Robert Buist: The Scotsman Who Shaped American Gardens

Robert Buist portrait sketch

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. November 14, 1805 Robert Buist, florist and nurseryman was born near Edinburgh, Scotland. Trained at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Buist emigrated to Philadelphia in 1828 at age 23, where he would become…

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When Williamsburg Bloomed: John Custis’s Garden Vision

John Custis IV by Charles Bridges c. 1725.

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. November 14, 1749 On this day, John Custis IV, an American planter, politician, government official, and military officer, died. His garden legacy has recently captured headlines as archaeologists uncover what was once colonial…

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November 07, 2024 November’s Little Garden Tasks, Rockingham Colonial Gardens, Warren Manning, The Landscape of Home by Edmund Hollander, and Ruth Pitter

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 Botanical History On This Day 1783 General George Washington penned his historic Farewell Address to his troops at Rockingham, marking a pivotal moment in American history. Today,…

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The Colonial Garden Heritage at Rockingham

Rockingham Historic House and Gardens

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. November 7, 1783 On this day, General George Washington penned his historic Farewell Address to his troops at Rockingham, marking a pivotal moment in American history. Today, this historic site continues to tell…

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A Kashmiri Spring: Francis Younghusband’s Garden Chronicles

Francis Younghusband

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. May 10, 1907 On this day, dear devotees of the garden, we find ourselves transported to the enchanting realm of Kashmir, where the intrepid British Army officer, explorer, and spiritual writer, Francis Younghusband,…

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The Spy Who Loved Apples: The Double Life of Metcalf Bowler

Sketch of Metcalf Bowler as a Member of Congress c. 1765.

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. September 24, 1789 Dear fellow custodians of earth’s verdant secrets, today we unearth a tale that would make even the most steadfast gardener’s trowel tremble – a story of apples, espionage, and the…

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Mark Catesby: The Explorer Who Painted America’s First Natural History

An illustration titled "The Ground-Squirrel, The Mastic Tree" by Mark Catesby, featured in his work The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands.

Mark’s Magnificent Illustrations March 24, 1682 Today is the baptism day of the little-known English naturalist, adventurer, explorer, and artist. Mark Catesby – his exact birthdate has been lost to time. Way back when the United States was a British colony, Mark made two trips to the new world. On his second trip, he traveled…

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Martha Ballard: Herbalist, Midwife, and Village Healer of Maine

Martha Ballard memorial statue in Mill Park, Augusta Maine with her Nov 1791 journal entry in the background.

Martha’s Marvelous Journal November 30, 1799  On this day, Martha Ballard recorded her work as an herbalist and midwife. For 27 years, Martha kept a journal of her work as the town healer and midwife for Hallowell, Maine. In all, Martha assisted with 816 births. Today, Martha’s marvelous journal gives us a glimpse into the…

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Martha Washington: The First Lady of American Gardening

Martha Washington thumbnail image

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. June 13, 1731 On this day, the future First Lady of our nascent republic, Martha Washington, drew her first breath in this mortal realm. While history remembers her as the stoic companion to…

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