Reading Time: 3 minutesThis essay reflects Sophia’s journey from gardening with ornamental plants to adopting a native plant-focused approach. Initially, Sophia believed her choice of ornamental plants was beneficial to local wildlife, but their perspective shifted after encountering the work of entomologist, Dr. Doug Tallamy.
Reading Time: 4 minutesIn this post we share photos from Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, Australia.
The Royal Botanic Garden Australia was founded as the ‘Sydney Botanic Garden’ in 1816, making it the oldest scientific institution in Australia. It was initially created as a way to cultivate useful plants for the growing colony and promote the study of botany.
Over the years, the garden expanded its collection of plants and botanical research efforts. In 1959, it was officially designated as the ‘Royal Botanic Garden’ by Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Australia.
Several notable botanists and scientists have played a significant role in the garden’s development. One such figure is Joseph Maiden, who served as the Director of the garden from 1896 to 1924. Maiden was instrumental in expanding the garden’s scientific research and played a crucial role in establishing the Botanical Magazine of Australia.
The Royal Botanic Garden Australia has made numerous scientific contributions throughout its history. It has been involved in important research on plant classification, conservation, and the study of Australia’s unique flora. Additionally, the garden has played a vital role in the introduction and propagation of new plant species into Australia.
The Royal Botanic Garden Australia actively participates in conservation initiatives aimed at preserving Australia’s native plants and ecosystems. It works on projects focused on endangered species, habitat restoration, and sustainable land management.
The garden holds cultural importance to Sydney’s locals. It serves as a recreational space, hosting various events such as concerts, exhibitions, and educational programs for visitors of all ages. The garden’s stunning landscape, with its iconic Sydney Harbor backdrop, makes it a favorite spot among locals and tourists alike.
Today, the Royal Botanic Garden Australia remains a vital institution in promoting botanical research, conservation, and public education. Its impressive collection of plants, beautiful landscapes, and dedication to scientific excellence continue to make it a significant landmark in Australian history.
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn this post we share photos from Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, Palo Alto, California, United States of America.
This interactive museum is a space where children participate in hands-on learning activities to explore natural phenomena like gravity, inertia, force, motion, balance, energy, states of matter, electricity, and magnetism.
The attached zoo & netted aviary has a peacock roaming about, a climbable treehouse that overlooks the animals, an underwater tunnel and nooks to hide, and close-proximity to flamingos, macaws, meerkats and other animals. This whimsical setting makes for a wonder-filled experience.
Reading Time: < 1 minuteIn this post we share our enthusiasm for “Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature”.
Author Rachel Williams invites readers to embrace the beauty and tranquility of the natural world. Each page presents a new moment for readers to pause, reflect, and appreciate the wonders of nature. Freya Hartas’ stunning visuals bring readers from vast mountains to delicate flowers, from cascading waterfalls to intricate animal patterns.
Slow Down serves as a reminder to savor the present moment. It encourages readers to engage all senses, to find solace in the gentle rhythm of nature, and to cultivate a deeper connection to the world around us. With its simple yet profound messages, “Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature” is a source of inspiration and a gentle guide to finding inner peace through nature’s embrace.
Reading Time: 3 minutes“The Seed Underground: A Growing Revolution to Save Food” delves into the world of heirloom seeds and the critical role they play in ensuring food security and biodiversity.
Author Janisse Ray brings readers along a thought-provoking journey through her personal experiences with seed saving and introduces us to a network of passionate gardeners, farmers, and activists who dedicate themselves to preserving rare and endangered crop varieties. She sheds light on the challenges faced by industrial agriculture and emphasizes the need for grassroots efforts to protect our food heritage.
A winner of the American Horticultural Society Book award and is a prestigious Nautilus Book Awards, The Seed Underground is a compelling call to action for everyone, urging us to reconnect with our food sources and support the movement towards seed sovereignty.
Reading Time: 2 minutesAdam Alexander is a Welsh gardener and award-winning film & television producer who brings us along his journey to collect and preserve rare and endangered heritage and heirloom vegetables.
Alexander’s passion is in engendering a feeling of connectedness to the land. He achieves this by reintroducing people to their own food culture & heritage and provides encouragement to eat more locally-produced food.
The Seed Detective is a story of “globalization, political intrigue, colonization and serendipity – describing how these vegetables and their travels have become embedded in our food cultures.”
Reading Time: 5 minutesIn this post we share high-quality plant selection and care resources for gardeners based in Northern California, United States of America.
Reading Time: 2 minutesIn this post we share key learnings from In this post we share key learnings from Joy Larkcom’s “Creative Vegetable Gardening”, a book that provides valuable insights, inspiration, and practical advice for creating a beautiful and productive kitchen garden or potager.
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn this post we share photos from Zilker Botanical Garden, Austin, Texas, United States of America.
Zilker Botanical Garden is a delightful space across 26 acres in the heart of Austin. The garden is a paradise for nature enthusiasts. Three areas of the garden are particularly interesting: the Heritage Live Oaks, The Hartman Prehistoric Garden (featuring a variety of vegetation that existed during the time when dinosaurs roamed), and the Isamu Taniguchi Japanese Garden (which offers winding pathways and a place of tranquility).
Reading Time: 2 minutesIn this post we share a list of companies that specialize in organic, or at least GMO-free, seeds. There are many options that are open-pollinated varieties. Most of these companies are small business, if not self-owned.
Reading Time: 4 minutesIn this post we share photos from VanDusen Botanical Gardens, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
VanDusen Botanical Garden is a stunning oasis nestled in the heart of Vancouver, British Columbia. Sprawling across 55 acres, this world-class garden invites visitors to immerse themselves in nature.
With 7,500 unique plant and flower species and varieties, visitors flock to VanDusen Gardens to admire the diverse range of plants and flowers on display. From vibrant rhododendrons and exotic ferns to delicate cherry blossoms and aromatic roses, the garden is a feast for the senses throughout the year. Different themed gardens such as the Asian Garden, Mediterranean Garden, and Sino-Himalayan Garden showcase plants from specific regions, providing a unique and immersive experience.
If you find yourself in Vancouver, don’t miss the opportunity to visit VanDusen Gardens and indulge in the natural beauty that awaits you.
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn this post we share our photos from our assembly of the Boldly Growing Cedar Raised Gardens Beds (4×2).
This raised bed will allow you to create a dream kitchen garden just outside your home that not only looks beautiful but is also rot-resistant due to the cedar wood. It only took us 15 minutes to assemble after reading the six-step instruction card and watching a supplementary YouTube video.
Reading Time: 2 minutesPiotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski, with their respective backgrounds in fine arts and biology, bring their love of trees alive in their book “Trees: A Rooted History”. Through beautiful illustrations and in-depth descriptions of how trees have literally and figuratively shaped the world around us, Trees is a treat of a read for children and adults alike.
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn this post we share a step-by-step guide to building a simple floating deck. We plan to place a child’s playhouse on top of it, as the deck will anchor the space and make the play area feel more complete.
We used The Handmade Home’s “The Handmade Hideaway” & Rose to Life’s “Easy Floating Deck” as inspiration and adapted the plans to bring this deck to fruition. This guide does not require complicated plans, tools or the help of a handyman.
Included are step-by-step directions, notes, photos and a price breakdown of what this project will cost.
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