January Archives

The Glastonbury Thorn

The Holy Thorn January 5, 1786 On this day, a winter-blooming hawthorn- the iconic Glastonbury Thorn – blossomed. In all previous years, the beautiful Glastonberry Thorn, Crataegus monogyna’ Biflora’ (“Cra-TAY-gus Mon-uhj-EYE-ah”) had flowered on Christmas Day. But by 1786, Britain had adopted the Gregorian calendar, which affected the bloom time, so the tree bloomed eleven days…

Johanna Westerdijk

Work and Play for a Beautiful Mind January 4, 1883 Today is the birthday of a Dutch plant pathologist and the first female professor in the Netherlands, Johanna Westerdijk, who went by “Hans.” In 1906, Johanna completed her thesis on the regeneration of mosses, and she was hired to be the director of a major…

Stephen Hales

The Stephen Hales Prize January 4, 1761 Today is the anniversary of the death of the English clergyman, botanist, and physiologist Stephen Hales. Stephen applied himself to many different areas of science. Stephen spent most of his life studying tree sap and blood flow. Do you know the direction sap flows in a plant? Stephen…

Jack Frost

by Helen Bayley Davis Someone painted pictures on my Windowpane last night — Willow trees with trailing boughs And flowers, frosty white, And lovely crystal butterflies; But when the morning sun Touched them with its golden beams, They vanished one by one. As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by the garden…

Remembering Derek Jarman and his Prospect Cottage Garden in Dungeness

“The wooden letters attached to Prospect Cottage spelled out verses from the beginning and end of John Donne’s poem “The Sun Rising.” It’s a poem that challenges the sun.” January 31, 1942 On this day, the English filmmaker, gay rights activist, painter, poet, and gardener, Derek Jarman, was born Born Michael Derek Elworthy Jarman,…

American Iris Society

The Flower of the Rainbow Today marks the hundredth anniversary of the American Iris Society. The Society started with about 60 eager members. A year later, membership had climbed to nearly 500 members. Today, you can join the Iris Society online at Irises.org. “The Mission of The American Iris Society is to organize and disseminate…

Melvin Bergeson

The Man Behind Red Splender January 31, 1906 Today is the birthday of the nurseryman Melvin Bergeson who, ironically, lived in Fertile, Minnesota. After World War II, an employee of Melvin’s named Norris Oftedahl was walking along a row of trees at the nursery. As expected, all of the trees in the row had succumbed…

Isabella Preston

Dean of Hybridists Today is the 55th anniversary of the death of Canada’s first professional woman plant breeder – a woman called the “Dean of Hybridists” and the “Grand Lady of Canadian Horticulture” – Isabella Preston. When Vita Sackville-West first heard her name, she famously acknowledged, “I must confess I don’t know anything about Miss…

Hazel Schmoll

The Colorado State Botanist Today is the anniversary of the death of Colorado State botanist Hazel Schmoll. Hazel was born in a sod cabin in McAlester, Kansas, in 1890. Her family settled in Colorado when she was just two years old. Hazel was the first woman to earn a doctorate in botany from the University…

Horace Hagedorn

Founder of Miracle-Gro Today is the anniversary of the death of the founder of Miracle-Gro plant food Horace Hagedorn. Every year on November 15th, the Horace Hagedorn outstanding philanthropy award is given out on philanthropy day. Horace was a marketing genius and a philanthropist. A resident of Port Washington, Long Island, Horace and his wife…

Celebrating the Woman Who Anonymously Wrote the Floral Dictionary: Elizabeth Wirt

“Elizabeth shared all she knew about the history of each flower she featured in her dictionary. Gardeners adored her book. It was republished every two years.” January 30, 1784 On this day, the American Floral Dictionary author Elizabeth Wirt was born. Elizabeth was the second wife of William Wirt, who served as an attorney general…

Georg Dionysius Ehret

Gardening and Drawing Today is the birthday of the botanist and the incomparable botanical illustrator Georg Dionysius Ehret. Georg was born in Heidelberg, Germany, to Ferdinand Christian Ehret, who was a gardener and also had a talent for drawing. He taught his son both skills- gardening and drawing – before he died. Georg made his…

San Francisco

Yerba Buena Today the city of Yerba Buena (“YAIR-Bah Byoo-Nah”) is renamed San Francisco. San Francisco was originally known as Yerba Buena – Spanish for “good herb” – a small mint-like plant early explorers found. Over the years, people have left their hearts in San Francisco. The author Rudyard Kipling said, “San Francisco has only…

Adelbert von Chamisso

A Romantic Poet Today is the birthday of French-German poet, naturalist, and botanist Adelbert von Chamisso (“Sha-ME-So”). Born into a French Noble family, Chamisso’s family fled to Germany after the French Revolution. Chamisso is remembered for a number of different accomplishments. His creativity was captured in a novella called Peter Schlemihl’s Wonderful History, published in…