Posts Tagged ‘December’
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
“Life is short, and books are long.” December 10, 1911 Today is the anniversary of the death of the Victorian British botanist, explorer, President of the Royal Society, and director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, who died at 94. Joseph accomplished much during his long life. The botanic gardens of…
Read MoreSweet Ideas for Sweet Potatoes at a 1969 Neighborhood Sweet Potato Tasting Party
Sweet Potatoes Recipes Served Up at Peyton Place December 9, 1969 On this day, The Daily Times in Salisbury, Maryland, shared a story by Kelvin Adkins called Mrs. Zieger Has Some Sweet Ideas For Sweet Potatoes. The article explained: Mrs. Peyton Zieger is one of those persons who always has a project of some sort going.…
Read MoreHenry David Thoreau
Walden Pond December 9, 1855 On this day, it was starting to snow on Walden Pond. The winter Landscape appeared before Henry David Thoreau’s eyes, and he captured the transformation in his journal: “At 8.30 a fine snow begins to fall, increasing very gradually, perfectly straight down, till in fifteen minutes, the ground is white,…
Read MoreLorraine Collett
The Sun-Maid Raisin Girl December 9, 1892 Today is the birthday of the American model Lorraine Collett, born on this day in 1892 in Kansas City, Missouri. At the age of 23, Lorraine worked as a Sun-Maid Raisin girl and wore a blue bonnet with a white blouse and blue piping. Lorraine and the other…
Read MorePeter Smithers
A Gardener with a Camera December 9, 1913 Today is the birthday of the lawyer, politician, diplomat, scholar, photographer, award-winning gardener, writer, and spy Peter Smithers. Peter learned to love gardening as a little boy. One of his earliest memories came when he was four years old and planted mustard seeds with his nanny. He…
Read MoreCharming Instructions for How to Make a Sugarplum Tree Using Pinecones From the Pittsburgh Press in 1935
A Purpose for Pinecones 1935 Diana Park’s Garden Forum in The Pittsburgh Press shared an adorable suggestion from a young reader about making a sugarplum tree: “Have you thought of making a sugarplum tree out of pine cones for Christmas gifts? Perhaps your father could drive you to a place where evergreens grow. Take a…
Read MoreJan Ingenhousz
Discovery of Photosynthesis December 8, 1730 Today is the birthday of the Dutch physician, physiologist, and botanist Jan Ingenhousz (“ENG-in-house”). Jan made one of the most significant botanical discoveries in history: photosynthesis. Jan served as the personal physician to the royal Habsburg family in Austria. In 1771, Jan traveled to England with a group that…
Read MoreDavid Don
The Linnean Society Librarian December 8, 1800 Today is the birthday of the Scottish botanist, naturalist, and explorer David Don. David grew up in a family with five brothers and one sister. His father, George Don, was a nurseryman. The Don’s provided plants to botanists and supplied produce to the people living near their nursery.…
Read MoreJames Harvey Logan
The Loganberry December 8, 1841 Today is the birthday of the California Superior Court judge and gardener James Harvey Logan. An avid gardener, Judge Logan enjoyed trying his hand at hybridizing. In 1881, Logan was working with blackberries. He crossed a local wild blackberry with a cultivated blackberry known as the Auginbaugh. At the same…
Read MoreCelebrating Willa Cather With an Excerpt for Gardeners from My Antonia
“I was something that lay under the sun and felt it, like the pumpkins…” December 7, 1873 Today is the birthday of the American writer Willa Cather. Remembered for her novels of frontier life like O Pioneers! and My Ántonia, Willa won a Pulitzer for her World War I novel One of Ours.…
Read MoreEdward Tuckerman
Tuckerman Ravine December 7, 1817 Today is the birthday of the American botanist and professor Edward Tuckerman. A specialist of lichens and other Alpine plants, Edward helped found the Natural History Society of Boston. As a professor at Amherst College, Edward spent his spare time botanizing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Today Tuckerman…
Read MoreWilliam Saunders
Navel Oranges December 7, 1822 Today is the birthday of the English-American botanist, nurseryman, landscape gardener, and landscape designer William Saunders. William served as the first horticulturist and superintendent of the experimental gardens at the newly created U.S. Department of Agriculture. During his professional career, William enjoyed many successes, but two stand out above the…
Read MoreHenry Phipps, Jr.
The Phipps Conservatory December 7, 1893 On this day, the Phipps Conservatory first opened to the public. A gift from Henry Phipps, Jr. to the City of Pittsburgh, Henry was a childhood friend and business partner of Andrew Carnegie. And gardeners who know their garden history probably already know that the Crystal Palace by Joseph…
Read MoreEdna Walling: An Australian Garden Phenom and Witty to Boot
“Nature is our greatest teacher…” December 4, 1896 Today is the birthday of the charismatic Australian gardener, designer, and writer Edna Walling. Remembered for her gorgeous garden designs, Edna wrote some wonderful books on Australian gardening & landscaping. After working nonstop for four decades between the 1920s and 1960s, Edna created over 300 gardens. Today,…
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