Carlos Thays: the French landscape architect who planted Buenos Aires green

Carlos Thays, a renowned French landscape architect who significantly shaped the urban landscape of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Brought the French to Argentina Today is the birthday of the French-Argentine landscape architect Carlos Thays (“Tays”). Carlos Thays took a business trip to Argentina when he turned forty in 1889. His job was to design a park in Cordoba. The project was life-changing for Thays when Argentina unexpectedly captured his heart. He decided to…

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Henry David Thoreau and the Resilient Willow Hedge

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A Natural Willow Hedge February 14, 1856 Today Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal about a natural willow hedge. “I was struck today by the size and continuousness of the natural willow hedge on the east side of the railroad causeway… Some twelve years ago, when that causeway was built through the meadows, there…

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Botanical Chronicles: Meriwether Lewis Names the Narrow-Leaf Cottonwood

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This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. June 12, 1805 On this day, in 1805, the intrepid explorer Meriwether Lewis stood just one day’s journey from discovering the Great Falls of Missouri, blissfully unaware of the natural wonder awaiting his…

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