The Yorkshire Alchemist: William Casson’s Revolutionary Garden Legacy

Pink Rhododendrons in bloom

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. October 23, 1796 It was on this day that William Casson was born. He entered our gardening story on what historical records tell us was an unusually warm October morning in Yorkshire. Now,…

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James Arnold: The Benefactor Behind America’s First Arboretum

The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, a renowned botanical research institution and public park located in Boston, Massachusetts.

The Arnold Arboretum December 3, 1868 Today is the anniversary of the death of the wealthy businessman, philanthropist, and botanist James Arnold. James is the namesake for Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum – the very first arboretum in the United States. James was born to a Quaker family in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1807, James married Sarah…

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