The Model Railroad Garden opens for its 12th season on May 7. We caught up with Brian Busse from Applied Imagination as they were finishing their setup. The horticulture staff are currently planting the miniature gardens around all of the American landmarks Busse and his team installed. See how the garden turns out at the opening on May 7! Visit www.chicagobotanic.org/railroad for more information.

View the video on YouTube here.

Who isn’t ready to celebrate spring? The Antiques & Garden Fair is a great first stop to get inspiration for your own home and garden as well as purchase accents that bring them to life. David Drummond takes us on a tour of this year’s Fair to show us some items we could use to throw a spring garden party. We hope this gives you some ideas and inspires you to visit this weekend! See www.chicagobotanic.org for details.

View the video on YouTube here.

Donna LaPietra, Executive Producer of the Antiques & Garden Fair, recently interviewed Peter Wirtz who will be speaking at the Fair this year. Peter is a well-known contemporary landscape designer who has designed private gardens locally and his lecture, “Formal and Informal in Contemporary Landscape Design” shouldn’t be missed. Visit www.chicagobotanic.org/antiques/peter_wirtz.php for more information on the Fair and his lecture.

View the video on YouTube here.

Boyce Tankersley, Director of Plant Documentation, takes us on a tour of the earliest blooming plants in the display gardens. We began in the Sensory Garden where huge patches of Iris histrioides ‘George’ were blooming better than ever. Then we went to the Lakeside Gardens to see large patches of giant snowdrops blooming under deciduous trees. The witch hazel outside the English Walled Garden is very fragrant and quite showy right now. We also like the snowdrops in the English Walled Garden Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore Plenum’ because its petals look like a rose and it’s very fragrant. The Waterfall Garden has a nice display of snowdrops that is worth the climb to the top. The crocuses in the lawn near the Bulb Garden were also very showy. You’ll also find crocus in the lawn on Evening Island.

These are just some blooming highlights, visit www.chicagobotanic.org/inbloom for information on what’s in bloom now.

View the video on YouTube here.

Green Sprouts “Garden Groceries” campers learn about the plants we eat, and how to make a delicious dessert with them. Camp CBG is hands-on fun for all, from harvesting to measuring out ingredients, preparing, baking, and the best part — eating! Visit www.chicagobotanic.org/camp to register for summer camps at the Garden. Registration opens January 10, 2011 at 9 a.m.

View the video on YouTube here.

Tim Pollak shows us some of the plants he and his team grew in Production for the fall displays. The hanging mum hayracks have already been hung on the bridge from the Visitor Center. The mum ball containers will soon be moved to the Esplanade and the Crescent will soon be planted with the annuals Tim shows you in this video. View the video on YouTube here.

There are so many reasons to visit the Chicago Botanic Garden. Whether you are seeking evening musical entertainment, a quiet morning walk or a great location for a family reunion, you will find a time and place to enjoy the Garden. Tell us why you visit and we will update this video with your reasons. Leave your reasons in the comments section. Thanks! View the video on YouTube here.

Three cygnets were born recently at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Since this video was taken, they have left the nest and can be found swimming throughout the Garden’s lakes.

View the video on YouTube here.

Each spring visitors look forward to hundreds of crabapples blooming in the Gardens of the Great Basin and throughout many other display gardens. Don’t miss this magical time of year and the chance to be surrounded in so many beautiful blossoms. Visit http://www.chicagobotanic.org/walk/crabapple.php for more information on the crabapples at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

View the video on YouTube here.