In the nineteenth century growing flowers meant much more than a hobby, especially for women. Victorian women grew flowers because it was the moral thing to do. Growing flowers, in fact, became itself a lesson in morality. Nicolette Scourse in…
During the late nineteenth century Victorian period in America, the vase played an important role in the garden. The container had to be large and positioned on a stand so people would be able to see it. Its plants included…
At the Fall River Historical Society in Fall River, Mass. you can see four Christmas trees decked out like you have never seen a tree decorated. Until December 30 the FRHS holds its annual holiday event called “Deck the Halls."…
By the 1890s modern advertising sought to motivate the buyer by an emotional appeal. Recently I spent an afternoon examining nineteenth century seed catalogs at the library of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. A grass seed ad in a catalog from…
Recently a visitor to Boston asked me whether he should visit the Arnold Arboretum or Mount Auburn Cemetery. I recommended the Arnold Arboretum. That does mean that Mount Auburn is not worthy of a visit, because it is. Mount Auburn…