Our achievement was recognized when the American Dahlia Society met in Connecticut shortly afterwards. Several Society members visited OSV, and recognized our unusual dahlia. Suddenly the lovers of the newest thing wanted the oldest and a couple of OSV-grown tubers were taken to Washington D.C. to be grown as part of a display for the Society's 100th anniversary. Christie has developed a strong interest in herbs and the Herb Garden since beginning work at the Village. She has studied the system of herbal medicine developed by Samuel Thompson of New Hampshire in the early 19th century, which relied heavily on cayenne pepper and lobelia, part of an ongoing project to strengthen the thematic display in the Herb Garden and incorporate research into herbs and their uses into herbs and their uses in household interpretation and demonstrations.
Goldenrod is one example.
Its color is best appreciated when the fall asters are in bloom, but its beauty has been overshadowed by an unjustified belief that it is a major source of allergies. The anise-scented, Solidago odora , was preferred for medicinal uses. The decision to add a plant begins with research in the historical sources. If a plant is not easily found, it is tracked through reference books like Hortus Third or wild flower guides. We may find it in one of the 40-50 seed catalogs we receive, the personal collections of other botanists, other museums with horticulture programs, or even in the New England countryside.