of the renowned landscape gardener Lancelot Capability Brown. In the 1730s, Lancelot ended up at Stowe, working for the great William Kent – the eminent painter and Landscape Architect. The garden at Stowe was a landscape garden with lots of straight lines and formality.…

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February 6, 2020 The Aphid Alarm Pheromone, Stealing Cuttings, Prospero Alpini, Joseph Sabine, Capability Brown, Edgar Anderson, Charles Heiser, Winter World by Bernd Heinrich, Ladbrooke Soil Blocker, and Spam with Loganberry Sauce

The Daily Gardener Podcast Album Cover with a pot of rosemary - the herb for remembrance - beckoning gardeners to remember to listen to the show. Updated September 2025.

Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee  Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter |  Daily Gardener Community Curated News The Scent Of Fear – The Aphid Alarm Pheromone Great Post on The Scent of Fear – the aphid alarm pheromone via @Entoprof “Aphids, when…

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Capability Brown: The Birthday of Britain’s Landscape Visionary

Lancelot "Capability" Brown (1716-1783), is widely recognized as the pre-eminent designer of landscapes in 18th-century England, transforming overc. 250 gardens and parklands in England and Wales.

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. August 30, 1716 My darling green-thumbed companions, it’s the birthday of Lancelot Brown, who was born on this day in 1716. Our dear Lancelot—destined for horticultural greatness—found himself at Stowe working under the…

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