May 12: In Europe, in early May, villagers celebrated the "Beating of the Bounds."

May 14: On this day in 1607, at Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent British settlement in North America was established. Some of the soldiers ate a plant that made them sick—and thereby made history.

May 15: Emily Dickinson, poet and lover of flowers, died on this day in 1866.

May 16: On this day in 1922, the trademark for "Canada Dry" Pale Ginger Ale was registered. "The Champagne of Ginger Ales" is another famous Canada Dry trademark.

The amusing story of the soldiers who ate the hallucinogenic herb Jamestown weed, or jimsonweed, is often told as an example of what not to do: don't eat plants you're not familiar with. The unwise soldiers, who recovered after eleven days, were lucky, for they had feasted on Datura stramonium, a psychoactive member of the nightshade family. Jimsonweed and other related plants contain a narcotic poison which has been used in many cultures as a poison, a medicine (chiefly as a pain-killer and wound healer), and as a ceremonial hallucinogenic: an aid to worship, or to obtaining prophetic dreams or messages. And yes, it can kill you, if you ingest enough of it.

Brugmansia

Knowing about the dangers of jimsonweed, I was surprised to see a beautiful specimen of Brugmansia —called Angel's Trumpet— in the nursery last year, with no warning of its toxicity. When I asked the clerk about it, she just smiled. "Nonsense," she said. "It's completely harmless."

Not so! Like other nightshades, Brugmansia has its darker side. In pre-Conquest Colombia slaves and wives of dead kings were given a toxic brew of Brugmansia, to sedate them so they wouldn't make a fuss when they were buried alive with their masters and husbands. If this sounds like a murderous poison that might end up in one of China Bayles' murder mysteries, you might be right. Nobody's likely to eat it accidentally, since it doesn't taste good. But do keep children (especially adolescents who might be inclined to experiment) away from the plant. Wash your hands after you've handled it, for it can cause dermatitis. Don't get the sap in your eyes.

And one other word, while we're on the subject. Many familiar plants are toxic, some of them fatally so. These include oleander, azalea, iris, larkspur, daffodil, crocus, lantana, caladium, dieffenbachia, lupine, castor bean, lily of the valley, poinsettia, bittersweet, boxwood, English ivy, and nicotiana. We don't have to give these beauties up, but we do need to know what they are and how to handle them.

Pansies and other edible flowers are fine on your lunch table. Angel's Trumpet is definitely off the menu.

Learn about wild plants you can safely eat in The Forager's Harvest, by Samuel Thayer, and the classic Stalking the Wild Asparagus, by Euell Gibbons.

Find out why one English parish still "beats the bounds" every year, reminding itself of the land to which it belongs.

Celebrate Salad Month by making a different salad every day for the rest of the month. Yes, you can, if you dress your salads using the recipes in Jim Long's book, The Best Dressed Salad. There are salad dressings from A-Z (no kidding), enough to satisfy any dedicated salad lover. You'll also learn some interesting history (the real origin of Caesar dressing, for instance, and the history of mayonnaise). Jim is a regular columnist for The Herb Companion and The Herb Quarterly. You'll find his book here. And be sure to check out the rest of his website and his blog. Fun, lots to learn!

Read about Emily Dickinson in Judith Farr's splendid book, The Gardens of Emily Dickinson. And consider this, which Emily, age 14, wrote in a letter to her Abiah Root: "My plants look finely now. I am going to send you a little geranium leaf, which you must press for me. Have you made an herbarium yet? I hope you will if you have not, it would be such a treasure to you."

Make your own herbarium. This is a great activity for kids, and will encourage them to identify and learn more about plants (so they won't end up like the Jamestown soldiers!). You'll find full directions and some very good ideas here.

Experiment with your own homemade ginger ale, made the easy way (with club soda) or in a more challenging (and slightly alcoholic) version, where you create your own carbonation, putting some POP! into your soda pop. Ginger ale and ginger beer have been popular beverages for centuries, as good for you and your digestion as they are tasty.

You knew that Datura and Brugmansia belong to the nightshade family, didn't you? If you didn't, you do now! And for much more about nightshades—and a compelling story, to boot—read Susan Albert's latest China Bayles mystery, Nightshade.

Register your book club with Susan's Book Club Friends, and become eligible to participate in contests, giveaways, and phone chats with China's creator.

To find out what's going on in Susan Albert's life in the Texas Hill Country, read Susan's blog.