It might be winter, but today's Google homepage suggests otherwise. Today's Doodle spells out and surrounds the Google logo in bloom with all kinds of vibrant flowers and plants. The small figure in black and white, along the lefthand side, depicts the inspiration behind the colorful, collaged display: Gertrude Jekyll, a British garden designer.
Google is honoring Jekyll on what would have been her 174th birthday. The horticulturalist, who was born in London in 1843 and passed away in 1932, is known for creating hundreds of gardens throughout the UK and America. According to the official website of the Jekyll estate, Jekyll sought out unusual plants, learning along the way which species made for "a good garden plant."
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Her own garden nursery in Surrey supplied many of the plants for the gardens she worked on cultivating around the country. In the U.S., Jekyll planted gardens in Elmhurst, Ohio, Greenwich, Connecticut, and Woodbury, Connecticut. She became famous in part because of her over 1,000 contributions to publications such as Country Life and The Garden.
Jekyll's skills weren't confined to gardening and writing alone. According to Google's Doodle Blog, she was also a successful metalworker, musician, composer, woodworker, and painter.
Many of Jekyll's gardens did not survive over the years. However, you can travel to her home in Surrey's Munstead Wood, where the gardens have been restored. If you are planning a visit, make sure to go between March and October and make an appointment ahead of time, since the gardens are under private ownership. If you go in April, you'll be able to see the Primrose Garden in bloom. In May, the gardens feature the Azaleas and Rhododendrons.
Head here to see some of the Doodle collages that British artist Ben Giles worked on leading up to the final version. Then, seek out a Gertrude Jekyll rose, one of the plants named after the legendary horticulturalist.
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