This date marks the death of William McNab, the curator of the Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden, in 1848.

McNab was one of the greatest of 19th century Scottish gardeners, responsible for reviving the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, elevating it from a state of neglect into one of the world's great plant collections. In this position, McNab was responsible for moving 4,000 plant species, including trees, from a site on Leith Walk, to the present garden at Inverleith.

On this day in 1953 Sir James Hamilton, the Scottish Politician, died. Hamilton, the Duke of Abercorn, was the First Governor of Northern Ireland, from 1922 to 1945.

Today's recipe: making sweet and chewy bagels is easier than you may think.