Botanist, horticulturalist, plant breeder, traveler and plant explorer, outstanding teacher, astute and successful administrator, lobbyist, rural sociologist, prolific writer and superb editor, environmentalist, philosopher, photographer, poet, and visionary. Liberty Hyde Bailey: A Man for All Seasons
It’s strange that Liberty Hyde Bailey is not more of a
household name, or even somewhat familiar name, to many of us. To some people,
his was a renowned botanist, explorer, and horticulturalist; to others an
educator, administrator and rural sociologist; to the third group an editor,
lecturer and writer; while still a fourth group knows him best as a poet,
philosopher, and counselor. Bailey traveled extensively
in his search for plant specimens (his continual "quest for knowledge"), from
inner China to the mountaintops around Shasta. His extensive research and
knowledge of agriculture and rural life earned him the position of Chair on
President Roosevelt's National Commission on Country Life. He did a lot and
wrote even more. He has been credited to authoring sixty-five books and editing
117 titles by 99 authors, dominating the field of horticultural literature.
Whether you read his manual on Garden-Making, his poetry in Wind and
Weather, or his memoir-style The Harvest, Bailey's fascinating life
and particular charm shine through every page. Truly a “man for all seasons,” he
was an American conservationist at
heart.
The purpose of this blog and the Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum in South Haven, Michigan, Bailey's birthplace and hometown, is to fulfill Bailey's vision. Join in the dialog!
