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King James, Shakespeare, and a moron

Killer Savings Offer:

By Chelsie Vandaveer

December 7, 2001

Save 10% on all Design Toscano Garden Statues and Fountains,

only in the month of April. Use Priority Code CJPSTATUE.

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Suggested Reading—>Click here.

Assorted Killer Savings Garden Links—>Click here.

Killer Picks: Wollemi Pine, greatest living fossils—>Click here.

Shakespeare's Britain Map, Shakespeare Sculpture—>Click here.

North Star Pie Cherry Tree, Contender Peach Tree - Semi-Dwarf Deluxe—>Click here.

The Chinese were cultivating the white mulberry, Morus alba in gardens and for silkworm production in 2700 BC. The Romans grew "great forests" of common mulberry, Morus nigra and may have introduced the tree to England after 54 BC.

Hardy Mulberry Tree
Bunches of Juicy Black Fruit. Mouthwatering jelly and deep purple wine are reasons enough to plant this hardy 25- to 40-footer.

It's fast growing and fine for shade, and it produces a bountiful harvest of juicy purple-black berries.

Fruit ripens in late July. You get 2 plants for proper pollination. Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Fruit Trees & Nut Trees] [Fruits, Berries]

The common mulberry is native to western Asia. Long before the Romans, the Greeks grew the mulberry for the fruit both fresh and fermented. Morus is the name the Greeks bestowed upon this plant; moros meant foolish or stupid, morus meant fool or simpleton. (Perhaps this was a reference to the fermented fruit and partakers thereof.) Down through the centuries, we have honored the Greeks by retaining a wonderfully descriptive word, moron.

In 1603, King James I ascended to the throne of England having been named successor by his cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. James I is reported to have been a sickly person—arthritis, gout—and he had his share of religious detractors—he authorized an English version of the Bible. There were numerous attempts to assassinate "that Protestant".

Consequently, James spent a lot of time with doctors which may be where he first encountered the mulberry. It was used for everything from stomach, liver, and spleen problems to toothaches and worms. But James also noticed that countries like Italy had a flourishing silk business. The English were good with textiles and James encouraged everyone to plant mulberries for a silk industry. Everyone who had land planted mulberries.

Statue of Shakespeare Art Print Larger Picture
Buy Art Print at AllPosters.com

Elizabeth I had been friends with the playwright, William Shakespeare. James continued that friendship. Shakespeare had bought a house called New Place in Stratford for his retirement. In 1609, James gave William a mulberry tree for his garden at New Place. Legend has it that William himself planted the tree.

Sir Hugh Clopton had originally built the house. After Shakespeare's daughter died, New Place returned to the possession of the Clopton family. Sometime in the 1750s, the house sold to the Reverend Mr. Francis Gastrell.

One night in 1759, totally fed up with people looking at the house and garden, Rev. Gastrell decided to beat Shakespeare's 141-year-old mulberry tree to death with an axe. A morus chopped down a Morus! Later, he was really ticked about taxes and he knocked the house down. The understandably livid citizens removed the Reverend from town. It is said they passed a law that no Gastrell could ever live in Stratford again.

Nature Songs has great photographs of the white mulberry, Morus alba. To view the photographs, click on the link:

http://www.naturesongs.com/vvplants/mulberry.html

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Unique Professionally Designed Gardens

Springhill Nursery®

Spring Hill Nursery has unique gardens professionally designed by experts to take the guesswork out of gardening. Whether you are looking for a three season garden, foundation garden, or a garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, Spring Hill Nursery has created a step-by-step design just for you. Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

National Geographic's Store has great gift ideas.

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Shakespeare's Britain Map

National Geographic®

Our cartographers are renowned for their accurate and beautifully detailed maps. We are now offering our most popular and unique maps in high-quality framed editions. From the archives of National Geographic comes a one-of-a-kind resource for any true Shakespeare enthusiast. Shakespeare's Britain is based on John Speed's map, ''The Kingdome of Great Britaine and Ireland'', from his 1611 atlas, ''Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine.'' The supplement to National Geographic Magazine was first published in our May, 1965 issue. Framed, Click here.

Steeped in the history of the era, the map takes its reader back to the time of Shakespeare with a blend of classic cartography and artistry. Shakespeare's Britain is infused with Symbols and icons that show: Settings of the plays; Towns, abbeys, and churches; Castles and battlefields; Forests and heaths. Insets include a panoramic view of Shakespeare's London and an enlarged map of Stratford on Avon. Also included is a table that shows ''Shakespeare's Plays with British Settings,'' which lists the period of action in each play and the reign of the kings. Unframed, Click here.

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Pondering Shakespeare Sculpture

Design Toscano®

Based upon the famous statue that stands in Stratford-Upon-Avon

With his classic cape and ever-present books, the full-scale sculpt of the beloved ''Bard'' stands proudly in his hometown.

Faithfully sculpted, then cast in quality designer resin to capture each detail and highlighted with a faux bronze finish, our exclusive Toscano replica will easily find a treasured home on the bookshelf, mantel, or credenza of any serious lover of literature. Click here.

Winthrop Court Wall Niche
This Rococo-style wall niche echoes centuries of tradition! Cast directly from an English antique, our more than yard-tall work of decorative art boasts fine detail, from its acanthus leaf finial to its classic columns. Crafted in quality designer resin, it is finished to be virtually indistinguishable from dark walnut. The 17'' opening provides an exquisite showcase for your artwork. Shown with our Pondering Shakespeare Sculpture Click here.

North Star Pie Cherry Tree

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Bears Big, Juicy Fruit

Gurney's Choice North Star Pie Cherry Tree is a natural dwarf it grows just 10 feet tall. Compact size allows for easy maintenance and harvest. Produces a mouth-watering crop of plump, juicy fruit that ripens in mid- to late July. Dependably hardy, with huge harvests for pies and preserves. Excellent resistance to brown rot and leaf spot. Produces annually. Self pollinating.

Cherries are an excellent choice for home gardens. The incredibly juicy, bite-size treats begin to ripen to June- earlier than other tree fruits- and the fruit can be used in so many ways! Many varieties are self-pollinating, too, so you can pick a bountiful crop even if you have room for only one tree. Click here - $20 off any order for $50 or more at Gurneys.com! [Fruit Trees and Nut Trees] [Small Fruits and Berries]

Contender Peach Tree - Semi-Dwarf Deluxe

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Late Frosts No Problem!

Gurney's Choice For top-quality crops in any region. Excellent cold hardiness and tolerance to late spring frosts makes Contender superb for Northern growers. Marvelously melting, sweet yellow flesh. Extra juicy. Self-pollinating. Ripens in mid-August. Click here - $20 off any order for $50 or more at Gurneys.com!

Peaches- members of the big Prunus genus-share similar traits. In addition to bearing sweet, juicy fruit, all of these stone fruits have beautiful springtime blossoms and attractive leaves, making them valuable landscaping trees. [Fruit Trees and Nut Trees] [Small Fruits and Berries]

Wollemi Pine

National Geographic®

This survivor from the age of the dinosaurs is one of the greatest living fossils discovered in the 20th century. The Wollemi pine is one of the world's oldest and rarest tree species, belonging to a 200-million-year-old plant family thought to have been extinct for more than two million years.

Previously known only from fossil records, it was presumed extinct until a single tree was found in the Wollemi National Park, Australia, in 1994. Subsequent research discovered 100 adult trees that have survived in a single canyon in this wild and rugged area. Click here to view canyon, trees and fossil record.

You can assist in the conservation effort and enjoy the unique opportunity to ensure the continued survival of this rare species by giving the tree as a gift or growing your own. Suitable for indoor container gardening. Can also be used as a landscape tree in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 7, which includes New England, the Midatlantic states, and much of the Midwest.

Comes with a care manual with the full story about the discovery and fascinating history of the Wollemi pine. Tree will be approximately 8"H when shipped. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these plants will fund ongoing conservation research. Click here to get your Wollemi Pine and assist in the conservation effort.

National Geographic Magazine

National Geographic®

You are invited to roam the world in the pages of National Geographic magazine. Explore the diversity of our planet's lands and inhabitants in compelling stories covering topics such as animals, nature, science, technology, culture, history, travel, adventure, exploration, and geography. The monthly National Geographic magazine is your key benefit of membership.

Additional benefits include:

As many as five wall map supplements throughout the year in issues of the magazine
A personalized Membership Certificate
Special discounts on selected products
The opportunity to examine special Society products free in your home before deciding to purchase
The privilege of traveling the world with the Society's educational travel tour programs
The satisfaction of supporting important research, conservation, education, and exploration projects

Join the Society and bring the adventure of National Geographic into your home! Click here.