The Luther Burbank Centennial
March 7, 1949, marked the 100th anniversary of Luther Burbank’s birth. For half a century or more, the public schools of the nation taught the children in the lower grades
Pioneers
Over the last 5+ decades of growing plants indoors and out, I have been blessed to meet some wonderful landscape designers, growers, houseplant enthusiasts, hybridizers, collectors, plant specialists, and overall lovers of plants.
My knowledge has grown from sharing my plant adventures in collecting plants with others. But I’ve gained so much more by learning from the experience of others. I’ve been fascinated with the trials and experiences from that grand golden age of gardening – the 1940s-1960s.
This was long before we could send an email, snap a picture on our phone or the internet.
Over the past 20+ years, I have read and collected thousands of articles from the Golden Age.
Some of the plants, annuals, perennials, shrubs, and flower varieties you will not find at your local garden center. Other plants have been hybridized and improved upon with familiar names.
The writers in the articles shared their experiences, tips, tricks, success, discoveries, and warnings. Read what they did and throw out the dates. There are plenty of plant care nuggets to learn.
Sharing their learned lessons is a pleasure, and there is much to learn from these plant pioneers.
NOTE: The articles appear with minimal edits. Some plants are no longer available, and others have been changed or reclassified.
Roy Grew Orchids From Seed To Flower
Roy Fields was a specialist in orchid seedlings. A native Floridian, he makes his home in the village of Miami Shores, where he grows orchids on a plot that is
What Is The Quick Return Method Of Composting?
So many times during my recent stay in the United States, gardeners asked me if I knew Maye Bruce and what she is like. I was happy to answer then
The Plant Introductions Of Ernest Wilson
If ERNEST H. WILSON, the Arnold Arboretum’s famous plant hunter, were alive today he would be about 140 years old. In the 80+ years which have elapsed since the date
New Slants On Growing African Violets
Many years ago Atlanta, Georgia, was the great center of African violet interest on October 9 and 10, when enthusiasts from 20 states met for the first time at the
The Magic of “Uncle John” McLaren
Do you know that once there lived in this country, a little Scotchinan who had the such magic touch in his ability to grow plants that he changed a large
Mecca for Daylily Fans
The extensive grounds and gardens of F. Edgar Rice in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, were complete with separate daylily, rose, formal, and patio gardens knowingly designed and meticulously maintained – and was
Iris for the South
“Southern gardeners are no pikers, by any means, lit growing iris,” says Boyce M. Edens, one of Atlanta’s and the South’s well-known iris specialists. “In fact,” adds Mr. Edens, “the
What Is The Difference Between an Annual, Biennial And Perennial?
The day I took my grandson (then a second or third grader) to the garden to show him the sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) and its reactions to the touch of
Meet The Pioneers Who Developed Our Roses
Today’s rose gardens sparkle with color and vigor. Their long-stemmed beauties spring from thickly branched, well-foliaged plants, and each season sees many additions to the list of novelties from which