Do you have children or grandchildren? A Peter Rabbit Garden is a lovely idea for you to consider. Of course, Peter Rabbit is the creation of Beatrix Potter, who was a noted botanist and mycologist. (A mycologist studies fungi). Potter's garden was located at Hill Top Farm. In making your Peter Rabbit garden, you could add a little wooden fence or a little stone wall around the perimeter. Inside, use the herbs and perennials featured in the books: Herbs include: Mint, Chamomile, Lavender, Parsley, Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Lemon Balm, and Tansy. Edibles include Lettuce, Beets, Radish, Rhubarb, Onions, and Strawberry Then add Pansies, Roses, and Pinks.   Brevities #OTD  On this day in 1810, Thomas Nuttal, just 24 years old, jumped in a birch bark canoe with Aaron Greely, the deputy surveyor of the territory of Michigan, and they paddled to Mackinac Island arriving two weeks later on August 12.   Nuttal spent several days on Mackinac. He was the first true botanist to explore the flora of Michigan, and certainly of Mackinac Island. Nuttal immediately set about collecting and writing detailed accounts of the flora he discovered.   He documented about sixty species - about twenty were previously unknown. One the new Mackinac discoveries was the dwarf lake iris (Iris lucustris), which became the state wildflower of Michigan.     #OTD  It’s the birthday of Edith Coleman, an Australian naturalist and a prolific writer, who was born on this day in 1874. Until recently little was known about Coleman. The author, Danielle Claude wrote a book about Coleman called The Wasp and the Orchidwhich explored how Coleman went from being a housewife until the age of 48 and then transformed into one of Australia’s leading naturalists. Coleman had a special appreciation for orchids. Beginning in January 1927 one of her daughters told her that she had seen a wasp entering the flower of the small tongue orchid backwards. The odd behavior was something both Coleman and her daughter would see repeatedly over the next few seasons. The behavior was is perplexing; especially after Coleman dissected the plants and discovered that they were male. Coleman continued to study their behavior and she finally discovered that the wasp was fertilizing the orchid. The orchid uses this stealth pollination strategy Called pseudo-copulation to trick the mail wasps into thinking they are meeting with a female wasp. By getting the males to enter the plant, the plant is able to be pollinated.  Coleman became the first woman to be awarded the Australian natural history medallion. Coleman will forever be remembered for her groundbreaking discovery about orchid pollination     #OTD And it’s the anniversary of the death of Ryan Gainey the landscape designer extraordinaire who died on this day in 2016.  Gaineydied  trying to save his beloved Jack Russell terrier’s jellybean Leo and baby Ruth from a fire at his home. Neither he nor his dogs survived.    When I came to landscape design, Gainey was completely self-taught.     In the wonderful documentary about his life called “The Well-Placed Weed: The Bountiful Life of Ryan Gainey."  (btw I shared it in the FB group so check it out) In the documentary Gaineyasked the filmmaker, "I’ve had a wild life. Do you know why?" His reply was simple and 100% Gainey: "I created it."   Gaineypurchased a home in Decatur Georgia that used to be the site of Holcomb Nursery. He removed many of the green houses behind his home but kept the low brick walls that had served as the foundation for the greenhouses. The result was that Gaineyinstantly had a series of garden rooms that he could decorate and design to his hearts content. Over the course of his career, Gaineybecame friends with other notable designers and gardeners like Rosemary Verey and Penelope Hobhouse.      Gainey loved Verey; they had a special bond. He loved the Camellia  japonica. Gaineys gardens looked effortless with things spilling over and nestled in a way that made