plant collection Archives

Archibald Menzies’ Santa Barbara Sojourn: A Botanical Milestone

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. November 18, 1793 On this day, Archibald Menzies (MEN-zeez), the Scottish surgeon-botanist, reluctantly departed Santa Barbara aboard the HMS Discovery during Vancouver’s expedition. Menzies had spent several productive days exploring the Santa Barbara…

The Walking Botanist: Celebrating Charles Wright

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. October 29, 1811 Today we celebrate the birthday of Charles Wright born on this day in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Wright embodied the spirit of botanical exploration in early America, becoming one of the most…

First Lady of Mount Kinabalu: The Remarkable Legacy of Lilian Gibbs

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. September 10, 1870 On this day in horticultural history, we find ourselves transported to an era when botanical discovery required more than merely consulting The Garden magazine or ordering from the latest nursery…

A Botanical Love Story: The Remarkable Life of Mary Strong Clemens

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 13, 1968 On this day, we commemorate the passing of Mary Strong Clemens, a botanical virtuoso whose life was as vibrant and diverse as the flora she so passionately collected. One cannot…

From Mantle to Mountainside: The Botanical Journey of Marcus Jones

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 25, 1852 On this day, dear readers, we celebrate the birth of Marcus Jones, a botanist whose life story reads like a love letter to the plant kingdom. Picture, if you will,…