… Garden’s Plants of Concern program. “They are delicate landscapes. It can be challenging to get in to them. It can be challenging to move around on the steep slopes.” Those challenges have … rare plant species that can be found there. The data, now quite valuable due to its longevity, is a treasure chest for land managers and others who are trying to better understand the system … conservation. “I believe in citizen science, which is the idea that anybody can do science and get involved in research,” she said. Goad stepped in as manager of Plants of Concern just last …
Type: Blog
… U.S. Navy veteran Anna Andersen is quick to tell you how the Chicago Botanic Garden’s impact on her life goes beyond the beauty … to deal with,” she said. In the summer camps, for example, “Amy [Wells] knew what needed to get done, yet she still gave me opportunities to do it how I wanted to get it done. Which is different than the military. They just told you what to do and didn’t give …
Type: Blog
… trains rolling at the Chicago Botanic Garden. A room in the basement of the Regenstein Center is the hive of repair activity for the Model Railroad Garden. There are also ghost trains for … . “So we just continually use up the trains, and when they’re used up, we discard them. We get two of everything. When one breaks down, we replace it with the other.” The engineers replace … for their team winning one day. “The Amtrak train hasn’t been made since 2004; we couldn’t get wheels anymore,” said operating engineer John Ciszek. “So we re-engineered the truck assembly …
Type: Blog
… Ever see a tree or even a weed and wonder what kind of plant it is? We’d love for you to stumble across the answer—right in front of you. Inspired by a movement … and other plant lovers began chalking plant names on streets and sidewalks as a way to get people to appreciate the natural world and biodiversity around them. Sometimes, the street … sidewalks chalked up. It never hurts to ask first. The property owners might even want to get in on the fun. …
Type: Blog
… the coveted royal blue are now banished to the shadows. Water Birds In the evening, there is a renewed refreshment in the Garden. When the winds soften, the lakes appear as glass, … their roosts. Water birds find this time ideal for fishing, and this “Garden of Nine Islands” is dotted with great blue herons standing tall on the shorelines. Look for them hugging close to … on Tuesdays, the romantic Music on the Esplanade puts you in a mellow mood; and Thursdays get your feet tapping and your body dancing to up-tempo beats of hot summer nights. Why not take …
Type: Walks
… in. It’s that time of year when a gardener’s thoughts turn to spring, but planting season is months away. What can you do? Grow some spring-blooming bulbs indoors right now, says Tim … they don’t overpower the other plants.” This diminutive, buttery yellow heirloom daffodil is lightly fragrant and blooms for ten days or more. Hyacinths “Hyacinths are some of my … the pots,” he said. “If you put the pots outside, you could cover them with leaves.” The goal is to gradually acclimate the bulbs to freezing temperatures before you transplant them into the …
Type: Plant Info
… cover some of the dos and don’ts about purchasing a bonsai as a gift, tell you where you can get quality trees, and give a little information on what to do if you receive one of these … your list. But before buying that little tree, there are a few things to consider. Tree health is essential. Glued-down rocks on a juniper bonsai Often, a tree’s leaves will give you a good … it will most likely not do well with the abrupt change in temperature. Likewise, if you get a juniper that was in winter storage and bring it indoors, that tree will suffer too. When …
Type: Blog
… blooms of Linaria ‘Enchantment’, which looks like a mini-snapdragon. Whatever it takes to get you to stop and feel spring in the Buehler Enabling Garden. People sometimes walk right by … therapy garden. She likes to surprise them. “The Buehler Enabling Garden in spring is all about happiness!” she said. “I plant flowers that are colorful and scented, even a bit … “I stick with total crowd pleasers that people connect with right away,” Green said, “and I get your attention with a ton of flowers.” Favorites include old favorites like bright yellow …
Type: Blog
… seeds. In camps and youth classes at the Chicago Botanic Garden, we encourage little ones to get their hands dirty as they explore the natural world. We’ve got lots of ideas for projects you can do at home to get kids thinking about plants and how they grow. Here’s how to make just one of our favorite … marker A plate or tray Rubber bands, pipe cleaners, or other items (optional) *Vermiculite is a soil amendment that can be purchased at a garden supply store. It expands when soaked in …
Type: Blog
… home to my quiet, tree-lined Chicago neighborhood, but one thing I miss about urban living is ample outdoor space. The back door of my apartment leads to a wooden fire escape—built after … work if that’s allowed on your porch, or a strawberry jar with a dozen holes in it. You can get really creative." Consider the light: Most herbs like at least four to six hours of bright, … Hilgenberg. “Use herb snips to harvest two leaf nodes down. If you harvest by the leaf you’ll get a leggy, tall plant.” Always remove flowers, especially on basil. This encourages new growth. …
Type: Blog
