Moss Trending: The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert

Finally, moss takes center stage in the theatre of Earth–again. What’s old is new again, and it’s trending like a Broadway hit!

Martha, of course, has done a lot to enlighten gardeners to the allure of mosses, and we take our part very seriously (and respectfully) to educate people on the cultivation of a moss garden wherever they may live.  Now Elizabeth Gilbert is reaching the masses beyond gardeners.

Through Alma Whittaker, the protagonist in Ms. Gilbert’s latest book, The Signature of All Things, we are made privy to the nineteenth century world of botany and specifically to the science of mosses. (Of course, we here at Moss and Stone Gardens thought Eat Pray Love should have been about moss, too. After all, moss is worthy, but we digress.)

The Signature of All Things follows the story of Alma, a brilliant woman, born in 1800. Admittedly, we may be ever so slightly biased as to our estimation of her brilliance as we are in complete accord with her decision to make moss her life passion.

Alma spent 25 years studying moss. Of course, this would be easy to do. Once you open the curtain to the mossy adventure, time flies. Moss and Stone Garden’s moss expert, plans to reach 25 years learning about moss, and go for another 25 years and more after that, God willing and the creek don’t rise.

Alma Whittaker was clearly ahead of her time. Today, moss is trending, but did you know that moss was Earth’s opening act? Alma, our fictional advocate, learned the role that mosses play on Earth and we at Moss and Stone Gardens are doing our part to keep them in the spotlight and hoping (and clapping) for repeated encores in gardens around the world.