You may wonder how plants from other cultures made the journey to your garden. Robert Fortune (1812-1880) was an English plant hunter who traveled the world in search of plants for the English garden. Mary and John Gribbin, in their…
After 1880 advertising in newspapers and magazines meant more than simply information about a product for sale. From that time advertising, through its illustrations, sought to motivate the buyer to make a purchase, and even to create a need for the…
We know we love certain plants more than others in the garden. Did you ever wonder where the idea of 'garden' came from? Someone had to create it. We know that for centuries cultures relied on herbs for both cooking…
Noel Kingsbury in his splendid encyclopedia [I call it that!] of plants Garden Flora has several pages devoted to the Iris. He says, "Iris growing is largely a connoisseur's hobby, although in the appropriate climate, a group that requires much…
I am happy to report that the Victorian Society in America has given my new book All about Flowers: James Vick's Nineteenth-Century Seed Company its annual book award. According to their website, the Victorian Society presents its award to up to…