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5 MINUTE READS

A collection of articles and blogs

to keep you in the loop in 5 minutes or less.

Autumn Foliage
Leave the Leaves

5 Minute Read by Women in Horticulture's own Julie Bare. The Fall issue of PHS's Grow magazine. 

Image by Benjamin Combs
Celebrating Women in Horticulture: 3 Professional Gardeners Share Their Wisdom

PHS sits down with three industry professionals to learn more about their experiences and perspectives as women working in the field of horticulture.

Garden
Unearthing an Enigma in Washington Square

A group of women started The Society of Little Gardens of Philadelphia in 1913 in an effort to green and beautify the city. Check out this article to learn the history behind this group. 

Sunflower
Plants gave her hope in prison and a new life after she left

Plants sustained Genea Richardson in prison and led her to a job when she got out. She now trains formerly incarcerated people to work with plants 

Bee
Meet the Philly kid who helped solve the strange case of a missing bee and a rare Pa. plant

Wow! Great article about botany, young women, persistence, and the scientific method.

Confetti
Zalia Avant-garde spells her way to victory!

5 minute read about the amazing first young Black woman to win the Scripps Spelling Bee AND all the hort words that got her the win, including nepeta and murraya! And she has a great name. Congrats to Zaila Avant-garde!

Reading a Book
A Poignant Reading Journey

A five minute read from Longwood Garden's blog. A "few suggestions of excellent nature writing, each offering its own perspective of the African American experience, and each a source of inspiration in itself." Many of the selections are by and/or about women and women of color.

Bouquet of Flowers
Philadelphia’s florists have seen love on display throughout the pandemic. Valentine’s Day is no exception.

"As people seek to safely connect or comfort in the pandemic, florists are delivering."  A five minute read for this snowy day. If you aren't in a greenhouse today, take a few minutes to imagine you are, with the sights and scents of flowers.

Wild Flowers
Who is Anne Spencer? Why You Need to Know This Harlem Renaissance Poet—and Visit Her Garden

Poet, Activist, Librarian and Gardener. In this 5 minute read, find out more about Anne Spencer and visit her garden when you can.

People in Park
A City Council bill proposed banning all pesticide use on Philadelphia’s public land—until environmentalists spoke up

Absolutism isn't always the answer. What do you think? 

Wild Forest Fires
Can Cannabis Farms Weather Wildfire Season?

Five minute read about small, family-run cannabis farms on the West Coast.

Lawn Mowing
Philly’s Four Seasons Total Landscaping dishes the dirt on the news conference heard ’round the world

We know this is "old news" now, but this article about Four Seasons Total Landscaping owner Marie Siravo is a quick read that demonstrates how a long established "woman in hort" was able to turn a crazy situation into a positive outcome for her business. And it is total Philly. Enjoy!

Abstract Surface
These plants seem like they're trying to hide from people

A plant used in Chinese traditional medicine has evolved camouflage in heavily harvested areas.

Cabbage Field
Women find a foothold in the boys club of the agriculture industry

Give thanks to our farmers, urban and rural, for the food we eat everyday. Here are a few female farmers in our area.

Tea Pot
An organic tea company has bloomed into a CSA

Check out this article about Barfield's Organic Tea Company and their new storefront in Mount Airy called Grow. Sip. Repeat. 

Gardening
Come spring, these South Philly gardens will grow even more foods that celebrate the culture of Burmese and Bhutanese immigrants

Check out this 5 minute read to see how Burmese and Bhutanese immigrants are growing food to celebrate their cultures. 

Sunflower Close Up
Lifelong plant lover opens her own Chestnut Hill shop

Check out this video about Sister Sunflower, a newly opened brick and mortar, woman owned plant shop in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. Follow her on Instagram @sistasunflower

Colorful Flowers
Philly florists bring beauty back to voting with public installations across the region

Great idea and execution by Kate Carpenter, co-owner and florist-farmer of EMA Blooms, a flower CSA and floral design business in the East Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Tree Lane
New England’s Forests Are Sick. They Need More Tree Doctors

Climate change is taking a toll on trees in the Northeast. Read how arborists, including sisters Bear and Melissa LeVangie, are fairing and recruiting a new generation of "tree doctors".

Wild Mushrooms
Mushrooms, the Last Survivors

An interesting article on the intersection of horticulture, food, art, ecology, and the power of fungi.

Dewy Pink Tulip
The Tulip Revivalist

Thinking about a fall bulb planting? Check out this interesting article about horticulture historian Polly Nicholson and tulip cultivation and history.

Seed Delivery
Enjoy Those Vegetables, but Don’t Forget to Save Some Seeds

Don't let the fruits of your labor (and your plant's labor) go to waste! Start saving those seeds. 

Butterflies
Breaking Ground: Pioneering Women in Botany & Public Horticulture

Looking to read more about fellow Women in Horticulture? Check out this blog post from the National Wildlife Federation. 

Dandelion
'Not just weeds': how rebel botanists are using graffiti to name forgotten flora

This article shows how some rebellious botanists are sharing their knowledge and how that might help with plant blindness. 

Meeting
When Women Don't Speak

This 5 minute read explores the different gender roles and how they interact in group settings. What role are you playing in the group? Are you helping other women speak?

Forest
Elizabeth Hall: The First Horticulture Therapist was a Woman

Did you know that the first horticulture therapist was a woman? Check out our 5 minute read to meet Elizabeth Hall.

White WIld Flowers
Centuries Later, America’s First Female Botanist Lives On in a Community Garden

This article invites you to meet Jane Colden, our nation's first female botanist. Today, the garden clubs of her hometown tend a garden full of all the plants she described in her book, "Flora of New York".

Yellow And White Flowers
The Beautiful World Beside the Broken One

Are you noticing the signs of spring? Don't get caught up in the scrolling impulse because spring isn't canceled! 

Toluca National Park
These 10 National Parks Wouldn’t Exist Without Women

Check out this five minute read to learn about some of the ladies that have helped shape our National Parks.

Crowd Protesting
International Women's Day 2020: How the day began and why the fight for women's rights is still necessary

This read discusses the history of International Women's Day (March 8th). Did you know it's roots trace back to 1908?

Kids in Vegetable Farm
Garden educator Howard Brosius takes his green classroom mobile

This super-short read shows that no matter the size of the garden, the impact is huge! Read on to learn how one person is sharing the world of vegetables with over 100 children a week in the Philadelphia area!

Garden
Extraordinary Women in Public Horticulture 

Written by Jennifer Jewell, this article from the Public Garden Magazine, features women who are working in the field of public horticulture. Article on pages 7 & 8. 

Spring Buds
How ‘Silent Spring’ Ignited the Environmental Movement

This read might inspire you to join us in reading Silent Spring this year! Check out how the book changed the environmental movement. 

Organic Compost
Turning a Profit: Women Entrepreneurs in Waste Management

Check out the progressive women that are stirring up the water management industry. But "beware composting is kind of a gateway drug". 

Old Book
Plant records: Most overdue library book?

This article features a debated book of botany with one of the greatest translated titles we've seen "Here for you a smiling garden of everlasting flowers" - check it out!

Cocktails
Botany at the Bar

This article could be read at the bar- it features a discussion all about the botanical bitters and their history. Maybe it will inspire you for some new holiday drinks. 

Bike Path
Philadelphia launching 10-year ‘urban forest’ plan after startling tree decline

This article is all about Philadelphia's initiative to create a tree canopy plan after assessing how the urban and residential trees have fared over the past ten years. 

Thanksgiving Dinner
Here’s How To Make Your Thanksgiving Celebration More Eco-friendly

Here's a reminder of some of the little things that you could do to make your Thanksgiving more eco-friendly, including more plant based food, decorating with nature, and composting. 

Vineyard
The Women Behind Some of Washington’s Best Grapevines

This article features the sisterhood of vineyard growing ladies out in Washington state. 

Rake and Wheelbarrow
Thomas Jefferson University professor’s idea for community-designed parks in Philly takes root

Read all about local green space efforts to create community designed parks in Philadelphia. 

Purple Wall
New LeanIn Study: The Broken Rung Keeping Women From Management

The glass ceiling isn't the largest challenge women face in the work place, instead it's the broken rung. 

Trees
The Greening of Paris Makes Its Mayor More Than a Few  Enemies 

Major greening is underway in what the Mayor says is an attempt to put nature back in the city.

One of the most inspiring people we met in 2019 is inspiring us again with her love for gardens and inspiring us to make our lives more artistic and meaningful. Thanks Julicia for sharing your wisdom!

Using Instagram, the British designer Cressida Jamieson has built a following around the floral designs she stitches onto T-shirts.

The widespread media coverage of colourful planted road verges such as those by Pictorial Meadows for Rotherham Council has been vigorously exercising some botanists in recent weeks.

One of India’s finest plant scientists, Janaki Ammal spurred her country to protect its rich tropical diversity. 

One of the common features of plants they make their own food. But what happens inside a plant when they stop making their food and eat something else?

Finally, fathers are asked about their "work-life balance". The first response alone is worth reading!

Work is easier when we do it together. This article talks about strategies we all can implement to stop the "slow leak" of women out of the workforce.

Lucy Dinsmore found this fast read from The Wharton School. Vice Dean of Impact, Katherine Klein and her team conducted an intense review to answer the above question. Read the summary in 2 minutes, or the full report in 30 minutes. Either way the answer is something all companies should strive towards.

In more unsurprising news, researchers have finally supported what many of us feel to be true "discrimination literally raises women's blood pressure". Even though we know the results, the article is still worth the quick read.

As horticulturists our livelihoods and plants depend on us understanding what climate zone we are in. Not surprisingly, we need to update our knowledge.

This paper, found through "This Week in Botany", has many people skeptical of the results and methods. Grab your critical thinking cap and see for yourself if you agree.

Ozone can seem like a distant or silent pollutant, but this study shows real-world impacts of this tricky pollutant.

In the non-profit world we know that volunteering is crucial, but what about volunteering for too many tasks as an employee? Are those tasks distributed equally?

Consumer Horticulture put together a series of 4 infographics that support the value of plants. Each one takes less than 5 minutes to read, and is a great resource to support the notion that plants (and plant people) are amazing! #plantsdothat

Women in Hort's go-to , the Harvard Business Review, lists these 8 questions as your new go-to networking openers. Some of them we love, a few make us cringe! Check it out!

Innovative Solutions for Harassment

This creative way to react to harassment in the restaurant industry is as effective as it is simple! Check it out, and see if it inspires solutions for horticulture.

Men overestimate intelligence in science class.

Get your stats and responses straight about the gender pay gap. Looks long, but is a quick read.

"Sometimes when I hear exclamations of “we need to inspire more women to pursue the sciences!” I think: We’re here! We want to do science! But how can we when, to advance, we’re forced to run at double the speed of our male colleagues on a career track clouded by bias and covered in LEGOs?"

Anecdotes and statistics that help answer the title question.

A critique of removing existing vegetation in green space creation. 

Sometimes advice like this isn't the most useful, but when a BBC journalist uses BBC stats to back up her claim, her boss is going to listen. Read on for helpful advice!

A short article on a literal family tree, that happens to be an outstanding Prunus cultivar.

Even if you aren't an HR professional, these tips on hiring for diversity help all of us!

Supporting Racial Diversity in Public Garden Leadership

Tracy Qiu concisely brings together great perspectives and action items for large and small organizations that wish to improve racial diversity in our industry. Page 7 of this issue.

An informative piece in a beautiful format.

A Women in Hort favorite article highlighting how women in D.C. help each other's voices and ideas get heard. 

Actually helpful tips for reacting to biased comments.

Are women's groups and diversity  committees doing enough to help our causes?

A short blog post on finding clothes as a woman farmer. 

This woman is using permaculture to make a difference in ex-prisoner's lives. Read more for inspiration!

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Woman with White Hair
Gray And Resilient

Not a 5 minute read but a 45 minute listen. This radio broadcast talks about the trouble women have keeping a foothold in the workplace. Even if they’ve done outstanding work in the past.

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