Listener Favorite Archives

Stick Season

by Eric Pinder She calls it “stick season,” this slow disrobing of summer, leaf by leaf, till the bores of tall trees, rattle, and scrape in the wind. As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all. Eric Pinder

November Comes and November Goes

by Elizabeth Coatsworth November comes And November goes, With the last red berries And the first white snows. With night coming early, And dawn coming late, And ice in the bucket And frost by the gate. The fires burn And the kettles sing, And earth sinks to rest Until next spring. As featured onThe Daily…

I am Quite Wicked With Roses

by George Eliot I think I am quite wicked with roses. I like to gather them, and smell them till they have no scent left. Note: Today is the 200th birthday of the English Victorian author George Eliot, who was born on this day in 1819. George Eliot was the pen name…

People Who Make Us Happy

by Marcel Proust Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. Note: Today is the anniversary of the death of the French writer Marcel Proust (“proost”) who died on this day in 1922. As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by…

Welcome Wool Sweaters

by B. Cybrill When the bold branches Bid farewell to rainbow leaves – Welcome wool sweaters. As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all.

A Song of October

by Phebe A. Holder The alder wears its scarlet beads, The clematis its downy seeds, The sumach’s deepening ruby gleams, The birch in hues of topaz beams; In golden bars through leafy doors The sunshine falls on forest floors, While the warm air with balsam breathes A spicy odor from the trees. The softened light,…

Everyone Must Take Time

by Elizabeth Lawrence Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn. As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all.

Summer is Better but the Best is Autumn

by Valentin Iremonger Summer is …. better, but the best is autumn, It is mature, reasonable and serious, it glows moderately and not frivolously… As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all. Valentin Iremonger

But Friendship is the Breathing Rose

From Oliver Wendell Holmes But friendship is the breathing rose, with sweets in every fold. Note: Today is the anniversary of the death of the American physician, poet, and humorist, Oliver Wendell Holmes, who died on this day in 1894. As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the…

Trying to Plant Cut Flowers

by Daniel Boorstin Trying to plan for the future without knowing the past is like trying to plant cut flowers. Notes: Daniel Boorstin, a historian, was born on this day in 1914. As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all. Daniel Boorstin

Where Sucks the Bee Now

by Felicia Hemans Where sucks the bee now? Summer is flying, Leaves round the elm-tree faded are lying; Violets are gone from their grassy dell, With the cowslip cups, where the fairies dwell. The rose from the garden hath passed away Yet happy, fair boy, is thy natal day! For love bids it welcome, the…

September Gust

by Mike Garofalo The back door bangs shut! September gust. As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all. Mike Garofalo

Caught in the Doldrums of August

by Denis Mackail Caught in the doldrums of August we may have regretted the departing summer, having sighed over the vanished strawberries and all that they signified. Now, however, we look forward almost eagerly to winter’s approach. We forget the fogs, the slush, the sore throats, and the price of coal. We think only of…

Iris Siberica

by Beverley Nichols How can one ignore… that singular infinitely sinister blossom Iris siberica? This latter flower can undoubtedly claim to be exclusively dressed, for the petals of no other blossom has Nature designed so curious of fabric, vein with slate and violet and purple. Note: All week long, The Daily Gardener has…