05/31/2026
The beloved children’s book Miss Rumphius was inspired by a real woman named Hilda Edwards Hamlin, an English-born resident of Christmas Cove, Maine, who spent decades quietly scattering lupine seeds along roadsides and fields. Beginning in the mid-20th century, Hamlin carried seeds in her pockets and tossed them wherever she walked, helping create the spectacular displays of purple, pink, and blue lupines that have become a symbol of Maine in early summer. Barbara Cooney later used Hamlin as the inspiration for her award-winning 1982 book, whose central message—“You must do something to make the world more beautiful”—continues to resonate with generations of readers.
