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Author : Harvesting History

Home » Articles posted by Harvesting History (Page 15)

  • Marigolds

    Mar 02, 2016 Categories: Growing Instructions

    Marigolds - 
A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Marigolds, both French and African, are indigenous to Mexico and Guatemala. They were discovered in the early 16th century and brought to Europe and Northern Africa in the late 16th century where they were quickly adopted into gardens. The family name, Tagetes, is derived from a mythical Etruscan deity. In the wild, the French Marigold, Tagetes patula, is an 18 inch tall, bushy plant with heavily scented, feathery leaves. The flowers are daisy-like and pale yellow. The wild African Marigold is 4-5 feet high with 2-4 inch flowers that vary in color from pale yellow to deep orange. By the time the plants were introduced into Britain in the early 1600's, the African Marigold, Tagetes erecta, had naturalized along

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  • Lupines and Texas BlueBonnets

    Mar 02, 2016 Categories: Growing Instructions

    Lupines and Texas BlueBonnets - 
A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Lupine is a family of annual and perennial flowers which were native to the Balkans and the Aegean. The oldest Lupines were annuals, white flowered, and had been cultivated since Egyptian times. These plants were used to improve the soil, fixing nitrogen because they are legumes and as a fodder crop. The yellow lupines, also annuals, were also used to improve soil, but they were also prized for their incredible fragrance. Joseph Breck in his 1851 book, The Flower Garden, had much to say about Lupines. "Lupinus perennis is a well-known species, indigenous to many parts of New England, found, frequently, in large masses, from a yard to two rods in circumference, occupying the very

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  • Larkspur

    Mar 02, 2016 Categories: Growing Instructions

    Larkspur - 
A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Larkspur, for years, was considered to be a member of the Delphinium family, but has been recently re-classified with the new name Consolida ranunculaceae. This re-classification makes it a member of the Ranunculus family. The plant, an annual, was introduced into Britain in the mid-1500's from its native habitat the Mediterranean. The name, Larkspur, probably originated in England and refers to the horn-shaped nectary of the flower which resembles the spur of a lark's claw. Gerard (John Gerard, 1545-1612, author of the definitive horticultural text of the period, The Grete Herball, 1597,) made these notes about the Larkspur, "that in England the plant is known as larks spur, larks heel, larks toes, larks clawe and munkeshoode". Soon

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  • Hollyhock

    Mar 02, 2016 Categories: Growing Instructions

    Hollyhock 
- A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Hollyhocks whose current Latin name is Alcea rosea were known in Gerard's time (John Gerard, 1545-1612, author of the definitive horticultural text of the period, The Grete Herball, 1597,) as Malva Hortensis and in Breck's time as Althea rosea. The plant is a biennial native to Turkey and other parts of Asia, but the Hollyhock that was introduced into Britain in 1573, and the plant with which we are familiar, probably came from China by way of Palestine. The name Hollyhock is believed to have derived from the Anglo-Saxon term, 'holy-hoc' or holy mallow - mallow being a common name given to all members of the althea family. The word, althea, comes from the Greek, altheo, meaning, to

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  • Hesperis, Dames Rocket

    Mar 02, 2016 Categories: Growing Instructions

    Hesperis, Dames Rocket 
A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Hesperis, also known as Dames Rocket, Sweet Rocket and Dames Violet, belong to a family of plants which are native from Europe to China and Siberia. Hesperis are members of the Mustard family. The plants were introduced into North America during colonial times and were a popular cottage garden flower because of their beauty and their heavy, sweet fragrance which was most notable at sunset. Joseph Breck in his 1851 book, The Flower Garden, said of the plant, "The single varieties of this fragrant flower are common in most gardens. It is a biennial or imperfect perennial, easily raised from seeds, producing flowers the second year...in May and June, of various shades, from pure white to purple...The

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  • Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)

    Mar 02, 2016 Categories: Growing Instructions

    Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth) 
A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Gomphrena, also known as the Globe Amaranth, is native to the tropics of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. The plant is related to the Cockscomb and Love-Lies-Bleeding. The native plant had magenta, clover-like flowers, but today's cultivars are purple, pink and white as well as magenta. The plant has been grown in American gardens since the 1700's. Joseph Breck in his 1851 book, The Flower Garden, said of the Globe Amaranth, "...Globe Amaranth, - of which there are three common varieties, the white and the purple and the striped, are desirable for their heads of flowers, which, if gathered before they are too far advanced, will retain their beauty for several years. The seed is difficult to

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  • Gloriosa Daisy

    Mar 02, 2016 Categories: Growing Instructions

    Gloriosa Daisy 
A Little History and Some Growing Instructions The Gloriosa Daisy is a type of Black Eyed Susan that produces a much larger flower on stems 6-12 inched taller than the typical Black Eyed Susans. The flowers are often 4-5 inches in diameter with yellow petals or purplish-brown petals fading to yellow near the ends. The flowers are striking in any garden. Black Eyed Susans are indigenous to many sections of the United States. They were introduced into Europe soon after Columbus's visits and were named by Linnaeus in 1753. Linnaeus gave them the Latin name Rudbeckia Hirta after his mentor Olaf Rudbeck and hirta meaning rough, hairy. The plant was known and used by many Native American tribes. The Native Americans used the plant to

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  • Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)

    Mar 02, 2016 Categories: Growing Instructions

    Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) - 
A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Gaillardia, also known as Blanket Flower or the Firewheel, is native to the Americas. The plant is a member of the Aster family which also includes daisies and sunflowers. Gaillardia were one of the more than 200 plant varieties catalogued and described by Lewis and Clark during their famous expedition of 1804-1806. The plant is named for Gaillard de Charentonneau, a French magistrate who was a patron of botany. Joseph Breck in his 1851 book, The Flower Garden, describes the gaillardia as, "A very handsome plant, naturally a perennial, but produces its flowers the first year from seed, if started early. It does not stand the winter without protection. It has large, beautiful crimson and yellow

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  • Foxglove (Digitalis)

    Mar 02, 2016 Categories: Growing Instructions

    Foxglove (Digitalis) 
A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Foxglove, also known as Digitalis, Fairy's Gloves, Witches' Fingers, and Fairy Thimbles is one of the most beloved of all garden flowers despite being poisonous, short lived and a brief bloomer. The plant is a biennial native to Europe, North Africa and Central Asia. The common name, Foxglove, refers to the fact that the spire of blossoms resembles clusters of gloves and the areas where Foxgloves grew naturally were thought to be inhabited by fairies. Thus the plants were thought to be fairies' gloves. The Latin name, Digitalis, comes from digitabulum which means thimble and refers to the shape of the individual flowers. The plant had been known as far back as 1000AD. It has been cultivated since

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  • Four O’ Clocks

    Mar 02, 2016 Categories: Growing Instructions

    Four O' Clocks - 
A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Four O' Clocks, also known as Marvel of Peru, False Jalap and Belle De Nuit, is native to the tropical Americas and was introduced into Spain and then England from Peru in the 1500's. The name Marvel of Peru refers to the way in which people marvel when the plant bursts into bloom at exactly 4 o'clock. The old varieties have a fragrance reminiscent of citrus. The plant produces trumpet shaped flowers in a variety of striking colors including magenta, yellow, rose and white. There are also old varieties producing bicolored and flecked blossoms. Plants can also produce blossoms of varying colors on a single plant. This usually occurs in the cooler climates of Northern

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