Jack Staub's guest appearances

Jack Staub

The Daily Gardener

Robert Brown

David Allen

Michelle Obama

Peter Rabbit

Candace Bushnell

Alana Chernila

Emily Dickinson

James Logan

Margaret Roach

William Morris

Alfred Hitchcock

John Muir

David Burke

Amy Stewart

Henry David Thoreau

OwlTail

Alfred Lord Tennyson

José Mutis

Johann Zinn

Subscribe  Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart    Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee   Connect for FREE!  The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community   Historical Events 1528 Today is the anniversary of the death of the German painter, engraver, printmaker, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg, Albrecht Dürer (books about this person). Albrecht's work was extraordinary, and by the time he was in his 20s, he was already quite famous. During Albrecht's lifetime, explorers shifted their focus from medicinal plants to ornamental plants. As an artist, Albrecht captured many new exotic plants with incredible attention to detail. If you're looking for bunny art, you should check out Albrecht Dürer's watercolor called Young Hare. It's a beautiful piece, remarkable for its accuracy and realism. One of Albrecht's most famous pieces is The Great Piece of Turf (German: Das große Rasenstück), which he created in 1503. This exceptional watercolor shows a very natural grouping of natural plants together in community and features grass that has gone to seed, plantain, and dandelion.   1732 Birth of José Celestino Mutis (books about this person), Spanish priest, botanist, and mathematician. He's remembered as the architect of the Royal Botanical Expedition of the Kingdom of Granada (what is now Columbia) in 1783. For almost 50 years, José worked to collect and illustrate the plants in Colombian lands. In Columbia, José created an impressive botanical library and a herbarium with over 24,000 species. During his lifetime, only Joseph Banks had a bigger herbarium than José.  José's study of the Cinchona tree (Cinchona officinalis) at the Bogota Botanical Garden helped develop a cure for yellow fever or malaria. The Cinchona tree grows in the cloud forests of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The bark of the cinchona tree contains quinine, the chemical used to create medicines. During José's lifetime, Cinchona was believed to have the potential to cure all diseases, and so the Spanish crown encouraged José to continue his work with Cinchona. José sent thousands of specimens back to the Madrid Botanical Garden. He also used local artisans to create over 6,500 pieces of botanical art. The majority of the collection remained in shipping crates until 2010 when they were finally exhibited at Kew. Today, thousands of pieces of the Mutis collection are housed at the Botanical Garden in Madrid, Spain. The pieces are significant - mostly folio size - and since they haven't seen much daylight over the past two centuries, they are in immaculate condition. The old 200 pesos banknote in Colombia bears the portrait of José Mutis, and the Bogota Botanical Garden is named in his honor.   1759 Death of Johann Zinn, German anatomist and botanist. He died young from tuberculosis at 32. Johann accomplished much in his short life, and he focused on two seemingly disconnected areas of science: human anatomy and botany. From an anatomy standpoint, Johann focused on the eye. He wrote an eye anatomy book and became the first person to describe the Iris. Today, several parts of the eye are named in Johann's honor, including the Zinn zonule, the Zinn membrane, and the Zinn artery. As a young man, Johann was appointed the University Botanic Garden director in Göttingen (pronounced "Gert-ing-en"). He initially thought the University wanted him to teach anatomy, but that job was filled, so he took the botany job instead. One day, Johann received an envelope of seeds from the German Ambassador to Mexico. After growing the plants, Johann wrote about them, drew the blossoms, and shared the seed with other botanists throughout Europe. Those seeds were the Zinnia (click here to order Zinnia seeds).  When Johann died so young, Linnaeus named the Zinnia in his honor. The Aztecs had a word for Zinnia, which basically translates to "the evil eye" or "eyesore." The original Zinnia was a weedy-looking plant with a dull purple blossom. This is why the Zinnia was initially called the crassina, which means "somewhat corse." Once the French began hybridizing Zinnias, the dazzling colors began turning the heads and hearts of gardeners. This gradual transformation of zinnias from eyesores to beauties is how Zinnias earned the common name Cinderella Flower. Zinnia's are a favorite flower of gardeners, and it is Indiana's state flower. In addition to their striking colors, zinnias can be directly sown into the garden, they attract pollinators like butterflies, and they couldn't be easier to grow.   2021 On this day, The Book of Difficult Fruit: Arguments for the Tart, Tender, and Unruly by Kate Lebo was released.  In her book, Kate Lebo - essayist, poet, and pie lady - shares a natural, culinary, medical, and personal history of twenty-six fruits, including:  Aronia or chokeberry - a member of the apple family and it is not poisonous. Like raspberries, the Aronia pigment stains clothes. Durian - fruit from the tree of the hibiscus, or mallow, family. The unique rind contains a sweet freet. But the durian is very pungent - the odor subtly shifts between sweet and stringent on a spectrum from peaches to garlic. Medlar - a very squishy and very sweet fruit. It tastes similar to an over-ripe date, toffee apples, or apple butter. Medlar is beloved by gardeners for its flowers. Quince - has a bright fragrance of pear, apple, and citrus. Once cooked, quince softens and the flesh transforms from white to pink.  Kate's book includes one essay along with recipes for each fruit. The fruits that Kate profiles are notoriously challenging. They might be difficult to grow or harvest. The window of ripeness might be very brief. The fruit may have a toxic aspect. Or, it may be invasive and not suitable for the garden. But in Kate's book, these fruits make the cut, and she shares all kinds of insights and culinary uses for these fruits. Kate reveals all kinds of tips, including why Willa Cather included the pits in her plum jam. Great book. The Book of Difficult Fruit was named a Best Book of the Year by The Atlantic, New York Magazine, and NPR.   Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation  Private Gardens of South Florida by Jack Staub By the way, I should mention that Rob Cardillo took the fantastic photographs in this book. This book is a treat, and I am thrilled to share it with you on today's show. It's been out for about six years, which means that this book's used prices have gone down. This was a $50 book when it came out, but you can now get copies for about $12, which is such a deal. In this book, twenty-two private gardens from South Florida are featured. And if you love tropical gardens, you've got to get this book because it's the only way you'll see some of these secret gardens and grounds that are so unbelievably designed. For instance, you'll meet a painter-turned-horticulturist who transformed her garden into a mysterious forestlike escape. There's a couple that created their garden after being inspired by the Near East, so their garden is something that you might see in a Persian Royal Garden. And of course, all the gardens are set in Florida, so you're going to see all kinds of pools, fountains, ocean views, and just incredible vistas - not to mention avenues of palms. (That's something I love because clearly, we will never have that here in Minnesota.) The palms add such a stately majestic aspect to tropical gardens. Now, of course, Jack himself gardens on Hortulus Farm in Pennsylvania. His main concern was finding diverse gardens to feature in his book. Jack really wanted to show the full spectrum of private gardens - everything from a grand estate to tiny, hidden oases. Jack also wanted to find gardens that had owners that were very invested in them, that actually cared about them, and had a significant relationship with their gardens. And I think to me, that makes all the difference in the way these gardens are portrayed because you can tell that these gardens are loved. One other thing I want to mention about Jack Staub and his writing is that he is such a compelling writer. Jack, himself is passionate about gardens, which comes through in how he writes about gardens. For instance. One garden is introduced by Jack this way: There is something very Hansel and Gretel about this garden as it reveals itself so slowly and circuitously. One is nearly sufficiently disoriented to strew a trail of crumbs behind one so that one is guaranteed away out of the forest. People just don't write like that about gardens - and so I appreciate that about Jack and his writing. And while you might be sitting there going, why would I get a book about the gardens of South Florida? Well, I would say stretch yourself. This book may show you gardens that are out of your growing zone - that are a little foreign -but you will learn a ton about composition, design, and how to look at gardens through the wise eyes of Jack. And that, my friends, is very much worth investigating. This book is 256 pages of enchanting properties that will inspire you not only to partner with nature and design in new ways but also to create your little slice of paradise right in your backyard.  You can get a copy of Private Gardens of South Florida by Jack Staub and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $12.   Botanic Spark 1809 Birth of Alfred Lord Tennyson (books by this author), English poet. During most of Queen Victoria's reign, he was England's Poet Laureate. Today, you can take a tour of Tennyson's walled garden on the Isle of Wight. Both his home and the garden have been restored to their former glory, and the property gets top ratings on TripAdvisor. Tennyson loved his "careless-ordered" garden. In 1863, he wrote, I hope no one will pluck my wild Irises which I planted. ...if they want flowers there is the kitchen garden — nor break my new laurels, etc. whose growth I have been watched... I don't like children croquetting on that lawn. I have a personal interest in every leaf about it. And here's Tennyson's most quoted sentiment is a favorite among gardeners: If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.

Subscribe <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily-gardener/id1458062597" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Apple</a> |<a href="https://playmusic.app.goo.gl/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&amp;isi=691797987&amp;ius=googleplaymusic&amp;apn=com.google.android.music&amp;link=https://play.google.com/music/m/Im4i25xyanawqu5fin7oy6smrnm?t%3DThe_Daily_Gardener%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google</a> |<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5ODID572hLPggNp9WZBnzC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Spotify</a> |<a href="https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=387618" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> |<a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-daily-gardener-51539428/?cmp=web_share" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> iHeart</a>   Support The Daily Gardener <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/DailyGardener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buy Me A Coffee</a>   Connect for FREE! <a href="https://thedailygardener.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=1f92c654190e77439b2813550&amp;id=5f0634e0cd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Friday Newsletter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedailygardener/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Daily Gardener Community</a>   Historical Events 1528 Today is the anniversary of the death of the German painter, engraver, printmaker, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg, <a href="https://thedailygardener.org/ota20200406/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Albrecht Dürer</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Albrecht+D%C3%BCrer&amp;crid=18DATJ1M5N5YB&amp;sprefix=albrecht+d%C3%BCrer%2Caps%2C84&amp;linkCode=ll2&amp;tag=gardenradione-20&amp;linkId=13c3d0df1a278527da46bfaef86f82d5&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(books about this person).</a> Albrecht's work was extraordinary, and by the time he was in his 20s, he was already quite famous. During Albrecht's lifetime, explorers shifted their focus from medicinal plants to ornamental plants. As an artist, Albrecht captured many new exotic plants with incredible attention to detail. If you're looking for bunny art, you should check out Albrecht Dürer's watercolor called Young Hare. It's a beautiful piece, remarkable for its accuracy and realism. One of Albrecht's most famous pieces is The Great Piece of Turf (German: Das große Rasenstück), which he created in 1503. This exceptional watercolor shows a very natural grouping of natural plants together in community and features grass that has gone to seed, plantain, and dandelion.   1732 Birth of <a href="https://thedailygardener.org/otc20200406/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">José Celestino Mutis</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Jose%CC%81+Celestino+Mutis&amp;crid=37MWWSXU32DGU&amp;sprefix=jose%CC%81+celestino+mutis%2Caps%2C95&amp;linkCode=ll2&amp;tag=gardenradione-20&amp;linkId=1b609ecfc83390767a12651c71b0a666&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(books about this person)</a>, Spanish priest, botanist, and mathematician. He's remembered as the architect of the Royal Botanical Expedition of the Kingdom of Granada (what is now Columbia) in 1783. For almost 50 years, José worked to collect and illustrate the plants in Colombian lands. In Columbia, José created an impressive botanical library and a herbarium with over 24,000 species. During his lifetime, only Joseph Banks had a bigger herbarium than José.  José's study of the Cinchona tree (Cinchona officinalis) at the Bogota Botanical Garden helped develop a cure for yellow fever or malaria. The Cinchona tree grows in the cloud forests of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The bark of the cinchona tree contains quinine, the chemical used to create medicines. During José's lifetime, Cinchona was believed to have the potential to cure all diseases, and so the Spanish crown encouraged José to continue his work with Cinchona. José sent thousands of specimens back to the Madrid Botanical Garden. He also used local artisans to create over 6,500 pieces of botanical art. The majority of the collection remained in shipping crates until 2010 when they were finally exhibited at Kew. Today, thousands of pieces of the Mutis collection are housed at the Botanical Garden in Madrid, Spain. The pieces are significant - mostly folio size - and since they haven't seen much daylight over the past two centuries, they are in immaculate condition. The old 200 pesos banknote in Colombia bears the portrait of José Mutis, and the Bogota Botanical Garden is named in his honor.   1759 Death of <a href="https://thedailygardener.org/ota20210406/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Johann Zinn</a>, German anatomist and botanist. He died young from tuberculosis at 32. Johann accomplished much in his short life, and he focused on two seemingly disconnected areas of science: human anatomy and botany. From an anatomy standpoint, Johann focused on the eye. He wrote an eye anatomy book and became the first person to describe the Iris. Today, several parts of the eye are named in Johann's honor, including the Zinn zonule, the Zinn membrane, and the Zinn artery. As a young man, Johann was appointed the University Botanic Garden director in Göttingen (pronounced "Gert-ing-en"). He initially thought the University wanted him to teach anatomy, but that job was filled, so he took the botany job instead. One day, Johann received an envelope of seeds from the German Ambassador to Mexico. After growing the plants, Johann wrote about them, drew the blossoms, and shared the seed with other botanists throughout Europe. Those seeds were the Zinnia <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Zinnias&amp;crid=311H147E63XVX&amp;sprefix=zinnias%2Caps%2C95&amp;linkCode=ll2&amp;tag=gardenradione-20&amp;linkId=6bba7e73319aa5c71cac1f289f5462b7&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(click here to order Zinnia seeds)</a>.  When Johann died so young, Linnaeus named the Zinnia in his honor. The Aztecs had a word for Zinnia, which basically translates to "the evil eye" or "eyesore." The original Zinnia was a weedy-looking plant with a dull purple blossom. This is why the Zinnia was initially called the crassina, which means "somewhat corse." Once the French began hybridizing Zinnias, the dazzling colors began turning the heads and hearts of gardeners. This gradual transformation of zinnias from eyesores to beauties is how Zinnias earned the common name Cinderella Flower. Zinnia's are a favorite flower of gardeners, and it is Indiana's state flower. In addition to their striking colors, zinnias can be directly sown into the garden, they attract pollinators like butterflies, and they couldn't be easier to grow.   2021 On this day, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Book-Difficult-Fruit-Arguments-recipes/dp/0374110328?&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=gardenradione-20&amp;linkId=e9707b70c7d37853ce8e9ffb5b7d5b14&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Book of Difficult Fruit: Arguments for the Tart, Tender, and Unruly by Kate Lebo</a> was released.  In her book, Kate Lebo - essayist, poet, and pie lady - shares a natural, culinary, medical, and personal history of twenty-six fruits, including: <ul> <li>Aronia or chokeberry - a member of the apple family and it is not poisonous. Like raspberries, the Aronia pigment stains clothes.</li> <li>Durian - fruit from the tree of the hibiscus, or mallow, family. The unique rind contains a sweet freet. But the durian is very pungent - the odor subtly shifts between sweet and stringent on a spectrum from peaches to garlic.</li> <li>Medlar - a very squishy and very sweet fruit. It tastes similar to an over-ripe date, toffee apples, or apple butter. Medlar is beloved by gardeners for its flowers.</li> <li>Quince - has a bright fragrance of pear, apple, and citrus. Once cooked, quince softens and the flesh transforms from white to pink.</li> </ul> Kate's book includes one essay along with recipes for each fruit. The fruits that Kate profiles are notoriously challenging. They might be difficult to grow or harvest. The window of ripeness might be very brief. The fruit may have a toxic aspect. Or, it may be invasive and not suitable for the garden. But in Kate's book, these fruits make the cut, and she shares all kinds of insights and culinary uses for these fruits. Kate reveals all kinds of tips, including why Willa Cather included the pits in her plum jam. Great book. The Book of Difficult Fruit was named a Best Book of the Year by The Atlantic, New York Magazine, and NPR.   Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Private-Gardens-South-Florida-Staub/dp/1423638107/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&amp;keywords=Private+Gardens+of+South+Florida+by+Jack+Staub&amp;qid=1593383533&amp;sr=8-1&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=gardenradione-20&amp;linkId=974fcde4aac07713167ad3469026d0eb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Private Gardens of South Florida by Jack Staub</a> By the way, I should mention that Rob Cardillo took the fantastic photographs in this book. This book is a treat, and I am thrilled to share it with you on today's show. It's been out for about six years, which means that this book's used prices have gone down. This was a $50 book when it came out, but you can now get copies for about $12, which is such a deal. In this book, twenty-two private gardens from South Florida are featured. And if you love tropical gardens, you've got to get this book because it's the only way you'll see some of these secret gardens and grounds that are so unbelievably designed. For instance, you'll meet a painter-turned-horticulturist who transformed her garden into a mysterious forestlike escape. There's a couple that created their garden after being inspired by the Near East, so their garden is something that you might see in a Persian Royal Garden. And of course, all the gardens are set in Florida, so you're going to see all kinds of pools, fountains, ocean views, and just incredible vistas - not to mention avenues of palms. (That's something I love because clearly, we will never have that here in Minnesota.) The palms add such a stately majestic aspect to tropical gardens. Now, of course, Jack himself gardens on Hortulus Farm in Pennsylvania. His main concern was finding diverse gardens to feature in his book. Jack really wanted to show the full spectrum of private gardens - everything from a grand estate to tiny, hidden oases. Jack also wanted to find gardens that had owners that were very invested in them, that actually cared about them, and had a significant relationship with their gardens. And I think to me, that makes all the difference in the way these gardens are portrayed because you can tell that these gardens are loved. One other thing I want to mention about Jack Staub and his writing is that he is such a compelling writer. Jack, himself is passionate about gardens, which comes through in how he writes about gardens. For instance. One garden is introduced by Jack this way: There is something very Hansel and Gretel about this garden as it reveals itself so slowly and circuitously. One is nearly sufficiently disoriented to strew a trail of crumbs behind one so that one is guaranteed away out of the forest. People just don't write like that about gardens - and so I appreciate that about Jack and his writing. And while you might be sitting there going, why would I get a book about the gardens of South Florida? Well, I would say stretch yourself. This book may show you gardens that are out of your growing zone - that are a little foreign -but you will learn a ton about composition, design, and how to look at gardens through the wise eyes of Jack. And that, my friends, is very much worth investigating. This book is 256 pages of enchanting properties that will inspire you not only to partner with nature and design in new ways but also to create your little slice of paradise right in your backyard. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Private-Gardens-South-Florida-Staub/dp/1423638107/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&amp;keywords=Private+Gardens+of+South+Florida+by+Jack+Staub&amp;qid=1593383533&amp;sr=8-1&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=gardenradione-20&amp;linkId=974fcde4aac07713167ad3469026d0eb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> You can get a copy of Private Gardens of South Florida by Jack Staub and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $12.</a>   Botanic Spark 1809 Birth of <a href="https://thedailygardener.org/ota20201119/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alfred Lord Tennyson</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Alfred+Lord+Tennyson&amp;crid=107WT0FCBG5Z&amp;sprefix=alfred+lord+tennyson%2Caps%2C99&amp;linkCode=ll2&amp;tag=gardenradione-20&amp;linkId=b2c275780b95dd4e42e0973a3358c1b8&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(books by this author)</a>, English poet. During most of Queen Victoria's reign, he was England's Poet Laureate. Today, you can take a tour of Tennyson's walled garden on the Isle of Wight. Both his home and the garden have been restored to their former glory, and the property gets top ratings on TripAdvisor. Tennyson loved his "careless-ordered" garden. In 1863, he wrote, I hope no one will pluck my wild Irises which I planted. ...if they want flowers there is the kitchen garden — nor break my new laurels, etc. whose growth I have been watched... I don't like children croquetting on that lawn. I have a personal interest in every leaf about it. And here's Tennyson's most quoted sentiment is a favorite among gardeners: If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.

April 6, 2022 Albrecht Dürer, José Mutis, Johann Zinn, Difficult Fruit, Private Gardens of South Florida by Jack Staub, and Alfred Lord Tennyson

Robert Miller

Benning Wentworth

Henry Shaw

Renny Reynolds

Pigeon Peas

Today we remember the man who brought Lilacs to America. We'll also learn about the man who created the Missouri Botanical Gardens, also known as "Shaw's Garden." We celebrate the French author, who exchanged his personal library for a lifetime supply of cantaloupe. We also look back at an article from 1938 and the topic was tropical peas. In Unearthed Words, we'll hear an excerpt from Vita Sackville-West. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a brand new book for 2020 about creating gorgeous gardens and design mastery. Let the chase begin. And then we'll wrap things up with a little article from 1975 about something called the "Dial-A-Garden-Tipline." But first, let's catch up on some Greetings from Gardeners around the world and today's curated news.   Subscribe  Apple  | Google  | Spotify  | Stitcher | iHeart    Gardener Greetings To participate in the Gardener Greetings segment, send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org And, to listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to play The Daily Gardener Podcast. It's that easy.   Curated News  Robert Miller: An ancient, ubiquitous plant easily ignored — but shouldn't be | RegisterCitizen.com “Because it’s tiny and everywhere, it’s easy to not see it. But moss is really too remarkable to overlook. Scientists now believe it was these simple plants, spreading like a carpet over the face of the then-barren earth that changed our atmosphere into the oxygen-rich state it’s now in and those allowed life to flourish here. Moss helped create our world. “It’s all over the place,” said Cathy Hagadorn, executive director of Deer Pond Farm, the nature sanctuary in Sherman owned by Connecticut Audubon Society. “It’s beautiful.” Birds use moss to line their nests. Four-toed salamanders lay their eggs in the sphagnum moss at the edge of swamps. Gardeners depend on peat moss to give new saplings a nice moisture-absorbing bed to start growing in. Because they’re great at absorbing water, mosses prevent erosion. They play a part in the forest cycle, helping in the decomposition of downed trees and stumps. And they’re great at returning oxygen to the atmosphere. “Pound for pound, moss delivers more oxygen to the atmosphere than any other plant,” said Jim Fucetola, chief of operations at Moss Acres, a Pennsylvania-based company that sells moss to gardeners. “Fifteen percent of trees deliver oxygen to the atmosphere. For mosses, it’s 100 percent.”   Alright, that’s it for today's gardening news. Now, if you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck, because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events 1696  It's the birthday of the colonial governor of New Hampshire,  Benning Wentworth, who was born on this day in 1696. American gardeners remember Benning because he brought the lilac along with other trees and shrubs when he immigrated to States from England. In 1750, the first lilac was planted at the Wentworth home. In 1919, it was adopted as the New Hampshire State Flower because lawmakers felt it was, "symbolic of the hardy character of the men and women of New Hampshire; the granite state."   1800  It's the birthday of the man who created the Missouri Botanical Gardens, also known as "Shaw's Garden," or "Hank's Garden" - the great horticulturist and botanical philanthropist Henry Shaw. Henry is celebrated on the St. Louis Walk of Fame with this epitaph: "Henry Shaw, only 18 when he came to St. Louis, was one of the city’s largest landowners by age 40. Working with leading botanists, he planned, funded and built the Missouri Botanical Garden, which opened in 1859. Henry donated the land for Tower Grove Park and helped with its construction. He wrote botanical tracts, endowed Washington University’s School of Botany, helped found the Missouri Historical Society, and gave the city a school and land for a hospital. Of Henry’s gifts, the Botanical Garden is best-known. Said as early as 1868 to have “no equal in the United States, and, indeed, few anywhere in the world."   In addition to the Botanical Garden, Henry built the Linnean House in 1882. It is the oldest continuously operated public greenhouse west of the Mississippi River and was initially designed to be an orangery, a place to overwinter citrus trees, palms, and tree ferns. And, there's a little story I love that reveals Henry's regard for the plants in his garden. It was posted in the St. Louis Star and Times on April 5, 1933: "Mr. Shaw was escorting a lady through his gardens, pointing out objects of interest. The visitor said: " I cannot understand, Sir, how you are able to remember all of these difficult names." He replied, with a courtly bow, "Madame, did you ever know a mother to forget the names of her children? These plants and flowers are my little ones."   1802  Today is the birthday of French author of "The Three Musketeers" and gourmet Alexandre Dumas (" Doo-Ma"). Alexandre also wrote the Count of Monte Cristo, which contains many passages about the garden. Here's one for Chapter 44: “The garden was long and narrow; a stretch of smooth turf extended down the middle, and at the corners were clumps of trees with thick and massy foliage, that made a background for the shrubs and flowers.” Alexandre was a larger-than-life character, and there are actually quite a few stories about him that gardeners will find charming. For instance, in the mid-1860s, the Library in Cavaillon ("Ca-VAY-on"), France was just getting started, and they asked Alexandre for a donation of some of his books. Alexandre responded, “I agree on one condition: Just as the town and the Cavaillon authorities love my books, so I love their melons. In exchange for my 300 or 400 books, I request a town by-law be passed giving me a life annuity of 12 Cavaillon melons a year.” The town happily agreed to the terms Alexandre set forth, and Alexandre received a dozen Charentais ("Shar-en-TAY") melons every year until he passed away in 1870. The cantaloupe melons of Cavaillon are perfectly suited to growing in the soil and climate of the Durance River Valley and are perfect for growing cantaloupe. Cavaillon is still the home of the sweet, Charentais melon. In fact, visitors to Cavaillon are greeted by a nine-ton statue of a Charentais melon, and the annual melon festival happens every year the weekend before Bastille day. Now gardeners may wonder if a Charentais is similar to French cantaloupes or North American musk melons. Although they are related, they are not the same. Charentais melons are sweeter and have a jasmine and apricot fragrance. Just before he died, Alexandre finished his final book, and he titled it Le Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine (The Grand Dictionary of Cuisine). It is especially poignant to see that Alexandre included an entry on the Charentais melon. In fact, Alexandre did not mince words, and he gushed that it was the greatest melon he'd ever encountered. There is yet one more hilarious story about Alexandre that occurred when he was traveling in Switzerland. One day Alexandre decided he wanted mushrooms for supper. Now Alexandre spoke only French while the owner of the inn he was staying at spoke only German. To convey what he wanted, Alexandre quickly made a charcoal sketch of a mushroom on the wall. After seeing the sketch, the innkeeper went out for a while and then came back and presented Alexandre with an umbrella. It was Alexandre Dumas who said, All human wisdom is summed up in two words; wait and hope. It is not the tree that forsakes the flower, but the flower that forsakes the tree. To despise flowers is to offend God.   1938   On this day, The Miami News published an article with the title "Tropical Peas Will Mitigate Relief Wants." The article begins this way, "If English peas don't suit your palate, plant pigeon peas. The suggestion is that of a Miami pioneer, Charles F. Sulzner, who through the years has pointed out to newcomers the advantages of growing tropical fruits and vegetables, often of a type requiring no painstaking cultivation... Pigeon peas, as Sulzner demonstrated in his spacious grounds, ...grow on trees, and may be had by the simple process of picking." Pigeon peas make a lovely and distinct addition to the edible garden. The cultivation of the pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), can be traced back more than 3,500 years. Other common names include Congo pea, Angola pea, and red gram. In Barbados, pigeon pea was used to feed pigeons. Gardeners who love growing peas in the spring may thoroughly enjoy growing pigeon pea in the summer. It's a hardy perennial that can produce multiple harvests during the season. The sweet, fresh green peas are technically beans. They can be eaten raw when green or dried. The dried beans need to be soaked before boiling. Pigeon peas have a nutty taste and crisp texture. The entire pod may be eaten. As a bonus, the yellow-red flowers attract flocks of hummingbirds, and the plants are also nitrogen-fixers and enrich the soil.   Unearthed Words  When skies are gentle, breezes bland.  When loam that's warm within the hand Falls friable between the tines. Sow hollyhocks and columbines. The tufted pansy, and the tall  Snapdragon in the broken wall. Not for this summer, but for next.  Since foresight is the gardener's text.   And though his eyes may never know  How lavishly his flowers blow. Others will stand and musing say 'These were the flowers he sowed that May.'  But for this summer's quick delight  Sow marigold, and sow the bright Frail poppy that with noonday dies  But wakens to afresh surprise: Along the pathway, stones be set Sweet Alysson and mignonette, That when the full midsummer's come On scented clumps the bees may-hum, Golden Italians, and the wild Black bumble-bee alike beguiled;   And lovers who have never kissed May sow the cloudy Love-in-Mist.  Nor be the little space forgot For herbs to spice the kitchen pot: Mint pennyroyal, bergamot. Tarragon and melilot. Dill for witchcraft, prisoner's rue.  Coriander, costmary. Tansy, thyme. Sweet Cicely, Saffron, balm, and rosemary That since the Virgin threw her cloak  Across it, -so say cottage folk - Has changed its flowers from white to blue.  But have a care that seeds be strewn One night beneath a waxing moon. And pick when the moon is on the wane.  Else shall your toil be all in vain ... — Vita Sackville West, English author and garden designer, The Land   Grow That Garden Library  Chasing Eden by Jack Staub and Renny Reynolds This book came out in January of this year, and the subtitle is Design Inspiration from the Gardens at Hortulus Farm. This is one of my favorite new books for 2020. I adore the title. The author Anna Pavord ("PAY-vord") said, "Vision, tenacity, and a perfectionist's eye are the qualities that shine out from this account of a paradise garden created by two of America's foremost stylists." This is the overview from Timberpress: “One of the most spectacular private gardens in America, Hortulus Farm is the masterpiece of Renny Reynolds and Jack Staub, renowned experts in the fields of design, gardening, and entertaining. It is beautifully captured in Chasing Eden, a lavishly illustrated roadmap to creating a personal Eden. Hortulus Farm is a not only a model of classical tenets, but also a showcase of how traditions can be successfully broken. Gardeners will discover information on specific design principles, from vistas and allées to hardscaping and water features. They will also learn how to adapt these principles to less-than-optimal settings without sacrificing a site’s sense of place. Both aspirational and practical, Chasing Eden will inspire home gardeners to create their own earthly paradise.” You will read this book and then head straight out to the garden. Let the chase begin! This book is 272 pages of gorgeous gardens and design mastery - all shared to inspire today's gardener.  You can get a copy of Chasing Eden by Jack Staub and Renny Reynolds and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $23.   Today's Botanic Spark On this day in 1975, the Green Bay Press-Gazette shared a little notice for their "Dial-A-Garden-Tipline." Readers could dial the number at any time and hear a taped garden message. Here were the topics posted in the paper: July 17 Russian Olive diseases July 18, 19, 20 Dutch Elm disease July 21 How to Blanch Vegetables July 22 Growing Cauliflower July 23 Birch Borer July 24 Training Young Trees

Today we remember the man who brought Lilacs to America. We'll also learn about the man who created the Missouri Botanical Gardens, also known as "Shaw's Garden." We celebrate the French author, who exchanged his personal library for a lifetime supply of cantaloupe. We also look back at an article from 1938 and the topic was tropical peas. In Unearthed Words, we'll hear an excerpt from Vita Sackville-West. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a brand new book for 2020 about creating gorgeous gardens and design mastery. Let the chase begin. And then we'll wrap things up with a little article from 1975 about something called the "Dial-A-Garden-Tipline." But first, let's catch up on some Greetings from Gardeners around the world and today's curated news.   Subscribe <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily-gardener/id1458062597" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Apple</a>  | <a href="https://playmusic.app.goo.gl/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&amp;isi=691797987&amp;ius=googleplaymusic&amp;apn=com.google.android.music&amp;link=https://play.google.com/music/m/Im4i25xyanawqu5fin7oy6smrnm?t%3DThe_Daily_Gardener%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google</a>  | <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5ODID572hLPggNp9WZBnzC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>  | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=387618" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stitcher</a> | <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-daily-gardener-51539428/?cmp=web_share" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iHeart</a>   Gardener Greetings To participate in the Gardener Greetings segment, send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org And, to listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to play The Daily Gardener Podcast. It's that easy.   Curated News <a href="https://www.registercitizen.com/opinion/article/Robert-Miller-An-ancient-ubiquitous-plant-15416056.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Robert Miller: An ancient, ubiquitous plant easily ignored — but shouldn't be | RegisterCitizen.com</a> “Because it’s tiny and everywhere, it’s easy to not see it. But moss is really too remarkable to overlook. Scientists now believe it was these simple plants, spreading like a carpet over the face of the then-barren earth that changed our atmosphere into the oxygen-rich state it’s now in and those allowed life to flourish here. Moss helped create our world. “It’s all over the place,” said Cathy Hagadorn, executive director of Deer Pond Farm, the nature sanctuary in Sherman owned by Connecticut Audubon Society. “It’s beautiful.” Birds use moss to line their nests. Four-toed salamanders lay their eggs in the sphagnum moss at the edge of swamps. Gardeners depend on peat moss to give new saplings a nice moisture-absorbing bed to start growing in. Because they’re great at absorbing water, mosses prevent erosion. They play a part in the forest cycle, helping in the decomposition of downed trees and stumps. And they’re great at returning oxygen to the atmosphere. “Pound for pound, moss delivers more oxygen to the atmosphere than any other plant,” said Jim Fucetola, chief of operations at Moss Acres, a Pennsylvania-based company that sells moss to gardeners. “Fifteen percent of trees deliver oxygen to the atmosphere. For mosses, it’s 100 percent.”   Alright, that’s it for today's gardening news. Now, if you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck, because I share all of it with the Listener Community in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedailygardener/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community.</a> There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events 1696  It's the birthday of the colonial governor of New Hampshire,  Benning Wentworth, who was born on this day in 1696. American gardeners remember Benning because he brought the lilac along with other trees and shrubs when he immigrated to States from England. In 1750, the first lilac was planted at the Wentworth home. In 1919, it was adopted as the New Hampshire State Flower because lawmakers felt it was, "symbolic of the hardy character of the men and women of New Hampshire; the granite state."   1800  It's the birthday of the man who created the Missouri Botanical Gardens, also known as "Shaw's Garden," or "Hank's Garden" - the great horticulturist and botanical philanthropist Henry Shaw. Henry is celebrated on the St. Louis Walk of Fame with this epitaph: "Henry Shaw, only 18 when he came to St. Louis, was one of the city’s largest landowners by age 40. Working with leading botanists, he planned, funded and built the Missouri Botanical Garden, which opened in 1859. Henry donated the land for Tower Grove Park and helped with its construction. He wrote botanical tracts, endowed Washington University’s School of Botany, helped found the Missouri Historical Society, and gave the city a school and land for a hospital. Of Henry’s gifts, the Botanical Garden is best-known. Said as early as 1868 to have “no equal in the United States, and, indeed, few anywhere in the world."   In addition to the Botanical Garden, Henry built the Linnean House in 1882. It is the oldest continuously operated public greenhouse west of the Mississippi River and was initially designed to be an orangery, a place to overwinter citrus trees, palms, and tree ferns. And, there's a little story I love that reveals Henry's regard for the plants in his garden. It was posted in the St. Louis Star and Times on April 5, 1933: "Mr. Shaw was escorting a lady through his gardens, pointing out objects of interest. The visitor said: " I cannot understand, Sir, how you are able to remember all of these difficult names." He replied, with a courtly bow, "Madame, did you ever know a mother to forget the names of her children? These plants and flowers are my little ones."   1802  Today is the birthday of French author of "The Three Musketeers" and gourmet Alexandre Dumas (" Doo-Ma"). Alexandre also wrote the Count of Monte Cristo, which contains many passages about the garden. Here's one for Chapter 44: “The garden was long and narrow; a stretch of smooth turf extended down the middle, and at the corners were clumps of trees with thick and massy foliage, that made a background for the shrubs and flowers.” Alexandre was a larger-than-life character, and there are actually quite a few stories about him that gardeners will find charming. For instance, in the mid-1860s, the Library in Cavaillon ("Ca-VAY-on"), France was just getting started, and they asked Alexandre for a donation of some of his books. Alexandre responded, “I agree on one condition: Just as the town and the Cavaillon authorities love my books, so I love their melons. In exchange for my 300 or 400 books, I request a town by-law be passed giving me a life annuity of 12 Cavaillon melons a year.” The town happily agreed to the terms Alexandre set forth, and Alexandre received a dozen Charentais ("Shar-en-TAY") melons every year until he passed away in 1870. The cantaloupe melons of Cavaillon are perfectly suited to growing in the soil and climate of the Durance River Valley and are perfect for growing cantaloupe. Cavaillon is still the home of the sweet, Charentais melon. In fact, visitors to Cavaillon are greeted by a nine-ton statue of a Charentais melon, and the annual melon festival happens every year the weekend before Bastille day. Now gardeners may wonder if a Charentais is similar to French cantaloupes or North American musk melons. Although they are related, they are not the same. Charentais melons are sweeter and have a jasmine and apricot fragrance. Just before he died, Alexandre finished his final book, and he titled it Le Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine (The Grand Dictionary of Cuisine). It is especially poignant to see that Alexandre included an entry on the Charentais melon. In fact, Alexandre did not mince words, and he gushed that it was the greatest melon he'd ever encountered. There is yet one more hilarious story about Alexandre that occurred when he was traveling in Switzerland. One day Alexandre decided he wanted mushrooms for supper. Now Alexandre spoke only French while the owner of the inn he was staying at spoke only German. To convey what he wanted, Alexandre quickly made a charcoal sketch of a mushroom on the wall. After seeing the sketch, the innkeeper went out for a while and then came back and presented Alexandre with an umbrella. It was Alexandre Dumas who said, All human wisdom is summed up in two words; wait and hope. It is not the tree that forsakes the flower, but the flower that forsakes the tree. To despise flowers is to offend God.   1938   On this day, The Miami News published an article with the title "Tropical Peas Will Mitigate Relief Wants." The article begins this way, "If English peas don't suit your palate, plant pigeon peas. The suggestion is that of a Miami pioneer, Charles F. Sulzner, who through the years has pointed out to newcomers the advantages of growing tropical fruits and vegetables, often of a type requiring no painstaking cultivation... Pigeon peas, as Sulzner demonstrated in his spacious grounds, ...grow on trees, and may be had by the simple process of picking." Pigeon peas make a lovely and distinct addition to the edible garden. The cultivation of the pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), can be traced back more than 3,500 years. Other common names include Congo pea, Angola pea, and red gram. In Barbados, pigeon pea was used to feed pigeons. Gardeners who love growing peas in the spring may thoroughly enjoy growing pigeon pea in the summer. It's a hardy perennial that can produce multiple harvests during the season. The sweet, fresh green peas are technically beans. They can be eaten raw when green or dried. The dried beans need to be soaked before boiling. Pigeon peas have a nutty taste and crisp texture. The entire pod may be eaten. As a bonus, the yellow-red flowers attract flocks of hummingbirds, and the plants are also nitrogen-fixers and enrich the soil.   Unearthed Words When skies are gentle, breezes bland.  When loam that's warm within the hand Falls friable between the tines. Sow hollyhocks and columbines. The tufted pansy, and the tall  Snapdragon in the broken wall. Not for this summer, but for next.  Since foresight is the gardener's text.  And though his eyes may never know  How lavishly his flowers blow. Others will stand and musing say 'These were the flowers he sowed that May.' But for this summer's quick delight  Sow marigold, and sow the bright Frail poppy that with noonday dies  But wakens to afresh surprise: Along the pathway, stones be set Sweet Alysson and mignonette, That when the full midsummer's come On scented clumps the bees may-hum, Golden Italians, and the wild Black bumble-bee alike beguiled;   And lovers who have never kissed May sow the cloudy Love-in-Mist. Nor be the little space forgot For herbs to spice the kitchen pot: Mint pennyroyal, bergamot. Tarragon and melilot. Dill for witchcraft, prisoner's rue.  Coriander, costmary. Tansy, thyme. Sweet Cicely, Saffron, balm, and rosemary That since the Virgin threw her cloak  Across it, -so say cottage folk - Has changed its flowers from white to blue.  But have a care that seeds be strewn One night beneath a waxing moon. And pick when the moon is on the wane.  Else shall your toil be all in vain ... — Vita Sackville West, English author and garden designer, The Land   Grow That Garden Library <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Eden-Inspiration-Gardens-Hortulus/dp/160469873X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&amp;keywords=Chasing+Eden+by+Jack+Staub+and+Renny+Reynolds&amp;qid=1593358645&amp;sr=8-1&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=gardenradione-20&amp;linkId=1f4f762c16d10f685681491701e3edb9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Chasing Eden by Jack Staub and Renny Reynolds</a> This book came out in January of this year, and the subtitle is Design Inspiration from the Gardens at Hortulus Farm. This is one of my favorite new books for 2020. I adore the title. The author Anna Pavord ("PAY-vord") said, "Vision, tenacity, and a perfectionist's eye are the qualities that shine out from this account of a paradise garden created by two of America's foremost stylists." This is the overview from Timberpress: “One of the most spectacular private gardens in America, Hortulus Farm is the masterpiece of Renny Reynolds and Jack Staub, renowned experts in the fields of design, gardening, and entertaining. It is beautifully captured in Chasing Eden, a lavishly illustrated roadmap to creating a personal Eden. Hortulus Farm is a not only a model of classical tenets, but also a showcase of how traditions can be successfully broken. Gardeners will discover information on specific design principles, from vistas and allées to hardscaping and water features. They will also learn how to adapt these principles to less-than-optimal settings without sacrificing a site’s sense of place. Both aspirational and practical, Chasing Eden will inspire home gardeners to create their own earthly paradise.” You will read this book and then head straight out to the garden. Let the chase begin! This book is 272 pages of gorgeous gardens and design mastery - all shared to inspire today's gardener. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Eden-Inspiration-Gardens-Hortulus/dp/160469873X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&amp;keywords=Chasing+Eden+by+Jack+Staub+and+Renny+Reynolds&amp;qid=1593358645&amp;sr=8-1&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=gardenradione-20&amp;linkId=1f4f762c16d10f685681491701e3edb9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> You can get a copy of Chasing Eden by Jack Staub and Renny Reynolds and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $23.</a>   Today's Botanic Spark On this day in 1975, the Green Bay Press-Gazette shared a little notice for their "Dial-A-Garden-Tipline." Readers could dial the number at any time and hear a taped garden message. Here were the topics posted in the paper: July 17 Russian Olive diseases July 18, 19, 20 Dutch Elm disease July 21 How to Blanch Vegetables July 22 Growing Cauliflower July 23 Birch Borer July 24 Training Young Trees

July 24, 2020  Moss by Robert Miller, Benning Wentworth, Henry Shaw, Alexandre Dumas, Pigeon Peas, Chasing Eden by Jack Staub and Renny Reynolds, and the Dial-A-Garden-Tipline