The Pastor’s Passion: George Herbert Engleheart and His Daffodil Devotion

George Herbert Engleheart

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 25, 1851 On this day, dear garden enthusiasts, the world welcomed a true horticultural hero into its midst. George Herbert Engleheart, an English pastor with a divine passion for daffodils, drew his…

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From Statesman to Seedsman: Thomas Jefferson’s Garden Bliss

Thomas Jefferson

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 25, 1809 On this day, dear garden enthusiasts, we find ourselves transported to the verdant slopes of Monticello, where a most remarkable transformation was taking place. Thomas Jefferson, the venerable statesman and…

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Sermons in the Soil: The Naturalist-Parson Gilbert White

Gilbert White

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 25, 1766 On this day, dear readers and fellow garden enthusiasts, a most delightful exchange occurred between two gentlemen of wit and wisdom. John Mulso, with quill in hand, penned a letter…

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From Christmas Trees to Kew: Queen Charlotte’s Botanical Revolution

Princess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, by Johann George Ziesenis, c.1761

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. November 17, 1818 On this day, England bid farewell to Queen Charlotte, the devoted wife of George III and a woman whose passion for horticulture left an indelible mark on the nation’s gardens.…

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Babylon’s Garden Detective: The Remarkable Quest of Robert Koldewey

Robert Koldewey

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. September 10, 1855 On this day, while autumn leaves were surely dancing across German windowsills, a most remarkable individual entered our world. Robert Koldewey, whose passion for ancient mysteries would one day lead…

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Winter’s Day: An Anglo-Saxon Gardener’s New Year

Winter's Day

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. November 7, 2019 On this day, my dear horticultural enthusiasts, we find ourselves on the precipice of a most intriguing temporal threshold. For you see, according to numerous early medieval calendars, this very…

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Increase Lapham’s Dream: The 80-Year Journey to Wisconsin’s Arboretum

Increase Lapham portrait

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. June 17, 1934 On this day, dear aficionados of cultivated landscapes, we celebrate the official dedication of the University of Wisconsin’s Arboretum. Oh, what a momentous occasion for lovers of nature and academic…

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Ellen Bowditch Thayer Fisher: Brushstrokes of Botanical Brilliance

Ellen Bowditch Thayer Fisher

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 16, 1847 On this day, dear admirers of botanical artistry, we celebrate the birth of Ellen Bowditch Thayer Fisher, an American botanical illustrator whose delicate brushstrokes would capture the essence of nature’s…

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Sweet Roots and Ancient Wisdom: Celebrating National Licorice Day

Licorice Root Sticks

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 12th, every year Today, dear garden enthusiasts and confectionery connoisseurs, we celebrate National Licorice Day. Let us delve into the rich history and surprising botanical heritage of this sweet and storied plant.…

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