How the Potato Got Its Name
By Larry Hodgson Back in the 16th century, two new tubers were introduced into the British Isles at much theContinue Reading
Category: Garden History
The Fascinating History of the Lawn
The Green Carpet at Versailles was one of the first lawns designed strictly for show. Photo: Remi Jouan, Wikimedia CommonsContinue Reading
Grow Your Own Three Sisters Garden
Three sisters garden. Photo: http://www.tasteantigua.com On this National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada), why not take a look at the threeContinue Reading
The Plant That May Have Driven Vikings Berserk
Vikings in a state of uncontrollable rage terrified settlements throughout Western Europe from the late 8th to the early 11thContinue Reading
A Saint Patrick’s Day Story: The Famine Potato Rises Again
The famous ‘Lumper’: the deadliest potato in human history. Photo: myirelandspast.wordpress.com You might wonder why anyone would want to resurrectContinue Reading
Miss Willmott’s Ghost
Miss Willmott’s ghost (Eryngium giganteum). Photo: http://www.ballyrobertgardens.com She’s tall, prickly, wears an eerie Elizabethan collar and appears icy blue inContinue Reading
The Two Women Behind the Cottage Garden
Cottage garden at Hestercombe Park, Somerset, a Gertrude Jekyll garden. Photo: http://www.thecultureconcept.com The history of gardens is full of men’sContinue Reading
The Pass-Along Pilea
Photo: Pilea Place I first heard of an unusual round-leaved houseplant back in the 1980s. I was at that timeContinue Reading
Information and Disinformation: How Carrots Helped Win World War II
Today, in honour of Remembrance Day (Commonwealth countries) and Veteran’s Day (US), here’s a guest blog by Joanne Reed aboutContinue Reading
The Fascinating History of the Garden Strawberry
Photo: gardenandhappy.com. We’ve been growing strawberries as a garden for so long it’s hard to believe that they are actuallyContinue Reading
