… industry know, the concept of “social distancing” in harvesting crews and packing plants is not feasible on the scale needed to feed our population. That presents challenges for those on … and turn part of our carefully manicured lawns into home vegetable gardens. Besides, there is a benefit beyond the crops raised. It’s called horticultural therapy: taking care of plants … on the history of Victory Gardens and tips on how to build a garden yourself . I believe it is time to revisit the tradition of Victory Gardens. The Garden is here to help. …
Type: Blog
… a good container? A: One of the things I’m always thinking about when I’m doing a container is height. When you first plant a container, all of the plants are very small. But a month later … between the different foliage. It makes the container more interesting if something is not in bloom. Salvia ‘Balsamispim’ Mystic Spires Blue™ Improved Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ … the best thing about planting containers? A: What’s interesting and fun about containers is you have to know a little bit about what each plant is going to do. The salvia is tall, and so …
Type: Blog
… song—translated as “Hey, sweetie,” (though you can’t often hear the third syllable)—is reserved for late winter, spring, and summer, when the bird is courting and nesting. Nothing brightens a mid-February day more than when a chickadee sings … with white cheeks makes it easy to identify. Photo © Carol Freeman The black-capped chickadee is considered a non-migratory species—it can survive the harsh winters of northern Illinois. …
Type: Blog
… the shape of the pumpkin has the idea. The pumpkin determines what you’re going to carve. How is it going to sit? Is it a “Bert” or an “Ernie”? (A Bert has a more elongated shape, while an Ernie has a round, well, pumpkin head. Obenchain is cultivating a large pumpkin this year that has a sort of crocodile look to it.) What are your …
Type: Blog
… of Japan. One of the two pines species most popular in a Japanese garden, the black pine is symbolic of the seashore and referred to as on-matsu (the male pine), because of masculine … acidic soil and full sun to grow well. As these requirements imply, the black pine is not very suitable for our region. Japanese black pine before pruning. Notice how its shape is restored and more light can reach the inside and lower branches of the tree after pruning. In …
Type: Blog
… Caribbean Islands, South America, Colombia, Peru, South Africa, and Lesotho. Not only is it widespread, the members are also adapted to a number of environments from hot, humid … ear ( Caladium ‘Red Flash’) Flamingo flower ( Anthurium andraeanum ‘White Heart’) is a classic anthurium flower of the florist trade in white with a red spadix; find it near the … in dark maroon. Photo by horticulturist Wade Wheatley . Dieffenbachia 'Hilo' The Araceae is one of the larger plant families, containing 117 different genera. The Garden features 27 of …
Type: Blog
… trap the seed and ruin the activity.) As soon as your plant has grown a root and a stem that is 1-2 inches long, turn the bag one quarter turn and put it back. You may have to wait a week – less if your bean is warm, more if your bean is in a cooler location, like my office. This is what it may look like at this stage after I …
Type: Blog
… to nature’s other big show—spring color. This year, the annual Woman’s Board Fall Bulb Sale is online only. You’ll be able to shop at your leisure for hundreds of varieties of bulbs … in Holland. The members’ presale, with discounted prices, starts September 1; the public sale is September 9 to 25. Order pick-ups are October 9 to 10 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, where you … planted between established shrubs, perennials, and trees, and are selected so that something is in bloom all spring. Narcissus blooming under a pine tree Allium 'Miami' on Evening Island …
Type: Blog
… if you don’t want a brown, unruly patch of land. Conservation scientist Becky Barak, Ph.D., is looking to change that assumption. By studying alternatives to traditional turfgrass, she and … Research. In 2022, Barak received a Biota Award from the Walder Foundation; this award, which is given to early-career researchers who are working on biodiversity restoration, allowed the … meadow and prairie plots include flowering plants, in addition to grasses and sedges. A new site at Uptown Coastal Natural Area with the Chicago Park District is planted with a range of …
Type: Blog
… but it often overshadows the concerns ecologists have about our own native bees. Illinois is home to about 500 species of bees that are important pollinators in natural areas, in … bees. (I picture carpenter bees wearing little tool belts around their waists.) Nick Dorian is a postdoctoral researcher with the Garden’s Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science … found at a nursery,” Dorian says. The endangered rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) is supported by gardens containing wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). Photo credit: Nick Dorian. …
Type: Plant Info
