On the golden age of gardening
William Aley (Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:45:32 PST)

After visit to Cornwall and seeing both the lost gardens of Heligan
and the Eden Project I was convinced that there has been a golden age
of Horticulture that started in the 1900s. To realize that a Head
Gardener at the Heligan Estate in 1890 would be expected to know what
types of manurer, through decomposition would provide sufficient heat
to warm the pineapple house to bring African Pineapples to fruit.
Too much nitrogen and one would have a fire, not enough and the plants
would freeze.
There was so much international plant material in transport when
compared to what had been available in the mid 1800's. There have been
problems from all of the plant material moving about unchecked...
I think now with the overwhelming amount of plant material available
and electricity and jet transport providing the energy to recreate
environments that many of us take this for granted. It is too easy to
replace a plant that has died effortlessly.
I rather like the idea of Jim's "less in artificial environments" and
more of zone tolerant plants in the garden.
Don't get me wrong I am a plant geek I just have a hard time with
plants not surviving well in the garden.
for those that don't know Heligan:
http://www.heligan.com/flash_intro.html