Podcasts about paleobotany

Chapter 506 - "The Stuff That Motivates Me Is Metal" ...as read by Otrebor from BotanistToday we welcome Otrebor from avant-garde black metal band Botanist to the podcast! Botanist released Paleobotany on May 17th via Prophecy Productions! Otrebor talks about learning various instruments, trying to play grind core on the hammered dulcimer, incorporating nature themes into his music, his love of Prophecy Productions, and a lot more.https://verdant-realm-botanist.bandcamp.com/https://us.prophecy.de/us/Artists/Botanist/https://www.patreon.com/asthestorygrowshttps://asthestorygrows.substack.com/DiscordEmail: asthestorygrows@gmail.comChapter 506 Music:Botanist - "When Forest TurnedTo Coal"Botanist - "Risen From The Rain"Botanist - "Magnolia"Botanist - "Sigillaria"Botanist - "Royal Protea"

Fossils, plants and big data are three things Dr Matilda Brown loves and brings together in their position in the Conservation Assessment and Analysis team at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in London. Join Dr Kate Johnson to hear about Matilda's work in a wonderland of palm-houses and rooms full of pressed plants where she seeks not only to improve the inclusion of plants in world-wide data-sets but also the inclusion of people in STEMM . Matilda's aspirations are the academic triple-threat of research, teaching and improving inclusion, and also to finish the jumper she started knitting three years ago.Show theme music: Kevin MacLeodHost: Kate Johnson (KatePlantPhys)Production: Meredith Castles (@MeredithCastles)  Media & Promotion: Katya Bandow (@katyabandow)

Fabiany Herrera is a paleobotanist specializing on a diverse array of time periods and paleofloras, including the Mazon Creek Flora from the Carboniferous when Lycopods were friggin' trees, as well as the utterly bizarre Jurassic and early Cretaceous Bennettitales & Corystospermaceae from the excellently preserved Mesozoic lignite of Mongolia.Many of the plants we talk about in this episode HAVE NO LIVING OR EXTANT RELATIVES - they represent fantastical lineages of plants whose base branches that simply got clipped off the tree of life either during mass extinctions events or gradually during climatic changes. Umaltolepis - a ginkgo relative - is an exception to this, but still an equally bizarre plant.This was a really fun conversation and it could've gone on much longer but we ran outta time. Hope you enjoy.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5634537/advertisement

A look at some unexpected elements of congestion: Why does pollen make so many of us wheezy, and sneezy? What can it tell us about the distant past? Plus, we take a look at what we can learn from the construction and engineering behind aquatic snot palaces. Plus your enemy's enemy can be your friend – hear about the tiny viruses that invade certain bacteria. Speaking of bacteria, we look at the latest place to hunt for new antibiotics – the fur of a certain animal, and with reports of famine emerging from North Korea, we hear about the scientist who is said to have saved more lives than any other person who has ever lived.

Welcome to the Juras-Sick Park-Cast podcast, the Jurassic Park podcast about Michael Crichton's 1990 novel Jurassic Park, and also not about that, too.  Find the episode webpage at: Episode 19 - Jurassic Park In this episode, my terrific guest Dr. Eugenia Gold chats with me about: Eugenia's book She Found Fossils, which is available in three languages! Her news blog for kids available in English and Spanish at Dr. Neurosaurus.com, her YouTube channel Science on the Street, Jurassic Park, empathizing with Dr. Grant, new perspectives on the film, viewing through the eyes of a parent, ring tones, dilophosaurus nightmares, Harry Potter, Boston accent, comparative biology, paleontology, phylogenetics, CT scanning, 3D imaging, spinosaurus, birds and dinosaurs, Thomas Henry Huxley, dinosaur tails, plungers on chickens and dinosaur posture, bird brains and dinosaur brains, lungs and breathing, comparing dinosaurs to mammals, academia and pursuing paleontological degrees, Dr. Ellie Sattler, Alioramus or Dodo, smart dodos, feathered dinosaurs, amphibian DNA vs. modern crocs and birds, and a lot more! Plus dinosaur news about: Quantifying vascularity in the frontoparietal dome of Stegoceras validum (Dinosauria: Pachycephalosauridae) from high resolution CT scans The cranial anatomy of the long-snouted tyrannosaurid dinosaur Qianzhousaurus sinensis from the Upper Cretaceous of China Featuring the music of Snale https://snalerock.bandcamp.com/releases  Intro: Centipede.  Outro: Supergroovy. The Text: This week's text is the Third Iteration and Jurassic Park, spanning from pages 81 – 87. “Details emerge more clearly as the fractal curve is re-drawn” (p. 81). Discussions surround: Regis is a liar … or maybe just wrong (all the time), Paleobotany, Cloning dinosaurs, Paradigm shifts, The Iterations, dinosaurs, feminism, the timeline, and more! Side effects:  Possible swelling in your feet.  Find it on iTunes, on Spotify (click here!) or on Podbean (click here). Thank you! The Jura-Sick Park-cast is a part of the Spring Chickens banner of amateur intellectual properties including the Spring Chickens funny pages, Tomb of the Undead graphic novel, the Second Lapse graphic novelettes, The Infantry, and the worst of it all, the King St. Capers. You can find links to all that baggage in the show notes, or by visiting the schickens.blogpost.com or finding us on Facebook, at Facebook.com/SpringChickenCapers or me, I'm on twitter at @RogersRyan22 or email me at ryansrogers-at-gmail.com.  Thank you, dearly, for tuning in to the Juras-Sick Park-Cast, the Jurassic Park podcast where we talk about the novel Jurassic Park, and also not that, too. Until next time!  #JurassicPark #MichaelCrichton

This week we discuss the final installment of the Jurassic World trilogy: Jurassic World Dominion. With an ensemble cast, including the trio of Sam Niell, Laura Darn, and Jeff Goldblum reprising their roles from the original Jurassic Park trilogy, along with an intellectual property as beloved as any other in this day and age, this movie is sure to be a hit! Right? But Is Jurassic World Dominion Good? Or, just like the pied piper led rats through the streets, are we dancing like marionettes, swaying to the symphony of cinematic mediocrity? If you'd like to suggest a film or film franchise, or if you'd just like to say hello, you can reach us at biigpodcast@gmail.com, @biigpodcast on twitter, or @butisitgoodpodcast on instagram!

Today Mary is talking to Dr Karen L. Bacon. Karen is a plant ecologist and palaeoecologist based in Botany & Plant Sciences at the National University of Ireland, Galway. She completed her PhD in plant palaeoecology in 2012 in University College Dublin. After spending several years in the UK, she returned to Ireland in 2019. Dr Bacon's interests span palaeobotany to modern plant ecology and incorporates elements of plant biology, geology and chemistry. She is particularly interested in understanding plant extinction and how plants respond to environmental change both in a modern context and in relation to environmental upheavals, such as mass extinctions, in the geological record. She is also interested in taphonomy, the science of fossil preservation, and understanding what quality of information can be determined from the fossil record. Her modern ecological research focuses on invasive species, plant chemistry, ecosystem services, and plant awareness (plant blindness).Some links:Dr Karen Bacon NUI Galway page: https://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/people/natural-sciences/kbacon/ Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 2020 State of the World's Plants and Fungi: https://www.kew.org/science/state-of-the-worlds-plants-and-fungi BBC article on plant blindness: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190425-plant-blindness-what-we-lose-with-nature-deficit-disorder Biodiversity:National Biodiversity Data Centre (great resource): https://www.biodiversityireland.ie/ Link to the government page asking the public what research they would like funded. https://creatingourfuture.iePlease go to this page and highlight what you would like funded- (plant biodiversity etc)Some questions for people seeking election:-Do you consider biodiversity and the biodiversity crisis a priority? If no, why not?-How will you fund research and support for biodiversity in Ireland?-What do you think the most important thing the government can do to support biodiversity is? How will you achieve that?Recommended booksA walk in the woods By: Bill Byron and William Roberts Wildflowers of IrelandBy: Zoe DevlinContact Mary mary@burrennaturesanctuaryieCheck out Burren Nature Sanctuary on Instagram, Facebook or on the websitewww.burrennaturesanctuary.ie

In this episode we take a trip down memory lane and discuss our thoughts  as well as the cultural impact the novel and film Jurassic Park had on our lives as children and adults. 

Turning back time, Sienna takes us to the cretaceous period to stop and smell the flowers! With Dr. Brian Atkinson from the University of Kansas as our guide, we explore the rockin' field of paleobotany, and discover some pretty "cool" facts about Antartica too!   https://linktr.ee/notyetadr   Edited by: Alastair   Questions or Suggestions? Email us at phd32b@gmail.com

In this GeoShort, Dr. Ian Miller (Director of Earth and Space Sciences, Associate Curator of Paleobotany for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science) compares the end Cretaceous event that killed the Dinosaurs to other mass extinction events.Jesse and Ian also have a brief discussion about massive lava eruptions that can cause mass extinctions such as the Deccan Traps.Ian also provides an explanation on how fossils form.  

Anette visits with her friend, Dr. Aaron Pan, Executive Director of the Museum of Texas Tech University and Associate Professor in Practice, Museum of Texas Tech University. With a focus on lifelong learning, Aaron discusses areas of interest from paleobotany to kleptoparasitic bees, and all things museum-related as well.Dr. Pan received his Bachelors of Arts degree in Creative Studies – Biology Emphasis with high honors from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2002 and his Doctor of Philosophy in Geology – Paleobotany Emphasis from the Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas in 2007. Dr. Pan served as the Curator of Science at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History from 2008 – 2012 and as the Executive Director of the Don Harrington Discovery Center in Amarillo, Texas from 2012 – 2020. Dr. Pan joined the Museum of Texas Tech University as its executive director in May 2020. Dr. Pan actively conducts research in paleobotany, entomology, and malacology and publishes scientific articles on prehistoric African forest plants, abalone systematics, velvet ant mimicry and evolution, and the ecology, behavior, and conservation of native bees. Pan is also a research associate at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas(B.R.I.T.) in Fort Worth (BRIT), serves on the Texas Tech University Black Cultural Center’s Advisory Committee, Texas Tech Public Media Community Advisory Board, and Board of Trustees of Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch.

Dr. Peter Crane is the Carl W. Knobloch Jr. Dean of the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Professor of Botany at Yale University. Much of Peter’s work has involved studying fossil plants, particularly plants from about 130 million years ago, to find out what they tell us about plant evolution and the evolution of flowering plants. Peter also compares fossil plants to those alive today to understand the relationships between historic and present day plants. Peter loves to travel and often gets to explore different places in the world as part of his scientific and other professional responsibilities. He enjoys spending time outside and is delighted to be able to work outdoors in the field for his research. When he has time to relax and pick up a book, Peter gravitates towards reading biographies of interesting people. Peter received his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. Afterward, he conducted postdoctoral research at Indiana University and worked for about 17 years at the Field Museum in Chicago, rising from Assistant Curator in Paleobotany to Museum Director. Peter then served as Director and Chief Executive of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He also served as the John and Marion Sullivan University Professor at the University of Chicago before joining the faculty at Yale where he is today. Peter has received many prestigious awards and honors during his career. First and foremost, he was knighted in the United Kingdom in 2004 for his contributions to horticulture and conservation. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences, a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In addition, Peter has received multiple honorary degrees and fellowships, including an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Cambridge. He was also the recipient of the International Prize for Biology, as well as many other national and international awards. In this interview, Peter shares more about his life and science.

Today we celebrate a woman known as the Lady of Botany, yet today few people know her life story, and fewer still appreciate her difficult professional journey. We'll also learn about another female botanist who started one of the first degreed botany programs for women in England. We hear a story about a mink who set up residence in a winter garden from an avid gardener and writer. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a delightful book about Cottage Gardening. What could be more charming? And then we’ll wrap things up with the story of a dried flower expert who created everlastings for celebrities and he also shares some of his favorite flowers to preserve for long-term joy and delight.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy.   The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf.   Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org   Curated News Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour (1853-1922) – An Appreciation | RBGE.org |  Leonie Paterson   Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and original blog posts for yourself, you're in luck. I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you’d search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events February 23, 1879 Today is the birthday of the British plant morphologist and anatomist, botanical historian, and philosopher of biology Agnes Arber. Since her father was the artist Henry Robertson, Agnes learned to draw as a child, and throughout her life, she illustrated all of her own botanical work. Agnes’ mom, also an Agnes, fostered her love of plants. Mentored and befriended by the botanist Ethel Sargent, Agnes mastered the microscope. Ethel was a profound role model in Agnes’ life. She not only taught Agnes her earliest lessons in botany, but she also modeled a unique approach to her work because Agnes watched Ethel successfully conduct her work in a small laboratory she had built in her home. Later, when Anges wrote her first book on her dear monocots (which are grass or grass-like flowering plants), she dedicated her work to the woman who was godmother to her only child Muriel Agnes Arber and the brightest beacon in her botanical career and: Ethel Sargent. In 1909, Agnes married a paleobotanist, Edward Alexander Newell Arber, of Trinity College at Cambridge. And it was thanks in part to Edward that Agnes moved to Cambridge from London and made a life there. Edward promised Agnes that “life in Cambridge offered unique opportunities for the observation of river and fenland plants.” Despite Edward’s appeal, for Agnes, Cambridge was tough. Cambridge was a much harder place for a female botanist than London - where Agnes would have had more opportunities, connections, and acceptance. Sadly, Agnes and Edward would be married for only nine years as Edward died in 1918. And so, before her 40th birthday, Agnes found herself both a widow and a single mother to six-year-old Muriel. After securing help with childcare and household duties, Agnes carried on with her botanical work -  she wrote constantly, she was poorly compensated for her work, and she never re-married. A few years after Agnes arrived in Cambridge, she started working at the Balfour Laboratory, which was owned by Newnham College and was a place for teaching women. Now, the creation of this laboratory was a direct result of allowing women admittance into Cambridge. And although women could attend Cambridge, they could not go to labs or classes, and so the Balfour Lab became their only option for conducting experiments. Over the 19 years that Agnes worked at Balfour, the female students gradually disappeared as classes and lab opportunities opened up for them in botany, chemistry, geography, etc. By 1925, Newnham College was ready to sell the lab to Cambridge; they needed the cash, and it seems only Agnes needed the lab. Yet when Agnes reached out to Cambridge, both the University and the head of botany, Albert Seward, rejected her - suggesting she might seek out a space to work at the botanic garden.  And so, an accomplished botanist and the widow of a Cambridge professor no less was left with nowhere to work. And so, seven years after her husband’s death, Agnes, like her mentor and friend Ethel Sargent, set up a home laboratory in the back of her house over the kitchen. Agnes worked from home for the rest of her life. A lover of researching whatever captured her curiosity, Agnes allowed her intellect to veer into areas seldom explored by her botanist peers, such as history, philosophy, poetry, and art. Yet, each of these disciplines molded and refined Agnes’s perspective on plant morphology, and they put her in a unique position to write her most impactful philosophical works in the twilight of her life. When it came time for Agnes to publish her final work, Cambridge snubbed her again when they declined to publish it. As per usual, Agnes persevered without the University’s help. Agnes became interested in botanical history after reading the old herbals. In 1912, Agnes released a book called Herbals: Their Origin and Evolution. Agnes's work reviewed the primary herbals written for a 200 year time period between 1470 and 1670. These beautiful books formed the basis for early botanical education, and, luckily for Agnes, many were housed at Cambridge. In her book, Agnes examined how the plant descriptions and illustrations evolved over time. An instant classic, Agnes forever changed the way herbals were reviewed and written. In her philosophical work, The Mind and the Eye, Agnes argued that there was a blurred line between the science and art of botany. Botanists cannot fully capture a flower through data alone, just as the painter cannot paint all that a flower contributes to nature. Any gardener who sees their garden with their head and their heart can relate to Agnes’ philosophy. When she was 67 years old, Agnes became the first female botanist to be elected as a Royal Society Fellow. Two years later, she became the first woman to receive the Linnean Society’s Gold Medal for her botanical work. Known by many in her circle as the “Lady of Botany,” Agnes wrote, “A record of research should not resemble a casual pile of quarried stone; it should seem "not built, but born,” as Vasari said in praise of a building.” Today, you can toast Agnes with a gin made in the UK. The gin is made in her honor and it's called Agnes Arber gin. And it's made with nine botanicals, including angelica, cassia, coriander, grapefruit, iris, juniper, lemon, licorice, and orange. And I think Agnes would be especially touched by the beautiful hand-drawn botanical illustrations on the label of every bottle. If ever there was a female botanist that deserved to be toasted, I believe Agnes Arber fits the bill.   February 23, 1980 Today is the anniversary of the death of the British botanist and botanical pioneer Marion Delf-Smith. A botanical trailblazer, Marion started the botany program at London's Westfield (a women’s college preparatory school) in 1906. To make the program a reality, Marion fundraised relentlessly, and then she bought everything the program needed to teach botany, mount specimens, store collections, and conduct fieldwork. Ultimately Westfield became one of the only places in the world where women could learn how to study botany. And in 1915, almost a decade after starting her degree program, Marion was finally able to award Bachelor’s degrees in botany to her students. Sixty-Seven years after starting her botany program, Marion was honored by her students on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Marion died seven years later, on this day in 1980. She was 97 years old. And there’s a lovely side note about Marion’s botanical career. At one point, Marion served as an editor for a botanical comedy magazine called "The Sportophyte." Marion’s poem,  "A Botanical Dream," was featured in a volume of The Sportophyte, and I thought I would share some quick definitions to help you appreciate her verse. Gymnosperms produce seed cones like conifers and the Ginko.  The Medullosae and Pteridosperms are extinct plants in the seed-fern group.  Calamites are extinct swamp plants related to horsetails - except that they could grow as tall as a ten-story building.  Cryptogams are plants that reproduce by spores (not flowers or seeds).   Sphenophyllum cones would refer to the spore-filled cone of an extinct group of plants that are a sister group to modern horsetails.  Finally, Palaeozoic is a reference to a long-ago era. The end of the Paleozoic period marked the most extraordinary extinction event on earth. A Botanical Dream Last night as I lay dreaming There came a dream so fair I stood mid ancient Gymnosperms Beside the Ginkgo rare. I saw the Medullosae With multipartite fronds, And watched the sunset rosy Through Calamites wands. Oh Cryptograms, Pteridosperms And Sphenophyllum cones, Why did ye ever fossilise To Palaeozoic stones?   Unearthed Words The most predaceous winter visitor we have had was a mink that took up residence under the woodpile one winter. The end of the pile was only 20 feet or so from the place where the drain pipe struck out of the pond, which tends to be open even when other areas of the pond are frozen. The Mink had found the perfect carryout restaurant right across from his winter Abode. We timed him: 20 seconds from leaving the woodpile to returning with a crayfish. We never saw him return empty-handed. — Jo Busha, Time and the Garden, February   Grow That Garden Library English Cottage Gardening by Margaret Hensel This book came out in 2000, and the subtitle is For American Gardeners, Revised Edition. In this book, Margaret shares everything she knows about English Cottage Gardening; and she’s as charming as her topic. Margaret breaks down ten cottage gardens owned by everyday gardeners in England and America. By deliberately not focusing on estate gardens, Margaret shows Daily Gardeners how anyone can cultivate the charm of a cottage garden. With inspiring photographs, Margaret focuses on plants that are easy to grow and give the look cottage gardeners love - enchanted shapes and natural forms, gentle colors, and endearing varieties. The last section of the book shares a glossary of 76 plant recommendations, including the Latin and common names, how to use them in the garden, as well as a list of places to find old rose varieties. This book is 256 pages of an English Cottage Garden masterclass taught by a garden designer who loves to teach the most novice gardener to create enchanting gardens and vistas right outside their windows. You can get a copy of English Cottage Gardening by Margaret Hensel and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $10    Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart February 23, 1991 On this day, the Hartford Courant shared an article written by Anne Farrow called Garden of Everlasting Delights. This fantastic article features Gregg Fisk of Gregg Fisk Designs and his incredible dried arrangements and flower drying skills. Gregg’s creations are truly a cut above the rest, and his celebrity clients have included Barbara Streisand and Lady Bird Johnson. And a photo of one of his swags highlights outstanding features like small flower pots, hydrangea, globe amaranth, and love-in-a-mist. Now as for Gregg’s favorite plants to grow for drying, here’s what Gregg suggests: “Some of the basics are globe amaranth, the everlasting signifying immortality; American statice, a ruffle-edged annual that's durable and can be grown in a variety of colors; strawflowers; asters; zinnias; heather' in several different colors; and nigella, a flower with a delicate mauve seed head and a beautiful name: love-in-a-mist.  The current crop of books on growing flowers for drying also recommends hosta, the ubiquitous of shade-garden perennials; poppies, which have a globe-shaped seed case that dries easily, astilbe, ivy, baby's breath and the evocatively named money plant, which has a silvery, translucent seed case.  Another must-have for the home gardener is the rose. [Gregg] recommends planting a climbing rose, sometimes called the faerie rose… [which adds] a finished, old-fashioned appearance to dried arrangements.  From the herb family, [Gregg] chooses rosemary, which has a dark, blue-green needle and a wonderfully piney perfume; bay, for its fragrance; and both Silver King and Silver Queen artemisia. The artemisias, which really are silver-colored, look handsome and puffy in the garden and in dried arrangements.  The bright golden florets of yarrow, a perennial grown in the earliest New World gardens, is another of the herbs he always chooses, as are the low-growing lamb's ear, which has a velvety, gray-green leaf that is soft even when dried. Often shown in herb kits for children because it is so touchable, lamb's ears are particularly pretty in wreaths with a lot of pink flowers or placed in a bowl of homemade potpourri.  White lilacs can [hang-dry] easily and turn a pearlescent cream color.  Hydrangeas, too, can be hang-dried and then dyed in a variety of shades. Asters, a garden classic, dry beautifully in beach sand. Experimentation teaches you a lot, [and Gregg] has found an ally in… the microwave oven.  Though the procedure for drying flowers in the "mike" is more complicated than simple hang-drying methods, the results, particularly with… peonies, daffodils, marigolds, and roses, justify the effort required. The special advantage of microwave flower drying is that the delicate natural color of the bloom is preserved because the drying time is a fraction of traditional methods.”   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

On today’s ID the Future, German paleontologist Günter Bechly unpacks what Charles Darwin referred to as an “abominable mystery,” the sudden appearance in the fossil record of a certain group of flowering plants. It was a mystery to Darwin because according to his theory, there should have been a long succession of precursors gradually evolving toward the flowering plants of the Cretaceous. Bechly and host Eric Anderson focus their conversation around a recent paper by Richard Buggs in the American Journal of Botany showing that the problem for evolutionary theory has actually grown more acute since Darwin’s time. What about a recent article claiming to have found evidence of flowering plants in the Jurassic? Bechly says that the “evidence” amounts Read More › Source

In this episode, we discuss the history of the Cycad National Monument which is the only National Monument that has been redacted and removed in the history of the United States not to be confused with Bears Ears National Monument which was unjustly reduced in size. Cycad National Monument was home to the world's greatest and most complete examples of early Cretaceous flora and fauna known to exist. Why was this National Monument created and why does it no longer exist? We answer all of those questions in this episode.  Don't forget to Subscribe, Comment & leave us a rating and review. We also have a YouTube Channel "Chasing History" where we take you into the field with the men & women who discover history! You can also visit the website for our store: TheRelicRoom.com.

Today we celebrate a botanist regarded as the "Father of Paleobotany" - the study of ancient plants that uses plant fossils. We'll also learn about the guitarist who went on a self-imposed 30-year exile - spending most of his time painting and gardening. We hear some thoughts on growing poisonous plants. We Grow That Garden Library™ with one of my favorite garden poetry books - I always carry it with me. And then we’ll wrap things up with a great article that helps us identify trees in winter - no small task.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy.   The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf.   Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org   Curated News The Best Indoor Plants for any Purpose | Garden Design | Anne Balogh   Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and original blog posts for yourself, you're in luck. I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community where you’d search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events January 6, 1761 Today is the birthday of the Bohemian theologian, mineralogist, geognost, entomologist, and botanist. Kaspar Maria von Sternberg Remembered as one of the most important natural scientists of the first half of the 19th century, Kaspar is regarded as the "Father of Paleobotany.” In 1818, Kaspar founded the National Museum in Prague. Today, the botanical genus Sternbergia honors Kaspar Sternberg. Sternbergia is a genus of plants in the Amaryllis family and comprises eight recognized species of flowering bulbs that look like Crocus. The most popular Sternbergia is the lutea, a garden favorite described by Clusius in 1601. White Flower Farm describes Sternbergia lutea this way: “These lovely, fall-flowering bulbs are Crocus look-alikes with bright yellow blooms. The foliage appears with the yellow flowers in fall and persists until spring. Bulbs multiply freely where they are happy—in a hot, sunny, very well-drained spot. Add a bit of lime to sweeten the soil, and planting will quickly fill out. Try pairing with one of the glorious blue flowers of fall, such as Caryopteris or Salvia, for a heavenly contrast. A member of the Amaryllis family, so the bulbs are essentially pest free, resistant to deer and voles. Heirloom, pre-1601. 10 per sq. ft.”   January 6, 1946 Today is the birthday of the guitarist, singer, songwriter, and co-founder of Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett. After his immense success with Pink Floyd, Syd released two solo LPs and then disappeared into a self-imposed 30-year exile where he spent most of his time painting and gardening. Before his life with Pink Floyd, Syd attended the Camberwell Art School. One of the pieces he created was a beautiful watercolor - a delicate-looking still life of a dried flower bouquet. In 2006, Syd died of cancer at the age of 60. Before he died, Syd was a patient at Addenbrooke Hospital in Cambridge. In 2017, his friend, the sculptor Stephen Pyle, and a garden designer named Paul Harrington were planning to install the Syd Barrett Garden at Addenbrooke. Stephen’s sculpture for the garden depicts Syd riding his bicycle - hands-free - with a guitar in one hand and artist brushes in the other.   Unearthed Words The year 1967 started with an all-out alert on the danger of poisonous plants. On January 6th, the Times published a story about a lecture on the subject by John M. Kingsbury, the author of a useful small book titled Deadly Harvest: A Guide to Common Poisonous Plants. At a very early age, I remember, I was to recognize what plants are to be avoided completely. At a very early age, I remember, I was taught how to recognize and stay away from deadly nightshade, poison ivy, and poison sumac. (I was, just as early, taught the delights of chewing tender young checkerberry leaves and sassafras root.) To me, it would be ridiculous, though, not to grow monkshood, foxglove, hellebore, larkspur, autumn crocus, poppies, lilies of the valley, buttercups, and many other flowers now present in my borders just because they have some poison in them. — Katharine S. White, gardener and garden writer, Onward and Upward in the Garden   Grow That Garden Library A Nature Poem for Every Night of the Year by Jane Hunter This book came out in 2020, and like the companion book, A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year, this book is one of my favorites. In this book, Jane has gathered a beautiful and soothing collection of poetry inspired by the natural world and perfect for bedtime reading. “Now more than ever, we need something to comfort and distract us from the cares of everyday life. Keep this beautiful book by your bedside and enjoy a dreamy stroll through the natural world and its wonders every evening, just before you go to sleep. All the great time-honored poets are here—William Wordsworth, John Keats, Emily Dickinson, Robert Bridges—along with some newer and lesser-known voices. The verses reflect and celebrate the changing seasons: read Emily Brontë on bluebells in spring and Edward Thomas’s evocative “Adlestrop” in summer, and then experience golden autumn with Hartley Coleridge and visit John Clare’s “Copse in Winter.” Stunningly illustrated with seasonal scenes, this wonderful anthology will delight you for years to come.” This book is 496 pages of soothing bedtime poetry inspired by the natural world. You can get a copy of A Nature Poem for Every Night of the Year by Jane Hunter and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $23   Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart January 6, 1996 On this day, The News and Observer out of Raleigh, North Carolina, shared an article called The Naked Secrets of Trees in Winter by Lee Reich. Here’s an excerpt: “Trying to identify leafless trees during the winter is a nice game to play alone or with a companion.” Lee reminds us that trees like the Paper Birch are easy to spy because of their peeling white bark. And the Catalpa tree is another easy one - with its long brown pods. And the Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) is fun to spy: the lower branches droop downward, midlevel branches are horizontal, and upper limbs turn upward. That said, most trees are challenging to identify this time of year. Lee suggests using some expert books that guide you through tree identification steps, such as Fruit Key & Twig Key to Trees and Shrubs by William Harlow or Winter Tree Finder by May Theilgaard and Tom Watts.  Now, one of the first steps in tree identification is to look at the buds’ arrangement on new twigs. Are the buds "opposite" - meaning, are they in pairs on opposite sides of each twig? Well, that narrows things down a bit because few deciduous trees have opposite buds. So, think about your Ashes, Dogwoods, Maples, and Horse Chestnut - they're the most common trees with opposite buds. Are the buds "alternate" - meaning that they are single and separated from each other along the length of the stem. Another question to ask is, “What is the shape of the buds?” Flowering Dogwood buds look like small buttons capping short stalks. The Pawpaw has velour-like brown buds. And finally, think about twig color and bark. They can both provide more clues. The Boxelder (Acer negundo) has purple twigs with a cloudy coating. The American hornbeam has smooth blue-gray bark with ripples like muscle. Thorns can provide identification clues as well. Common trees with thorns are the black locust, honey locust, hawthorn, or wild plum. And fruits and nuts provide another clue for tree identification. Finally, Lee writes, “Still at a loss for a tree's identity?  Break off a twig and make a slanting cut to expose the pith. Chambered rather than continuous pith characterize black walnuts and butternuts.  Butternut trees have chocolate-brown pith, and black walnut trees have toffee-brown pith.  The taste of a twig sometimes is the giveaway.  Black cherry will taste like bitter almond, and yellow and river birch will taste like wintergreen.  There is one more handy identifier. Deciduous trees are supposed to be leafless now, but a few leaves often hang on well into the winter.  They will be dead dry and twisted but often still "readable."  Not only that, but those on oaks and beeches are so reluctant to fall that one can spot these species even at some distance by their skirt of dry leaves.”   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

We might think of it today as a wasteland of ice and penguins, but Antarctica once was covered in greenery. Paleobotanist Brian Atkinson explains how to look for ancient plant fossils in Antarctica — and how those fossils could forecast the fate of plants on our rapidly warming planet.

Today we celebrate a man who wrote one of the most influential herbals in history and the French botanist who created the modern strawberry. We'll learn about the Father of Paleobotany and the sweet little Orchid known as the moccasin flower. Today's Unearthed Words feature words about winter. We Grow That Garden Library™ with the diary of a fabulous nurserywoman and garden designer. I'll talk about a garden item to get hung up on... and then we'll wrap things up with the fascinating birth flowers for the month of February. But first, let's catch up on a few recent events.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart   Curated Articles Plant of the Month: The Sensitive Plant | JSTOR Daily JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students. Aw... it's The Sensitive Plant! Whenever you touch it, the leaves fold up like a fan along its stem. "At first glance, Mimosa pudica ("poo-DEE-cah") is a plant that most people would consider a weed. It grows close to the ground, with countless delicate leaflets, puffy pinkish balls of flowers, and small bunches of legumes. So it makes sense that Mimosa pudica would be known as the "Humble Plant," but what about its association with other names, like "Herb of Love" and "Sensitive Plant"?   When Linnaeus considered what separated living from non-living things he wrote, "Stones grow; plants grow and live; animals grow, live, and feel." With the Mimosa's apparent ability to feel, many people felt that the Sensitive Plant took on animal characteristics with its strong reaction to touch. The Sensitive Plant fascinated 18th-century botanists, scientists, and poets who often compared the plant to animals because of the reaction of the plant; contracting after being touched. In 1791, Erasmus Darwin wrote about the Sensitive Plant in a poem called The Botanic Garden. Weak with nice sense, this chaste Mimosa stands From each rude touch withdraws her timid hands; Oft as light clouds o’er-pass the Summer-glade, And feels, alive through all her tender form, The whisper’d murmurs of the gathering storm; Shuts her sweet eye-lids to approaching night, And hails with freshen’d charms the rising light.   Honey Plant Growth Stimulator - Using Honey To Root Cuttings This post is from Gardening Know How. "Many people have found success with using honey to root cuttings. It is, after all, a natural antiseptic and contains anti-fungal properties — allowing the little cuttings to remain healthy and strong. Some people have even added honey to willow water to aid in rooting."   Now, if you'd like to check out these curated articles for yourself, you're in luck, because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events 1515  Today is the birthday of Valerius Cordus. Cordus was the author of one of the most influential herbals in history. In fact, centuries later, the botanist Thomas Archibald Sprague re-published "The Herbal of Valerius Cordus" with his older sister, who he considered to be the best botanist in his botanist family. After the book was published, Sprague gifted her with a personal and gorgeous bound copy. He had the book dedicated to her in Latin: "M. S. Sprague praeceptrici olim hodie collaboratrici d.d. T. A. Sprague" - basically, thanking her for all that she had taught him and collaborated with him. Valerius Cordus died young, at the age of 29. He had contracted malaria. In 1544, Valerius had spent the summer botanizing in Italy with two French naturalists. At some point, he had waded into marshes in search of new plants. When he became sick a short time later, his friends brought him to Rome, and then, they continued on to Naples. When they returned for him, they found their friend, Valerius, had died. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Swiss botanist Konrad Gesner who had the sense to collect Cordus' prolific writings and preserve and publish them. One expert once said, "There was Theophrastus; there was nothing for 1,800 years; then there was Cordus." The genus Cordia is named in honor of Valerius Cordus. Cordia's are in the borage family, and many cordias have fragrant, showy flowers. Some cordias also produce edible fruits with strange and fascinating names like clammy cherries, glue berries, sebesten, or snotty gobbles.   1827  Today is the anniversary of the death of the French botanist, gardener, and professor at Versailles, Antoine Nicolas Duchesne ("do-Shane"). A specialist in strawberries and gourds, Duchesne was a student of Bernard de Jussieu at the Royal Garden in Paris. A plant pioneer, Duchesne recognized that mutation was a natural occurrence and that plants could be altered through mutation at any time. As a young botanist, Duchesne began experimenting with strawberries. Ever since the 1300s, wild strawberries had been incorporated into gardens. But, on July 6, 1764, Duchesne created the modern strawberry - the strawberry we know and love today. Strawberries are members of the rose family, and their seeds are on the outside of the fruit. Just how many seeds are on a single strawberry? Well, the average strawberry has around 200 seeds. Now, to get your strawberry plants to produce more fruit, plant them in full sun, in well-drained soil, and trim the runners.   1873  Today is the anniversary of the death of the French botanist and the Father of Paleobotany; Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart ("Bron-yahr"). Adolphe-Théodore and his wife had two sons, and when Adolphe-Théodore died, he died in the arms of his eldest son. As one of the most prominent botanists of the 19th century, Adolphe-Théodore worked to classify fossil plant forms, and he did so even before Charles Darwin. Adolphe-Théodore's work provided content for his book on the history of plant fossils in 1828. Adolphe-Théodore published his masterpiece when he was just 27 years old. Adolphe-Théodore's writing brought him notoriety and gave him the moniker "Father of Paleobotany." He was also called the "Linnaeus of Fossil Plants." A paleobotanist is someone who works with fossil plants. Plants have been living on the planet for over 400 million years. So, there are plenty of fossil plants to study and catalog. Adolphe-Théodore was not so much a fossil plant discoverer as he was a fossil plant organizer. He put fossil plants in order and applied principles for distinguishing them. In 1841, at the age of 40, Adolphe-Théodore received the Wollaston Medal for his work with fossil plants. It is the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London. The honor would have made his geologist father, Alexander, very proud. Adolphe-Théodore was a professor at the Paris Museum of Natural History. He was the backfill for Andre Michaux, who had left to explore the flora of North America.   1902  Today the Showy Lady's-Slipper became the State Flower of Minnesota. The Lady' s-Slipper Orchid was discovered in 1789 by the botanist William Aiton. The common name Lady' s-Slipper is from the unusual form of the third petal that makes that part of the bloom look like a little shoe. During his lifetime, Darwin repeatedly tried to propagate the Lady' s-Slipper Orchid. He never succeeded. Now, the growing conditions of the Lady' s-Slipper are quite particular - which is why they are almost impossible to keep in a traditional garden. It's also illegal to pick, uproot or unearth the flowers - which was a problem in the 1800s when people collected them almost to extinction. Since 1925, the Lady' s-Slipper has been protected by Minnesota state law. In the wild, Lady' s-Slippers grow in swamps, bogs, and damp woods. They take forever to grow, and they can grow for almost a decade before producing their first flower, which can last for two months in cooler weather. As long-lived plants, Lady' s-Slippers can grow as old as 100 years and grow up to 4 feet tall. To Native Americans, the Lady' s-Slipper was known as the moccasin flower. An old Ojibwe legend told of a plague that had occurred during a harsh winter. Many people died - including the tribal healer. Desperate for help, a young girl was sent to find medicine. But, the snow was deep, and in her haste, she lost her boots and left a trail of bloody footprints in the snow. Every spring, the legend was that her footprints were marked with the beautiful moccasin flower. One summer, when Henry David Thoreau came upon a red variety of Lady' s-Slipper in the woods, he wrote about it, saying: "Everywhere now in dry pitch pine woods stand the red Lady's-Slipper over the red pine leaves on the forest floor rejoicing in June. Behold their rich striped red, their drooping sack."   Unearthed Words Here are some words about this time of year.   The day is ending,  The night is descending;  The marsh is frozen,  The river is dead. — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American poet, An Afternoon in February   A man says a lot of things in summer he doesn't mean in winter. — Patricia Briggs, American Fantasy Writer, Dragon's Blood   Pleasures newly found are sweet  When they lie about our feet:  February last, my heart  First at sight of thee was glad;  All unheard of as thou art,  Thou must needs, I think, have had,  Celandine ("seh·luhn·dine")!  And long ago.  Praise of which I nothing know. — William Wordsworth, English Romantic poet, To the Same Flower (In medieval lore, it was believed that mother birds dropped the juice of the celandineinto the eyes of their blind fledglings.)   I was just thinking if it is really religion with these nudist colonies, they sure must turn atheists in the wintertime. — Will Rogers, American actor & cowboy   The twelve months… Snowy, Flowy, Blowy, Showery, Flowery, Bowery, Hoppy, Croppy, Droppy, Breezy, Sneezy, Freezy. — George Ellis, Jamaican-born English satirical poet    Grow That Garden Library Beth Chatto's Garden Notebook Beth's book was a monthly record of everything she did in her garden. Her chapters covered the garden, but also bits of her life. From a personal standpoint, Beth shared her successes as well as her failures. She was a business owner and ran a garden center, and she also showed a garden at Chelsea, which was a tremendous thrill but also an incredible amount of work. Beth gardened for over four decades, and she appreciated the time-factor of gardening and the patience required to grow a garden and grow into a good gardener. She wrote: "As certain of our plants take many years to mature, so it takes a long time to grow a genuine plantsman. Those of us who have been at it longest know that one lifetime is not half enough, once you become aware of the limitless art of gardening." Here's an excerpt from her chapter on January. Beth's talking about a mass planting of shrubs that appeared less-than-enticing in the winter landscape: "I remember several years ago… suddenly feeling very dissatisfied with a group of shrubs which had not faulted when they were full of leaf (and, for a few weeks, blossom) during the summer. But now, leafless and with nothing distinguished about their habit of growth, the whole patch looked muddled, formless and lifeless. By removing some of it, planting a holly and Mahonia among the rest together with vigorous sheaves of the evergreen Iris foetidissima ("FOY-ta-dis-EMMA")'Citrina' nearby and patches of small-leafed ivies as ground cover, the picture became much more interesting in winter and now forms a better background to the summer carnival which passes before it." In her book, Beth writes in conversation with the reader. In January, she asks: "If you look out of your favorite window now, are you satisfied with the view? Does it lack design? Would a small-leafed, narrowly pyramidal Holly do anything for it, and how many plants can you see which remain green -or grey, or bronze -throughout the winter, furnishing the bare soil at ground level?" Finally, Beth begins her chapter on February with a word about how, for many nursery owners and landscapers, this time of year can feel overwhelming as the full weight of the season's work is anticipated. Beth also acknowledged how difficult it was for her to write during the garden season. This is a common challenge for garden writers who are too busy gardening in the summer to write but then can find less inspiration to write in the winter without their gardens. "This morning, I awoke to hear the grandfather clock striking 4 a.m. and was immediately alert, all my present commitments feverishly chasing themselves through my head. Apart from a garden I have foolishly agreed to plan, there is the Chelsea Flower Show nudging more and more insistently as the weeks rush towards May. Usually, I have a nucleus of large plants and shrubs in containers that provide an established looking background. [But] the sudden severe weather in January has killed off several of my old plants. I have no frost-free place large enough to protect them all; in normal winters, a plastic-covered tunnel has been sufficient. Another commitment is this notebook, which has been fermenting in my mind for several months. I would like to write it, to record some of the ups and downs of a nursery garden, but my one fear is not finding time to write decently. Even keeping up a scrappy diary becomes difficult as the sap rises." You can get a used copy of Beth Chatto's Garden Notebook and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for under $9.   Great Gifts for Gardeners AOMGD 3 Pack Macrame Plant Hanger and 3 PCS Hooks Indoor Outdoor Hanging Plant Holder Hanging Planter Stand Flower Pots for Decorations - Cotton Rope, 4 Leg-Strings, 3 Sizes $9.89 HANDMADE WEAVE: Show your plants some love with this elegant, vintage-inspired macrame plant hanger. Simple, yet meticulously handcrafted, this beauty would add a touch of elegance and beauty to your home, balcony, or your patio. PACKAGE INCLUDE: 3 PCS hooks and 3 PCS different sizes plant hanger, approximate length:46"/41"/34", and diameter: 2cm.Fit multiple pot size and shape, ideal pot size is 3-10". (No pot or plant included).Color: off-white Create Nice Home: Hanging plant holders can be used for indoor, outdoor, living room, kitchen, deck, patio, high, and low ceiling. This hanging plant stand has a strong, flexible woven design that can accommodate various shapes and sizes of planters (pots not included). The maximum load is about 12 pounds. EASY INSTALLATION: the hangers are suitable for indoor and outdoor use; Just expand the four leg-strings, put the plant pot in the middle of the conjunction. The perfect solution for pet owners if the pet has a tendency to destroy your plants, then this one will save you from lots of struggle! Nice Gift: Ideal to decorate pathways and indoor. It will be a great and practical gift for a plant lover. They'll love the freedom to display their plants wherever they want. It's perfect for birthdays, Christmas, and more!   Today's Botanic Spark Even though roses are often associated with February (thanks to Valentine's Day), February's birth flower is not the rose. Instead, February has two birth flowers. In England, February's birth flower is the Violet, and in the United States, February is honored with the Primrose. With regard to the Violet, the plantsman Derek Jarman once wrote: "Violet has the shortest wavelength of the spectrum. Behind it, the invisible ultraViolet. 'Roses are Red; Violets are Blue.' Poor Violet — violated for a rhyme." The adorable little Violet signifies many virtues; truth and loyalty; watchfulness and faithfulness. Gifting a Violet lets the recipient know you'll always be true. Like the theme song from Friends promises, you'll always be there for them. The ancient Greeks placed a high value on the Violet. When it came time to pick a blossom as a symbol for Athens, it was the Violet that made the cut. The Greeks used Violet to make medicine. They also used Violets in the kitchen to make wine and to eat the edible blossoms. Today, Violets are used to decorate salads, and they can even be gently sprinkled over fish or poultry. Violets are beautiful when candied in sugar or used to decorate pastries. Violets can even be distilled into a syrup for a memorable Violet liqueur. Finally, Violets were Napoleon Bonaparte's signature flower. When his wife, Josephine, died in 1814, Napoleon covered her grave with Violets. His friends even referred to Napoleon as Corporal Violet. After he was exiled to Elba, Napoleon vowed to return before the Violet season. Napoleon's followers used Violet to weed out his detractors. They would ask strangers if they liked Violets; a positive response was the sign of a loyal Napoleon supporter. The other official February flower is the Primrose, which originated from the Latin word "primus," meaning "first" or "early." The name refers to the Primrose as one of the first plants that bloom in the spring. As with the Violet, the leaves and flowers of Primrose are edible and often tossed into a salad. The leaves are said to taste like lettuce. Gifting a Primrose has a more urgent - stalkerish- meaning than the Violet; a Primrose tells a person that you can't live without them. In Germany, people believed that the first girl to find a Primrose on Easter would marry that same year. And, the saying about leading someone down the Primrose path, refers to enticing someone with to do something bad by laying out pleasurable traps. The phrase originated in William Shakespeare's Hamlet as Ophelia begs her brother: Do not, as some ungracious pastors do, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven; While like a puffed and reckless libertine, Himself, the Primrose path of dalliance treads. And, the man known as "The Daffodil King, Peter Barr, who bred over 2 million daffodils at his home in Surry and he's credited with popularizing the daffodil. Yet, when Barr retired, he went to Scotland and grew - not daffodils, but Primroses. Two years before he died, Peter Barr, the Daffodil King, mused, "I wonder who will plant my grave with Primroses?"

Today we celebrate the Father of Paleobotany and the botanical illustrator honored by King Charles X. We'll learn about the botanical painter who got sick of painting flowers (he'd painted 800 of them) and the botanical illustrator who worked for Curtis's Botanical Magazine and Kew Gardens. Today’s Unearthed Words feature the hidden (and often unappreciated) transformations happening in our garden during January. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book that helps us understand plant physiology through an intimate and entertaining memoir. I'll talk about a garden item that can help you propagate your house plants, and then we’ll wrap things up with the birth flowers of January. But first, let's catch up on a few recent events.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart   Curated Articles Horniman Museum's gardener Wes Shaw - Gardens Illustrated Horniman Gardens, Forest Hill, London - Spotlight: Wes Shaw "The last place that blew me away was GARDENS BY THE BAY in Singapore. Amazing conservatories, landscaping & planting - taking horticulture to a new level. While I was there, I saw gardeners abseiling down the side of green walls and volunteers using tweezers to pick over the beds. Gardens should continuously change and evolve. I never see the point of keeping something looking the same as it did at some point in the past. What’s the next big project task you’ll be tackling in the garden? We are planning a Winter Garden for an area of the Horniman Gardens that needs a bit of a refresh.”   High Society: The Expert’s Guide To Alpines Here's a great post from @AlysFowler featuring Richard Wilford - an alpine lover and head of design and collection support at the Royal Botanic Gardens @KewGardens. "What Richard doesn’t know about alpines isn’t worth knowing. 'We’ve got a very tall house to grow some very small plants' he jokes. Alpines are surprisingly easy and hardy and perfect for tricky corners and small plots. As their name suggests, alpines are from areas of high elevation, so they love full sun, cool roots, and cold nights." Check out Richard Wilford’s Five Easy Alpines: Sempervivum: will grow on sunny rocks, cracks in walls, and stony places. Put a little compost into the niches first, then nudge them in. Alpine pinks Dianthus alpinus: a tiny mat-forming evergreen with bright pink flowers. It likes free-draining conditions and suits pots, gravel path edges, and window boxes. Erinus alpinus, or alpine balsam: forms neat rosettes of narrow leaves and loves crevices. Campanula cochlearifolia (fairy thimbles or ear leaf flowers): Nodding blue flowers - Keep its feet well-drained. Phlox douglasii: A low-growing perennial - it grows in dry woodlands. It needs a dry winter, but good drainage and a sheltered spot by a wall will work.   Now, if you'd like to check out these curated articles for yourself, you're in luck, because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There’s no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events 1801 Today is the birthday of the French botanist and the Father of Paleobotany Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart ("Bron-yahr"). Adolphe-Théodore was born in Paris. His father, Alexander, was a geologist. There’s no doubt his father’s work helped Adolphe-Théodore become a pioneer in the field of paleobotany. A paleobotanist is someone who works with fossil plants. Plants have been living on the planet for over 400 million years. So, there are plenty of fossil plants to study and catalog. As one of the most prominent botanists of the 19th century, Adolphe-Théodore worked to classify fossil plant forms, and he did so even before Charles Darwin. Adolphe-Théodore’s work provided content for his book on the history of plant fossils in 1828. Adolphe-Théodore published his masterpiece when he was just 27 years old. Adolphe-Théodore’s writing brought him notoriety and gave him the moniker "Father of Paleobotany." He was also called the "Linnaeus of Fossil Plants." Adolphe-Théodore was not so much a fossil plant discover as he was a fossil plant organizer. He put fossil plants in order and applied principles for distinguishing them. In 1841, at the age of 40, Adolphe-Théodore received the Wollaston Medal for his work with fossil plants. It is the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London. It must have made his father, Alexander, very proud. Adolphe-Théodore was a professor at the Paris Museum of Natural History. He was the backfill for Andre Michaux, who had left to explore the flora of North America. Adolphe-Théodore's wife died young. They had two boys together, and when Adolphe-Théodore died, he died in the arms of his eldest son.   1825 King Charles X honored the Belgian botanical illustrator Pierre-Joseph Redouté with the Legion of Honor. To this day, Redouté is one of the most renowned flower painters of all time. Redouté was born into a Flemish family of painters. Growing up, his family supported themselves by creating paintings for the home and for the church. Redouté was an official court draftsman to Queen Marie Antoinette. One evening around midnight, she summoned him to appear before her, and she asked him to paint her a cactus. She was exerting her control; she wanted to see if Redouté was as talented as was reported. (He was.) Redouté also became a favorite of Josephine Bonaparte. Redouté’s paintings of her flowers at Malmaison are among his most beautiful works. Today, Redouté is best known for his paintings of lilies and roses. Roses were his specialty.  And, Redouté's work earned him a nickname; he was known as "the Raffaele of flowers.". Now, if you'd like to really treat yourself or get a special gift or a gardener in your life, you should check out the book by Werner Dressendorfer called Redouté: Selection of the Most Beautiful Flowers. This is a large coffee table book. It is probably one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen; again, it's called Redoute: A Selection of the Most Beautiful Flowers. This book came out in September of 2018, and I finally just got myself a copy of it after mulling it over for over a year. the book features 144 paintings by Redouté that were published between 1827 and 1833. it's is truly one of my favorite books in my Botanical Library. When this book first came out, it retailed for $150. You can get new copies of Redouté: Selection of the Most Beautiful Flowers by Werner Dressendorfer and support the show - using the link in Today Show notes for $83. I managed to get an excellent used copy for $65. But, as I said, this is an investment piece, and it's also extraordinarily beautiful. I guarantee if you have this book sitting out, your visitors will be sure to comment, and they probably won't be able to resist looking through the beautiful paintings. Glorious.   1836 Today is the birthday of the botanical painter Henri Fantin-Latour (Fahn-tahn Lah-tur”). It's kind of humorous to me that we end up discussing Henri Fantin-LaTour today - right after Pierre Joseph Redoute - because Henri painted flowers as well. But, unlike Pierre Joseph Redoute, Henri got so sick of painting flowers that he could find no joy in doing it for the end of his career. All together, Henry painted well over 800 pictures of flowers over 32 years between 1864 and 1896. By the end of his career, the entire genre of still life flower painting was life-draining to him. He despised it. Yet, it's how he made a living, and many of his paintings bought to be displayed in homes. The painter James Whistler talked up Henri’s work so much that his flower paintings were quite famous in England. In fact, during his lifetime, he was better known in England as a painter than he was in his native France. Henri also painted portraits, as well as group portraits of Parisian artists, and he even painted imaginative compositions. He enjoyed painting portraits and his other creative work more than painting flowers. But, it was always the flower paintings that sold, and so he kept painting them to support himself.   1892 Today is the anniversary of the death of the exceptionally talented Scottish botanical illustrator Walter Hood Fitch. He was 75 years old. Fitch was one of the most prolific botanical artists of all time. His illustrations were stunning, and he used vivid colors for his work. In 1834, Walter began working for William Hooker. Hooker was the editor of Curtis's Botanical Magazine. Walter's very first published plate was of a Mimulus Rose. He didn’t know it then, but it was one down, and he had over 2,700 more to go. Hooker loved Walters’s work because his paintings reflected the way the plants appeared in real life; they weren't fanciful or embellished, yet they were beautiful. In short order, Walter became the sole artist for the magazine. When Hooker became the director of Kew, the promotion meant moving to London. He talked Walter into moving, too. Pretty soon, Walter was not only making illustrations for the magazine but for everything published at Kew. At the end of his career, around the age of 60, Walter got into a disagreement with William Hooker’s son, Joseph Dalton Hooker, over his pay. Walter left his post at Kew and became a freelancer. During his lifetime, Walter created over 12,000 illustrations that found their way to publication in various works.   Unearthed Words There is a famous saying, slow as molasses in January. We often think nothing is happening in our gardens during the winter, As Alfred Austin said in his poem, Primroses (Primula vulgaris): Pale January lay In its cradle day by day Dead or living, hard to say. But this belief that January is a dead time in the garden… well, nothing could be further from the truth. Today's Unearthed Words are all about the productivity that takes place in our gardens in January.   January is the quietest month in the garden. ... But just because it looks quiet doesn't mean that nothing is happening. The soil, open to the sky, absorbs the pure rainfall while microorganisms convert tilled-under fodder into usable nutrients for the next crop of plants. The feasting earthworms tunnel along, aerating the soil and preparing it to welcome the seeds and bare roots to come.   — Rosalie Muller Wright, Editor, Sunset Magazine   Nature looks dead in winter because her life is gathered into her heart.  She withers the plant down to the root that she may grow it up again, fairer and stronger.  She calls her family together within her inmost home to prepare them for being scattered abroad upon the face of the earth. — Hugh Macmillan, Scottish Minister & Naturalist, 1871   Over the land freckled with snow half-thawed The speculating rooks at their nests cawed And saw from elm tops, delicate as flower of grass, What we below could not see, Winter pass. —  Edward Thomas, British Poet     "You think I am dead," The apple tree said, “Because I never have a leaf to show- Because I stoop, And my branches droop, And the dull gray mosses over me grow! But I'm still alive in trunk and shoot; The buds of next May I fold away- But I pity the withered grass at my root." "You think I am dead," The quick grass said, "Because I have parted with stem and blade! But under the ground, I am safe and sound With the snow's thick blanket over me laid. I'm all alive, and ready to shoot, Come dancing here- But I pity the flower without branch or root." "You think I am dead," A soft voice said, "Because not a branch or root I own. I have never died, but close I hide In a plumy seed that the wind has sown. Patient, I wait through the long winter hours; You will see me again- I shall laugh at you then, Out of the eyes of a hundred flowers." — Edith Matilda Thomas, American Poet   Grow That Garden Library A Garden of Marvels by Ruth Kassinger The subtitle to this book is: How We Discovered that Flowers Have Sex, Leaves Eat Air, and Other Secrets of Plants This book came out in April of 2015. Ruth Kassinger didn’t always have a green thumb. in this book, she'll tell you that until she completely understood how plants actually worked, she couldn't know precisely what they needed. Her story starts this way, “This book was born of a murder, a murder I committed.” The victim - it turns out-was a beloved kumquat tree. Ruth had decided to prune it. Her efforts made the tree turn brittle and brown. It made her wonder: Why did the kumquat die when a rose bush and a crepe myrtle that was pruned the very same way were both thriving? The dilemma is what made Ruth begin a quest to understand more about plant physiology. This book is part memoir and part science-class. Ruth writes with a friendly voice. This book is a beautiful way to learn basic botany - the marvel of flowers, roots, stems, and leaves. While we're learning botany from Ruth, we also get to know her personal stories. Ruth shares how she learned to become a better gardener. Initially, Ruth made the same mistakes we all make: over-watering, under fertilizing, making untrue assumptions about what plants need. You can get a used copy of A Garden of Marvels by Ruth Kassinger and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for under $5.   Great Gifts for Gardeners 3-Bulb Vase (Plant Terrarium) with Wooden Stand Retro Wooden Frame -3 Glass Plant Vases - for Desktop Rustic wood and vintage design, these decorative glass vases are perfect for propagating plants like hoya, pathos, Swedish Ivy, etc. It is a gorgeous plant prop for your home. The frame is made of natural wood, mottled surface; three bulb vases are made of High boron silicon heat resistant glass. The wooden stand size : 5.5"H x 11" W x 4" D; Each vase : 3.74 H x 2.75 W; Opening – 1 inch Diameter. Perfect for the desktop, in office, or home. Accessories complete- Easy to set up - ready for water (the hexagon screwdriver and screws are included).   Today’s Botanic Spark January’s birth flowers are the carnation and snowdrop. Let’s take a moment to celebrate both. Carnations Carnations are some of the world's oldest flowers. They have been cultivated for over 2000 years. The Greeks and Romans used them and garlands Carnations are part of the Dianthus family. Their Latin name is Dianthus caryophyllus. The etymology of the word Dianthus is from two Greek words. Dios means Divine, and Anthos means Flower. And, the translation of dianthus means "Flower of the Gods." Carnations have different meanings based on their color. White carnations symbolize good luck and pure love. Pink carnations represent admiration, and a dark red carnation represents affection and love. Snowdrops January’s other birth flower is the Snowdrop (Galanthus). Snowdrops were named by Carl Linnaeus, who gave them the Latin name Galanthus nivalis, which means "milk flower of the snow." Snowdrop is a common name. They were also known as Candlemas Veils because they typically bloom around Candlemas or February 2nd. Snowdrops are an indicator flower signaling the transition from winter into spring. Thus, the meaning of a Snowdrop blossom is Hope. The word Galanthophile is the name given to people who love snowdrops. And here's a Fun Fact: a substance extracted from snowdrops is used to treat Alzheimer's Disease.  

Learn about the “Jurassic Park generation” of paleontologists, how the film affected the scientific community, some amazing fan theories and, the, uh, lasting impact of Dr. Ian Malcolm as the film’s moral center. Hold onto your butts!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/checkyourthreading)

This week on Project Botany we learn about plant fossils and Paleonbotany Check out the Project Botany Podcast website or send me an email at projectbotanypodcast@gmail.com. Don’t forget to listen and subscribe on the apps below or wherever you get podcasts. Anchor Spotify Overcast Pocket Casts Apple Podcast Google Podcasts If you are interested in learning more about what we talked about today here are some links to take a look at Phytoliths https://phytopost.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/ten-things-you-might-not-know-about-phytoliths/ Plant Fossils http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-DawFore-t1-body-d12-d2.html

The Myrtaceae is an iconic Australiasian family with a deep history. This episode welcomes Dr Myall Tarran, a researcher of the Paleobotany of the Myrtaceae family. He joins us to discuss gleaning knowledge from ancient fossils, the history of Australia's quintessential plant family, and how past climates can teach us about the present. Hosted by Bradely Bianco and featuring Dr. Myall Taran. Follow Myall @acaciapendula on Twitter. Contact him with question at myall.tarran@adelaide.edud.au. Research gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Myall_Tarranat… Produced by Christopher Jolly and Myall Tarran; promoted by Adam Toomes; intro music by Darcy Whittaker; and support from the Biology Society of South Australia.

On this episode I'll tell you a little about myself and how I've applied some of the ideas of Stoicism to my life. I'll also talk about upcoming episodes.

Peter Crane is the Carl W. Knobloch Jr. Dean of the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Professor of Botany at Yale University. Peter received his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. Afterward, he conducted postdoctoral research at Indiana University and worked for about 17 years at the Field Museum in Chicago, rising from Assistant Curator in Paleobotany to Museum Director. Peter then served as Director and Chief Executive of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He also served as the John and Marion Sullivan University Professor at the University of Chicago before joining the faculty at Yale where he is today. Peter has received many prestigious awards and honors during his career. First and foremost, he was knighted in the United Kingdom in 2004 for his contributions to horticulture and conservation. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences, a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In addition, Peter has received multiple honorary degrees and fellowships, including an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Cambridge. He was also the recipient of the International Prize for Biology awarded in Japan last December, as well as many other national and international awards. Peter is here with us today to tell us all about his journey through life and science.

00:00:00 - Dr. Ellen Currano joins Ryan to talk about her origins as a paleontologist and her current research into the paleobotany of Wyoming during a potent climate shift (but not the current one). They also share a beer ironically named Fanboy, which is un-ironically delicious.    00:26:46 - Ellen recently wrote an article for Paleontology Online about being both a woman and a paleontologists. This obviously involved putting on fake beards and having old-timey photos taken, but you'll have to listen to understand the full connection. Ellen is writing blogs about women doing awesome science and ends the interview by giving some advice based on one of her favorite classic books that most folks only know from the movies: Lawrence of Arabia. Ryan also brings up what he feels to be a classic movie (directed by a woman, no less). Speaking of movies, Ellen is working on one called The Bearded Lady Project: Challenging the Face of Science, check out the trailers and get more info at the link!   00:55:47 - PaleoPOWs are a lot like women in science; there should be more of them. However, because Ryan is alone (so very alone) he only has one PaleoPOW to present. This week's PaleoPOW comes from Joshua W., who had the decency to donate some actual money to the show, and e-mailed in a review to avoid using iTunes.      Thanks for listening and be sure to check out the Brachiolope Media Network for more great science podcasts!       Music for this week's show: Fallen Leaves - Billy Talent Honey Won't You Let Me You In - The Tallest Man On Earth

Most people would consider fire to be an entirely destructive process, however given the right circumstances organic materials can be exquisitely preserved by charcoalification. We no doubt all know charcoal from the BBQ, but how many of us stop to consider what it actually is? Charcoal is formed when organic material is subjected to high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. In this situation oxidation (burning) is not possible, however water and volatiles are driven off leaving behind a carbon-rich residue. This thermochemical alteration not only increases the preservation potential of the material in the fossil record, but can also preserve details down to a cellular level as a 'carbon skeleton'. In this episode we discuss the importance of this greatly overlooked source of palaeontological information with Professor Andrew C. Scott of the Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London.

Volume: v.1By: British Museum (Natural History). Department of Geology. - Seward, A. C. (Albert Charles), 1863-1941 - Stopes, Marie Carmichael, 1880-1958Publication Details: London, Trustees of the B.M, 1894-1915Contributed By: University of Toronto - Robarts Library

In this series of episodes, we talk to many of the scientists at Blue Sky Studios, which created the Ice Age series of animated features, including the recently released Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs . In episode 3, we hear from co-director Mike Thurmeier, art director Mike Knapp and head of lighting Andew Beddini. Special thanks to Hugo Ayala. Web sites related to this episode include www.blueskystudios.com and www.iceagemovie.com