Gardening history

23-29 October

23 October 1905

The Rev Henry Honeywood d’Ombrain, lover of roses, pansies and gladioli, died. His

1873 book on the gladiolus opens: “It is impossible to be poetical in writing on the gladiolus, for it would be as difficult to find a rhyme for it as for porringer [a small bowl].”

23 October 1921 John Boyd Dunlop, Scottish inventor of the pneumatic tyre (millions of which are on gardeners’ wheelbarrows), died.

24 October 1810

Henry Doubleday, scientist and horticulturist, was born.

He supplied gum arabic, made with extracts from the acacia tree, to printers for the production of postage stamps. The Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA) was founded in 1954. Today it is known as Garden Organic, the UK’s foremost organic gardening charity. He died in 1902.

24 October 1830 In Hastings, East Sussex, botanical artist and biologist Marianne North was born.

25 October 1822 In Lambeth, London, botanical artist and naturalist James Sowerby died.

29 October 1993

To celebrate Halloween, the most jack-o’-lanterns in one place at one time – 4,817 – were carved by the

inhabitants0 of

Keene, New Hampshire, USA.