… If you’ve thought about delving into gardening but don’t know quite where to start, you’re in the right place. Any kind of gardening—whether you want to grow houseplants … If you’re a beginning gardener, it’s easy to be intimidated by where to start and how to care for plants. The Garden offers many resources to get you growing. Let’s dig in. Start Small Don’t … the existing garden or creating another one. We’re here to help. Take a class. Read a book. Visit the greenhouse. Watch a video. Nina Koziol is a garden writer and horticulturist who lives …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. I would like to grow some unusual bulbs in containers this summer. What are the basic guidelines to ensure good growth? A. Late winter or early spring is a good time to consider the wide range of exotic bulbs available for container planting. Summer-flowering annual bulbs are colorful and unique choices for …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. What is the best way to take care of plants growing in containers? A. Plants growing in containers require a little more work than plants growing in garden beds. The amount of care that will need to be given to them depends on the type of plant, the location of the container, and the type and … containers, such as terra cotta, will quickly wick water out of the soil and are best used for plants that do not require full sun and that can be situated in part shade to shade …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. I have a new pond with hardy waterlilies and other aquatic plants. I would like to add some fish. Any suggestions? A. When considering fish for a new water habitat, even a contained one in your own backyard, avoid introducing any that might be related to an invasive species. Unfortunately, some gardeners (as well as former pet owners) discard …
Type: Plant Info
… The holidays will soon be here and one way to celebrate the season is with a floral arrangement or two. Placed on a kitchen or dining room … table, mantlepiece or a countertop, flowers make a room festive and inviting. Whether you buy fresh flowers, or receive them as a gift, you can often extend their vase life from three or … Choose a color and let it guide the process.” Backyard Foraging Don’t overlook your garden for sources of seed heads, pods, dried leaves, and colorful stems. Red-twig dogwood or curly …
Type: Plant Info
… The end of the growing season is often a bittersweet experience for gardeners. It signals the end of months of work—but also marks the end of the splendid time when each day offers up something new, from the bold bloom of a rhododendron to the subtle emergence of flower heads on ornamental grasses. The late-autumn and winter gardens … But healthy, well-tended plants, sited in their preferred environments, can turn out to be the unexpected treasures of the winter garden. Blue For gardeners partial to blue plants, …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. What is the recommended fertilizer for a small aquatic tub garden? A. A balanced formula of 10-10-10 should satisfy the needs of the … lily or lotus in your tub. Slow-release fertilizer tablets are quick and easy. They also help to prevent the accumulation of algae, which can be a problem with granular fertilizers. …
Type: Plant Info
… go on your way—but Budburst volunteers stop what they’re doing and take the seasonal changes to heart. Volunteers for Budburst , a community science program of the Chicago Botanic Garden , make simple … Garden on October 8. Taran Lichtenberger, Budburst community engagement manager, will be there to show people how to use the Budburst app, which is available on iOS or Android . The event, …
Type: Blog
… The Regenstein Learning Campus Get ready to explore the natural world The Regenstein Learning Campus is advancing the Chicago Botanic … of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds each year. The centerpiece is the Learning Center, a 26,700-square-foot facility that includes indoor and outdoor classrooms, a nature laboratory, … Nature Play Garden, with its rolling hills and series of multisensory gardens, provides areas for learning, gathering, and hiding. Immerse yourself in a habitat filled with live butterflies …
Type: Page
… time of year is seeing how plants play off each other; how color combinations shift from year to year; how much beauty is to be found in the subtle combinations as well as the more brilliant shows. The following … foliage. In spring the plant blooms with clusters of small white flowers. It’s a good choice for naturalistic gardens and for those interested in attracting birds. Bloodgood Japanese maple …
Type: Plant Info
