Weekend Reading 10/20/23

Welcome to Garden Center magazine's Weekend Reading, a weekly round-up of consumer garden media stories meant to help IGCs focus marketing efforts, spark inspiration and start conversations with consumers.

This week: The New York Times chronicles a frustrating year for gardeners, botanists fight the relocation of world's largest plant collection, a woman survives a deadly gardening-acquired infection and the science behind the physical and mental benefits of nurturing plants.

What Kind of Year Has It Been for Gardeners? An Aggravating One, The New York Times

From spongy moth caterpillars to torrential rains, this garden season has been plagued by one challenge after another, The New York Times writes.

Botanists fight removal of plant specimens from one of the world’s most spectacular gardens, Science

Science reports that the herbarium at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew may be the largest plant collection in the world, with more than 7 million specimens. Kew is planning to relocate the herbarium nearly 60 kilometers away from the gardens and current research labs, a move that opponents — including many Kew staff — say is unnecessary and will hamper their research.

Woman is 1st to survive infection with deadly 'blackleg' bacteria she caught while gardening bare-handed, Live Science

Live Science reports that a woman in Australia survived a rare infection that had previously been reported in only two other humans, both of whom died from the disease. After gardening without gloves, she was infected with a species of bacteria that normally causes deadly "blackleg" disease in cattle and sheep.

Community gardening has measurable physical, mental health benefits, The (Colorado Springs) Gazette

The first randomized and controlled trial of community gardening found measurable physical and mental health benefits that accompany gardening with others: increased fiber intake, more physical activity and reduced stress.

Enjoy your reading, have a great weekend and we'll see you next week!