For most of the nineteenth century the farms scattered around the country became home to most Americans. After 1880 opportunities for employment drew many farmers to the city. Thus for decades the garden industry had to employ mail order catalogs…
We gardeners like to think we are original in planning a garden space. In a media environment that is not possible because we become surrounded by media messages in advertising and editorial content in so many outlets. Since the 1890s…
One of my favorite places to visit is the public garden Blithewold in Bristol, Rhode Island. The property dates to the early twentieth century both in the architecture of the house and the extensive gardens. Every spring the area under the trees fills with daffodils that have now naturalized in that spot over…
Recently I attended an auction of the New England Hosta Society where the hosta called 'Lachman's Legacy' sold for $650. Clearly the buyer really wanted that hosta. The price, however, seemed like a lot of money to pay for one plant. That is when it hit me: there is…
Any business has to adjust to the changing social environment in which it operates. That applied as well to businesses in the 1890s. At that time in America advertising underwent a shift in format and purpose. Advertising sought to promote…