Today we celebrate the founder of the influential Curtis Botanical Magazine. We'll also learn about the traditional start of the agricultural year. We’ll hear about a beautiful plant called Wintersweet from one of my favorite gardeners. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book about home through the eyes of a passionate plantsman. And then we’ll wrap things up with a fun story about a young botanist and disciple of Carl Linnaeus.   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 New Year’s Resolutions for the Regenerative Grower | Modern Farmer | Lindsay Campbell   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 11, 1746 Today is the birthday of the botanist, entomologist, and founder of the influential Curtis Botanical Magazine, William Curtis. William had started life as an apothecary, but in short order, he discovered that it could not hold his interest. Sir James Edward Smith recalled that William loved being a naturalist more than working in the city. He wrote, “The Apothecary was soon swallowed up in the botanist, and the shop exchanged for a garden!” William was a founder of the Linnean Society, and he also authored a book about the botany of London called Flora Londiniensis. In 1779, William transformed his Lambeth garden into the London Botanic Garden. William wanted his garden to be a place where visitors could learn all about plants and their uses - not just for food - but in medicine and cooking as well. William was, at heart, a pragmatist. When William heard from visitors that they needed a resource to help grow the plants they were acquiring, William came up with the idea for his magazine. On February 1, 1787, the very first Curtis Botanical magazine was published, “for the... ladies, gentlemen, and gardeners ... who wish to become scientifically acquainted with the plants they cultivate." The Curtis Botanical Magazine made William wealthy, and he often remarked that it had brought him "pudding and praise.” As for William's magazine, the reason it was so successful is that, early on, William vowed to provide his readers with helpful illustrations. Hence, William brought in incredible artists, like James Sowerby, and they helped ensure the magazine's success. In addition to his legacy left by his garden, flora, and magazine, the genus Curtisia honors William Curtis.   January 11, 1850 Today is the birthday of the American pioneer botanist, plant pathologist, and mycologist, Joseph Charles Arthur. Known for his work with a group of plant fungus known as rusts, Joseph became the first department chair for Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. Joseph held the chair position for half a century. During his time at Purdue, Joseph built a repository of over 40,000 rust specimens. Although Joseph kept these rust specimens at Purdue, he felt the collection belonged to him because he paid for them with his own persona