From Altar to Arbor: The Fruitful Union of David and Marian Fairchild

David holding bouquet and Marian after their wedding c. 1905.

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 25, 1905 On this most auspicious day, dear garden enthusiasts, we celebrate the union of two extraordinary souls: the eminent botanist David Fairchild and his beloved Marian Graham Bell, daughter of the…

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Pruning Words: Matsuo Basho and the Art of Haiku

Portrait of Basho by Hokusai late 18th century

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. November 28, 1694 On this day, the garden of Japanese poetry lost one of its most exquisite blooms. Matsuo Basho, the master gardener of haiku, breathed his last, leaving behind a legacy as…

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Betting on Blossoms: Brooklyn’s Cherry Promise

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Cherry Blossoms

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 29, 2017 Even when spring is coy, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden knows the heart’s calendar. On this day, The New York Times tweeted: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden cherry blossom festival is set…

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A Life Among Flowering Treasures: Remembering Paul George Russell

Paul George Russell, a notable consulting botanist known for his work with the USDA.

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 24, 1889 Today marks the birthday of Paul George Russell, a botanical luminary born in the modest environs of Liverpool, New York. One might say he blossomed rather spectacularly from such ordinary…

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