December Archives

The Night Before Christmas for Gardeners by Charles and Janice Jensen

Charles and Janice Jensen updated this beloved Christmas verse.

Gardening Practices Through the Lens of a Beloved Christmas Verse Over the years, newspapers have shared a parody of The Night Before Christmas, written by Charles and Janice Jensen in the 1960s. The original version first appeared in The New York Times, and you’ll realize how far we’ve come since the 1960s regarding our daily…

Frances Garnet Wolseley

Gardening for Women December 24, 1936 Today is the anniversary of the death of the influential English gardening author and instructor, Frances Garnet Wolseley. A lifelong single lady, Frances devoted herself to gardening and gardening education. In 1902, on her thirtieth birthday, Frances created the Glynde College for Lady Gardeners on her father’s garden in…

Robert Dick

Dunnet Head Lighthouse December 24, 1866 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Scottish geologist, botanist, and baker Robert Dick. The artist Joanne B. Kaar recently created a replica of Robert’s moss box to honor his work. This was a little box that Robert used to carry moss back to his bakery. Now…

President Benjamin Harrison

Baby McKee December 24, 1889 On this day, the White House’s first Christmas tree was set in place to delight “Baby McKee,” the favorite grandson and namesake of President Benjamin Harrison. A 1967 article from the Indianapolis Star said, “There had never been a Christmas tree in the White House before. Some people thought the…

Perspectives on Mistletoe by Herbalists and Writers Through the Ages

Mystical Mistletoe December 23, 1978 On this day, The Oshkosh Northwestern, out of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, published a story called Mystical Mistletoe Is Historical Sprig By Pat Vander Velden. Pliny the Elder, a first-century Roman naturalist, was one of the first freelance writers to recognize mistletoe as a lucrative story idea. He chronicled the esteem…

John Jay

A Founding Father December 23, 1745 Today is the birthday of the American Founding Father and gardener John Jay. When he wasn’t serving as the second Governor of New York and the United States’ first Chief Justice, John Jay loved to garden. John’s ancestral home was in Rye, New York. And today, the Jay Heritage…

Francis Masson

South Africa’s Cape Floral Kingdom December 23, 1805 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Scottish gardener, botanical illustrator, and the very first plant hunter for Kew, Francis Masson. After proving himself capable at Kew, Joseph Banks sent Francis on an expedition to southern Africa, where he met up with the Swedish botanist…

Lady Bird Johnson: A Lifelong Naturalist

The Wildflower Champion December 22, 1912 On December 22, we remember the birthday of the American socialite and the First Lady of the United States, Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson, who always went by “Lady Bird.” On her 70th birthday, Lady Bird made her most significant contribution to American botany when she gave a financial…

David Hosack

American Eden December 22, 1835 Today is the anniversary of the death of the doctor and botanist David Hosack. He was 65. In 2018, David Hosack’s story was brilliantly told in the biography by Victoria Johnson called American Eden. David was a New Yorker and he was a leading doctor in America during the early days…

George Eliot

Mary Ann Evans December 22, 1880 Today is the 140th anniversary of the death of the English Victorian author George Eliot. George Eliot was the pen name for a woman named Mary Ann Evans, and her many works like Silas Marner and Middlemarch are packed with images from the garden. To Mary Ann, plants were the perfect…

William B. Arnett

The Tulsa Greenhouse December 22, 1928 Today is the birthday of the president and owner of Tulsa Greenhouse and Four State Wholesale, William B. Arnett. The origins of Bill’s greenhouse went back to 1916, when it was founded by Gordon Vernon Voight back in the early days of Tulsa. During the depression, Bill’s dad and…

1917 Plant Watering Advice: The Right Way Involves Wicking

The Right Way to Water Plants December 21, 1917 On this day, The Weekly Tribune, out of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, shared a little story called The Right Way to Water Plants. Back in 1917, the concept of watering plants via wicking was new and confusing. Here’s a little glimpse into how it was introduced…

Robert Brown

Brownian Motion December 21, 1773 Today is the birthday of Scottish botanist Robert Brown. Robert made important contributions to botany and (science in general) through his pioneering use of the microscope. In particular, Robert is best known for being the first to notice the natural continuous movement of minute particles. Today we call that phenomenon…

Rosemary Verey

Queen of the Traditional English Country Garden December 21, 1918 Today is the birthday of the English garden designer, lecturer, prolific garden writer, and one of the greatest gardeners of the 20th century, Rosemary Verey. Regarded as the “Queen of the Traditional English Country Garden,” Rosemary’s garden masterpiece is a blend of nature and geometry,…