March 2025 Leaflet ~ Elisabeth C. Miller Library, UW Botanic Gardens

Leaflet from the Elisabeth C. Miller Library

Volume 12, Issue 3 | March 2025

Paths of Pollen by Stephen Humphrey
Reviewed by Priscilla Grundy

Who would think that a collection of essays on pollen that ends with 23 pages of citations of scientific studies would make fascinating reading for non-scientists? Paths of Pollen wins the prize.

Stephen Humphrey writes of varieties of pollen, of pollinators, of strategies for pollinating, and of many challenges to the process. If you thought honey bees did all the world’s pollinating, he introduces you to the many alternatives – dozens of other kinds of bees, other insects like beetles, animals like bats, even the wind. A few plants even pollinate themselves.

Pollen is tough. Microfossils of pollen survived the Permian Extinction 250 million years ago. Now these fossils have become evidence of the existence of extinct trees otherwise unknown.

Colony collapse, the loss of vast numbers of honeybee hives, made headlines in 2006. Humphrey presents a study suggesting that collapse may not be the most serious problem. Although the cause of collapse remains a mystery, plenty of honey bees survive. Wild bees, on the other hand, face more dire problems.

Squash bees visit and pollinate only flowers of the squash family, including pumpkins, as well as many kinds of squash. These bees live underground, in tunnels they dig themselves. A bee weighing a tenth of a gram displaces three grams of dirt in the process, thirty times its weight. The species has adapted over several thousand years of connecting with squash agriculture, notably Native American agriculture, but elsewhere as well. Now it may disappear. Pesticide used to prevent wilt is widely sprayed on the ground, where the tunnels are, endangering these bees. If honey bees do become scarce, wild bees will be essential.

Numerous accounts like that of the squash bee make this book a good read. Particularly of interest to gardeners, it resonates for all of us who recognize the value of plants.

Garden Lovers' Book Sale opening night tickets on sale

Join us April 4th and 5th for our annual book sale. Enjoy the company of fellow plant lovers, browsing thousands of gently used books for sale on gardening, plants, ecology and related topics.

The Opening Night event on Friday, April 4 from 5 to 8 pm includes the book sale, a silent auction, food and drink. Tickets are available now.

No registration is required for the Saturday book sale, which runs from 9 am to 3 pm.

Interested in volunteering? Please contact Nick Williams at nickjpw@uw.edu to sign up. Shifts include setting up Friday morning, the opening night party, or takedown on Saturday afternoon.

Paintings by Brigitte de Wever in the library March 3-29

The Miller Library welcomes Brigitte de Wever with her paintings depicting garden flowers, insects, and animals. From the artist's statement:

Flowers and leaves come and go throughout the seasons, and I am fond of keeping their beauty around me. I invite you to see my watercolor illustrations of all kinds of flowers and the beauty of nature I encounter in my garden, and as I walk around my neighborhood or botanical gardens.

I try my best to capture the plants’ colors, nuances, movements, and almost anything that reminds me of the pleasure of seeing them grow, appear, and wilt, even if sometimes it is just a part of the flower that intrigued me. For that reason I do not consider myself a botanical illustrator. I do not dissect them or go to look at their roots. I paint the parts that attract me, fascinated by keeping their details. The closer I come to see their structure, the more excited I become.

As you walk through my garden of paintings, sometimes creatures appear with the flowers or plants. I love birds, butterflies, bugs and snails. They give an idea of the size of the plant, but also add to the form and color of the piece. Overall, this is an invitation to look at nature and bring respect to this magnificent world that gives us so much in return.

The exhibit is open during library hours. Join us for an opening reception Saturday, March 8, from 12 to 2 pm.