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OwlTail

173 - The Myths and Mysteries of Sphagnum Moss

Allan Cunningham

Alexander Garden

Francis Quarles

George Harrison

William Kent wrote:   "A garden is to be a world unto itself,  it had better make room  for the darker shades of feeling  as well as the sunny ones.”   I’ve usually think about my garden as my happy place.   It’s a natural mood changer for me.   But I remember one time when I was out in the garden with feelings of a definite darker shade.   I was very pregnant with John and I was wearing a hideous, striped, maternity tank top.   It was super hot out and I looked like an absolute mess.   I wasn’t out there long before I realized my new neighbor kept trying to catch my attention; I didn’t want to meet him looking such a fright.      I kept my eyes down on my plants.  But, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed he kept coming out of his house to stand on his deck - expecting me to acknowledge him.   Finally, an older man joined him and, together, they approached the back fence.   I walked over to say hello.   Here it was my old principal from middle school and his son-in-law; my new neighbor.   So much for my garden being a world unto itself.    Brevities  #OTD On This Day in 1823, botanist Allan Cunningham departs Bathurst to find an easier route to the Liverpool Plains. Born in Wimbledon, England, Cunningham came to Australia with tuberculosis and happily discovered Australia's climate helped him feel better.    #OTD It’s the birthday of George Harrison Shull who was born on this day in 1874. An American botanist, he is regarded as the "father of hybrid corn."    #OTD, It’s the birthday of Francis Hallé born today in 1938.  He is a French botanist and biologist and his specialty is tropical rainforests and tree architecture.  Atlas Obscura wrote an article about Halle called, "The Botanist Who Made Fantastical Sketches of Rain Forest Flora”. It’s true.  Halle’s work in his book, “The Atlas of Poetic Botany” is other worldly - possessing an almost Seussical charm.  Of equatorial forests, Halle says they are full of magical allure and little marvels.   Check out this passage from the Atlas Obscura piece,   "On Robinson Crusoe Island, part of an archipelago off the coast of Chile, he found Gunnera peltata, which looks like a rhubarb plant so enormous that it dwarfs whoever stands below its wide, veined leaves. Analyzing it was a thrilling challenge. “Normally, a scalpel is used for dissecting plants,” Hallé writes. “This time, I had to wield a meat cleaver!” A photo would convey the size and the “nest of ruby-red fibers,” but the author eschews snapshots. “I cannot think of a better way to present it than with a drawing.”   #OTD It’s the death day of Alexander Garden, of Charleston, South Carolina, who was a steady and delightful writer of letters to  other eminent botanists of his day. The Gardenia flower is named for him.    His letters provide a glimpse into his life; one of which is to John Bartram, the botanist:   "Think that I am here, confined to the sandy streets of Charleston, where the ox, where the ass, and where man, as stupid as either, fill up the vacant space, while you range the green fields of Florida.”   Here’s a letter he wrote to John Ellis :   "I know that every letter which I receive not only revives the little botanic spark in my breast, but even increases its quantity and flaming force."   When the Revolutionary War began, Garden sided with the British, even though he sympathized with the colonists.  When the war was over, his property was confiscated and he had to leave South Carolina. After losing everything, he and his family went to live in London where he became vice-president of the Royal Society.  He died of tuberculosis, at age 61, on this day in 1791.   There’s a sad little aside to the Alexander Garden biography: "He had a little granddaughter, named appropriately ‘Gardenia.' Her father, Alexander, Garden's only son, joined Lee's legion against the British (so going against his father) and was never forgiven ; nor was the little girl, his granddaughter with the flower name, ever received into her Grandfather’s house.    Unearthed Words  Here’s a little known poem for today about springtime called “Nothing Perfect on Earth" by Francis Quarles   Even as the soil (which April's gentle showers  Have filled with sweetness and enriched with flowers)  Rears up her sucking plants, still shooting forth  The tender blossoms of her timely birth ;  But if denied the beams of cheerly May,  They hang their withered heads, and fade away.   Today's book recommendation   The Atlas of Poetic Botany by Francis Hallé   This Atlas invites the reader to tour the farthest reaches of the rainforest in search of exotic―poetic―plant life. Guided in these botanical encounters by Francis Hallé, who has spent forty years in pursuit of the strange and beautiful plant specimens of the rainforest, the reader discovers a plant with just one solitary, monumental leaf; an invasive hyacinth; a tree that walks; a parasitic laurel; and a dancing vine.   Further explorations reveal the Rafflesia arnoldii, the biggest flower in the world, with a crown of stamens and pistils the color of rotten meat that exude the stench of garbage in the summer sun; underground trees with leaves that form a carpet on the ground above them; and the biggest tree in Africa, which can reach seventy meters (more than 200 feet) in height, with a four-meter (about 13 feet) diameter. Hallé's drawings, many in color, provide a witty accompaniment.   Like any good tour guide, Hallé tells stories to illustrate his facts. Readers learn about, among other things, Queen Victoria's rubber tree; legends of the moabi tree (for example, that powder from the bark confers invisibility); a flower that absorbs energy from a tree; plants that imitate other plants; a tree that rains; and a fern that clones itself.   Hallé's drawings represent an investment in time that returns a dividend of wonder more satisfying than the ephemeral thrill afforded by the photograph. The Atlas of Poetic Botany allows us to be amazed by forms of life that seem as strange as visitors from another planet.    Today's Garden Chore  I can’t let tax day pass us by without suggesting you get with your significant other and negotiate your budget for the garden this season.  Pick a number and try to stick to it; Base your number on reality so you get honest about what you spend on the garden.  It can’t be good karma to bring shame about overspending on plants into the garden.    Something Sweet   Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart  #OTD Here’s a fascinating post from the Hartford, Courant newspaper published on this day in 1977: Headline: Doctor Used Moss To Bandage Wounds Sphagnum moss, used by florists to keep seedlings and stems moist, was used during the Revolutionary War to bandage wounds; and as recently as World I.   Acidulous preservative water runs from the moss when squeezed and, no matter how often it is squeezed - it never becomes dry.    Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

William Kent wrote:   "A garden is to be a world unto itself,  it had better make room  for the darker shades of feeling  as well as the sunny ones.”   I’ve usually think about my garden as my happy place.   It’s a natural mood changer for me.   But I remember one time when I was out in the garden with feelings of a definite darker shade.   I was very pregnant with John and I was wearing a hideous, striped, maternity tank top.   It was super hot out and I looked like an absolute mess.   I wasn’t out there long before I realized my new neighbor kept trying to catch my attention; I didn’t want to meet him looking such a fright.      I kept my eyes down on my plants.  But, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed he kept coming out of his house to stand on his deck - expecting me to acknowledge him.   Finally, an older man joined him and, together, they approached the back fence.   I walked over to say hello.   Here it was my old principal from middle school and his son-in-law; my new neighbor.   So much for my garden being a world unto itself.   Brevities #OTD On This Day in 1823, botanist Allan Cunningham departs Bathurst to find an easier route to the Liverpool Plains. Born in Wimbledon, England, Cunningham came to Australia with tuberculosis and happily discovered Australia's climate helped him feel better.   #OTD It’s the birthday of George Harrison Shull who was born on this day in 1874. An American botanist, he is regarded as the "father of hybrid corn."   #OTD, It’s the birthday of Francis Hallé born today in 1938.  He is a French botanist and biologist and his specialty is tropical rainforests and tree architecture.  Atlas Obscura wrote an article about Halle called, "The Botanist Who Made Fantastical Sketches of Rain Forest Flora”. It’s true.  Halle’s work in his book, “The Atlas of Poetic Botany” is other worldly - possessing an almost Seussical charm.  Of equatorial forests, Halle says they are full of magical allure and little marvels.   Check out this passage from the Atlas Obscura piece,   "On Robinson Crusoe Island, part of an archipelago off the coast of Chile, he found Gunnera peltata, which looks like a rhubarb plant so enormous that it dwarfs whoever stands below its wide, veined leaves. Analyzing it was a thrilling challenge. “Normally, a scalpel is used for dissecting plants,” Hallé writes. “This time, I had to wield a meat cleaver!” A photo would convey the size and the “nest of ruby-red fibers,” but the author eschews snapshots. “I cannot think of a better way to present it than with a drawing.” #OTD It’s the death day of Alexander Garden, of Charleston, South Carolina, who was a steady and delightful writer of letters to  other eminent botanists of his day. The Gardenia flower is named for him.    His letters provide a glimpse into his life; one of which is to John Bartram, the botanist:   "Think that I am here, confined to the sandy streets of Charleston, where the ox, where the ass, and where man, as stupid as either, fill up the vacant space, while you range the green fields of Florida.”   Here’s a letter he wrote to John Ellis :   "I know that every letter which I receive not only revives the little botanic spark in my breast, but even increases its quantity and flaming force."   When the Revolutionary War began, Garden sided with the British, even though he sympathized with the colonists.  When the war was over, his property was confiscated and he had to leave South Carolina. After losing everything, he and his family went to live in London where he became vice-president of the Royal Society.  He died of tuberculosis, at age 61, on this day in 1791.   There’s a sad little aside to the Alexander Garden biography: "He had a little granddaughter, named appropriately ‘Gardenia.' Her father, Alexander, Garden's only son, joined Lee's legion against the British (so going against his father) and was never forgiven ; nor was the little girl, his granddaughter with the flower name, ever received into her Grandfather’s house.   Unearthed Words Here’s a little known poem for today about springtime called “Nothing Perfect on Earth" by Francis Quarles   Even as the soil (which April's gentle showers  Have filled with sweetness and enriched with flowers)  Rears up her sucking plants, still shooting forth  The tender blossoms of her timely birth ;  But if denied the beams of cheerly May,  They hang their withered heads, and fade away. Today's book recommendation  <a href="https://amzn.to/2Uz4Bh7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Atlas of Poetic Botany by Francis Hallé</a>   This Atlas invites the reader to tour the farthest reaches of the rainforest in search of exotic―poetic―plant life. Guided in these botanical encounters by Francis Hallé, who has spent forty years in pursuit of the strange and beautiful plant specimens of the rainforest, the reader discovers a plant with just one solitary, monumental leaf; an invasive hyacinth; a tree that walks; a parasitic laurel; and a dancing vine.   Further explorations reveal the Rafflesia arnoldii, the biggest flower in the world, with a crown of stamens and pistils the color of rotten meat that exude the stench of garbage in the summer sun; underground trees with leaves that form a carpet on the ground above them; and the biggest tree in Africa, which can reach seventy meters (more than 200 feet) in height, with a four-meter (about 13 feet) diameter. Hallé's drawings, many in color, provide a witty accompaniment.   Like any good tour guide, Hallé tells stories to illustrate his facts. Readers learn about, among other things, Queen Victoria's rubber tree; legends of the moabi tree (for example, that powder from the bark confers invisibility); a flower that absorbs energy from a tree; plants that imitate other plants; a tree that rains; and a fern that clones itself.   Hallé's drawings represent an investment in time that returns a dividend of wonder more satisfying than the ephemeral thrill afforded by the photograph. The Atlas of Poetic Botany allows us to be amazed by forms of life that seem as strange as visitors from another planet.   Today's Garden Chore I can’t let tax day pass us by without suggesting you get with your significant other and negotiate your budget for the garden this season.  Pick a number and try to stick to it; Base your number on reality so you get honest about what you spend on the garden.  It can’t be good karma to bring shame about overspending on plants into the garden.   Something Sweet  Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart #OTD Here’s a fascinating post from the Hartford, Courant newspaper published on this day in 1977: Headline: Doctor Used Moss To Bandage Wounds Sphagnum moss, used by florists to keep seedlings and stems moist, was used during the Revolutionary War to bandage wounds; and as recently as World I.   Acidulous preservative water runs from the moss when squeezed and, no matter how often it is squeezed - it never becomes dry.  Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

April 15, 2019 The Garden as a World Unto Itself, William Kent, Allan Cunningham, George Harrison Shull, Francis Hallé, Alexander Garden, Francis Quarles, The Atlas of Poetic Botany, The Garden Budget, and Sphagnum Moss

Tracey Logan investigates the latest science news. Roland Pease reports on recent warnings that we're heading for one of the most severe El Ninos on record which could distort weather patterns around the world. Spongey sphagnum moss provides a protective layer to peat lands but in the bogs of the Peak District industrial and urban air pollution has killed nearly all the moss. This means the peat lands can erode releasing tonnes of ancient carbon. Tracey talks to horticultural ecologist, Neal Wright about his technique for creating tiny gel beads of sphagnum moss to spray on the moors to help restore their peat lands back to health. Marnie Chesterton talks to John Butterworth about his book, 'Smashing Physics' which is another short-listed entry for the Royal Society Winton book prize. He talks about the highs and lows of the discovery of the Higgs Boson and why CERN might soon be creating dark matter. Tracey talks to Toby Shannon, from the Institute of Physics about the International Year of Light citizen science project to measure air pollution using an iPhone. Details on how to take part here: http://ispex-eu.org/.

Tracey Logan investigates the latest science news. Roland Pease reports on recent warnings that we're heading for one of the most severe El Ninos on record which could distort weather patterns around the world. Spongey sphagnum moss provides a protective layer to peat lands but in the bogs of the Peak District industrial and urban air pollution has killed nearly all the moss. This means the peat lands can erode releasing tonnes of ancient carbon. Tracey talks to horticultural ecologist, Neal Wright about his technique for creating tiny gel beads of sphagnum moss to spray on the moors to help restore their peat lands back to health. Marnie Chesterton talks to John Butterworth about his book, 'Smashing Physics' which is another short-listed entry for the Royal Society Winton book prize. He talks about the highs and lows of the discovery of the Higgs Boson and why CERN might soon be creating dark matter. Tracey talks to Toby Shannon, from the Institute of Physics about the International Year of Light citizen science project to measure air pollution using an iPhone. Details on how to take part here: <a href="http://ispex-eu.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://ispex-eu.org/</a>.

El Nino, Sphagnum moss and peatlands, Inside Cern, Measuring air pollution with iPhones