… salmoneus produces elegant, upright flower stalks that do not require staking! Gladiolus is the largest genus in the Iridaceae (iris plant family) with 255 species worldwide; 166 of … of its native habitat nominated the gladiolus for trial at the Garden: first, it is a winter-growing bulb in South Africa, which translates to summer growth in North America. Second, this plant thrives in moist soils in grassy areas—it was perfect for the site we chose in the Bulb Garden. Based on its initial success in our plant trial program, other …
Type: Blog
… losses were in the past. Unfortunately, the loss of species has not stopped, or lessened, but is increasing at an ever-greater pace, and we are now in what is referred to as the Sixth Mass Extinction. I, like many others in the conservation field, and … and expand, the Garden will be lucky enough to have a pair of these majestic birds nesting on site in one of the large cottonwoods ringing our lake system. Until then, keep your eyes to the …
Type: Blog
… away behind the dirt. When you do find something colorful, snap a picture! The end result is a gorgeous collection of nature's treasures that just may help us remember that there is always something beautiful to find. Sometimes, you just have to look a little harder to find … what you have in the fridge, and look for fruits or veggies in a fun variety of colors, which is not too hard to do since they are mostly all gorgeous shades of the rainbow naturally. Wash, …
Type: Blog
… Gabriela Rocha Alvarez is the plant recorder at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Gabriela started working at the Garden as a … data analysis form the basis for curating and evaluating the plant collection that Gabriela is aiming to project. Gabriela is a social justice advocate, and she was part of the inaugural … and monitored the technical and financial aspects of the projects; she performed technical on-site verification, conducted interviews with scientists, researchers, farmers, suppliers, …
Type: Staff bio
… Choose the right plant for your garden’s growing conditions and design goals. A plant that is well-adapted to your site will perform better and have fewer problems. Proper siting makes a big difference for some … so that they are protected from the winter sun and wind. The later in the season an evergreen is planted, the more at risk it is for winter burn. Tree wrap may help prevent frost cracking in …
Type: Blog
… it as “the ugliest orchid in the world.” The not-so-pretty Gastrodia agnicellus orchid is just one of the new discoveries and developments I’ve tracked recently, as curator of the … anywhere in its range—and has not disappeared like so many others. Platanthera cristata is endangered in Illinois, found in only a few northern counties. Graceful as a butterfly In … singular orchids become targets of poachers as quickly as they are discovered. The Garden is collecting Paphiopedilum species, but only cultivated orchids that have often been bred for …
Type: Blog
… We have a problem. My cat is eating my plant. Despite the fact that my prayer plant has inhabited my apartment for over a … that she can, in fact, eat it. The leaves turned all ratty and shriveled, and now the plant is dead. Rita the plant-muncher, whom I love very much. (Don’t worry–she has not taste-tested any … plants are not toxic to cats—otherwise, we’d be having a much bigger problem. My cat usually is completely disinterested in my plants. But my cat’s new habit got me thinking about …
Type: Blog
… supervisor, and grounds manager—before he became the director of horticulture in 1996. Johnson is an instructor at the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden. He writes a … a weekly gardening tips column for the Daily Herald , and responds to other media request. He is a regular speaker at the American Public Garden Association's annual meetings. Johnson's … his grandfather maintain two large vegetable gardens each summer. Johnson's garden at home is low maintenance and consists primarily of mixed shrub and herbaceous borders. …
Type: Staff bio
… chunks of meat onto rosemary skewers for a delicious infused kabob. Genius! A sage brush is perfect for sweeping marinades onto grilled chicken. After the meat is cooked, snip the herb into softened butter to create sage butter to serve along with it at the table. A beautiful plant in the garden, sage is most familiar as the flavoring in stuffing—but it makes a great grill brush, too! After using …
Type: Blog
… garden or borders and occasionally fills a vase or two in the kitchen. The name Helianthus is derived from the Greek helios for sun and anthus for a flower. Vincent van Gogh paid tribute … turn their heads toward the sun, tracking it as it moves across the sky. This unusual behavior is called heliotropism, and it is almost magical. Later, as the flowers grow heavy with maturing seeds, they face east and …
Type: Blog
