James Gordon (c.1708-1780): “a most Knowing and Ingenous" gardener, nursery and seedsman
Trade card of 'James Gordon, Seeds Man', c.1770. Gordon’s shop was located at the Sign of the Thistle & Crown near Philpot Lane,...
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gardenhistorygirl
Feb 1311 min read
Apple Stories Part 2: The National Apple Congress of 1883
‘Exhibition of apples in the Great Vinery of the Royal Horticultural Society, Chiswick, October 4 to 25, 1883’. From ‘The Gardeners...
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gardenhistorygirl
Jan 811 min read
Mistletoe: a Christmas Friend or Foe?
'The Mistletoe Seller', by Myles Birket Foster from 'The London Illustrated News', 1854 As I now live in Herefordshire, surrounded by...
108 views2 comments
gardenhistorygirl
Nov 27, 202324 min read
Miss Willmott's Water Lilies
'Lily Pool', Plate 16 from Ellen Willmott's book of her own photographs titled 'Warley Garden in Spring and Summer', published 1909 Those...
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gardenhistorygirl
Sep 13, 202311 min read
The Veitch Nursery: A Family Dynasty c.1808-1969
Selection of plants offered for sale in a Veitch catalogue of the 1890's Introduction During the 19th century, plant collecting in new...
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gardenhistorygirl
Aug 6, 202337 min read
Castlewellan Part 3: Thomas Ryan - a Head Gardener's Story
The story of the 5th Earl of Castlewellan's Head Gardener, Thomas Ryan
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gardenhistorygirl
Apr 14, 202314 min read
A Belgian Botanical: 'Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l’Europe'
"Embothrium Coccineum". From 'Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l’Europe', Vol.13, 1858 Introduction Many of the historic images of...
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gardenhistorygirl
Mar 30, 202312 min read
The Fruits of America Part 2: The US Department of Agriculture's 'Agricultural Explorers'
'Garcinia mangostana' (the mangosteen), watercolour by Deborah Griscom Passmore, 1909 – said to be agricultural explorer David...
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gardenhistorygirl
Mar 22, 202314 min read
Miss Willmott's Orchids
One of Miss Ellen Willmott's few existing 'autochromes' c.1908. The plant featured was identified recently by experts at Royal Botanic...
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gardenhistorygirl
Feb 7, 20239 min read
The Fruits of America Part 1: The US Department of Agriculture's Pomological Watercolor Collection
Corsican lemon by Deborah Griscom Passmore, 1899. US Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection Introduction: A lucky...
456 views2 comments
gardenhistorygirl
Dec 24, 20229 min read
The Christmas Cactus: flowers for under "gas light"
'Christmas Cactus', painting by Christian Mollback I was pondering what to write for Christmas, when a friend reminded me that I’d...
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gardenhistorygirl
Dec 4, 20228 min read
"Flowers That Never Fade": The Blaschka Glass Flowers at Harvard
From The Glass Flowers collection. Courtesy Harvard University Herbaria Introduction An article in a Hardy Plant Society journal from...
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gardenhistorygirl
Oct 15, 202220 min read
In focus: Miss Willmott's published photographs
'The Garden House'. Plate 37 from 'Warley Garden in Spring and Summer' by Ellen Willmott, 1909 Introduction Anyone that reads my blogs...
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gardenhistorygirl
Aug 8, 202215 min read
Photography as applied to flowers: Mr Stevens’ ‘prize picture’
'Gloire de Dijon Roses from a prize photograph by Mr Henry Stevens', from 'The Gardeners' Chronicle', February 10, 1883 After a day’s...
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gardenhistorygirl
Jul 11, 20227 min read
Geraniums (or pelargoniums?) on the windowsill
‘Rubens Peale with a Geranium’, painted by his brother, Rembrandt Peale, 1801. National Gallery of Art, Washington, USA – Patrons’...
875 views2 comments
gardenhistorygirl
Jun 30, 202213 min read
Miss Willmott's Roses
Rosa 'Ellen Willmott'. Photograph by Eric Timewell. This rose has been delightfully described as “an Audrey Hepburn of a rose, nothing...
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gardenhistorygirl
Apr 27, 202210 min read
The 'juicy' tale of the Renaissance citron
‘Still Life with Bowl of Citrons’, late 1640's by Italian artist, Giovanna Garzoni This month I'm stepping out of my comfort zone of the...
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gardenhistorygirl
Feb 25, 202213 min read
'Beautifying railways for the weary traveller'
'Flowers Before Fares' from 'Funny Folks' magazine. Courtesy Dr David Turner on Twitter. In 1884, the Midland Railway company started a...
1,018 views2 comments
gardenhistorygirl
Oct 23, 202117 min read
The ‘Curious and Noble’: Robert James, 8th Baron Petre of Thorndon Hall (1713-1742)
In the summer of 1741 as a lively dinner hosted by Lord Petre at his Essex estate, Thorndon Hall, neared its conclusion, the guests were...
626 views3 comments
gardenhistorygirl
Jan 6, 20219 min read
‘Booby-trapped’ daffodils and a stolen water lily: 100 years of plant thefts
Notice photographed in 2011 at the 6 & B Garden in Manhattan's East Village, New York As you can see from this notice, photographed in a...
487 views3 comments
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