… It’s official, sunshine lovers! While October in the Chicago area is usually one of the most pleasant … and tall in their original, more natural home—the vegetable garden? This purple-burgundy plant is a designer’s dream because the dark colors contrast brilliantly with any and all of spring’s …
Type: Plant Info
… gardens found at Zen Buddhist temples in Japan. The correct term for this type of garden is karesansui, or dry garden. A Zen Garden is the epitome of control, moderation and simplicity. Rocks are an essential part of the garden, … are sold for use indoors.) One key to creating a zen garden is avoiding excess—overloading the site with plants, too many rocks, lanterns or statues. The main characteristics of the zen garden …
Type: Plant Info
… by even the most avid horticulturists. Heptacodium miconioides , or seven-son-flower, is a perfect example of a plant that remained unrecognized years after its introduction and is only now being rediscovered. Although it was first collected in 1907 by E. H. Wilson during an … gradually gained popularity. A member of the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) family, the plant is related to viburnum and forsythia. Heptacodium is an outstanding specimen plant. Grown as a …
Type: Plant Info
… the eastern United States, ranging from Minnesota to Massachusetts. Like all bumblebees, it is a superb pollinator of some of our favorite foods like tomatoes and blueberries, but also of … range shrank by over 90 percent in less than a decade. The most concerning part of this story is that we don’t know what caused the decline. Insects like bumblebees face myriad threats … including habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change—but identifying a single culprit is often difficult. Even worse, basic parts of the rusty patched bumblebee life cycle remain a …
Type: Blog
… VeggieRx Manager, Windy City Harvest For Ketaurah James, her job is more than just a job: She grew up in North Lawndale, where Windy City Harvest’s Farm on Ogden … to provide them with fresh boxes of fruits and vegetables, and nutrition education, such as on-site demos. We distribute more than 15,000 VeggieRx boxes to more than 2,000 families annually. … plants that call our space home. In honor of The Orchid Show: Magnified , open through March 26, 2023, we chatted with one of the people who see the show through from vision to reality. …
Type: Blog
… Madame Dahlia, like her name, is a very stately dame; Her family is so polite, it is a joy to meet them, quite. —Elizabeth … varieties. Their perfect petal arrangement dazzles. The American Dahlia Society recognizes 14 official classes with names describing the flower form—including cactus, collarette, orchid, … Dahlia Demands Plants that produce such show-stopping flowers do have demands. A full-sun site is best, but some afternoon shade will be tolerated. Dahlias prefer rich soil, amended with …
Type: Plant Info
… One of the joys of indoor gardening is growing pots of fragrant paperwhite daffodils. During the cold, dreary, winter months, their delicate trusses of pure-white flowers offer a cheerful reminder that spring is not far off. These flowering bulbs are known by many names—daffodil, jonquil, narcissus, … than 32,000 registered cultivars (named hybrids). They are divided into 13 divisions in an official classification system. Some people refer to any yellow daffodil as a jonquil. However, …
Type: Plant Info
… and unplanted. What makes a miniature? The American Daffodil Society (ADS) refrains from an official definition or separate division for miniatures (although it sanctions a cultivar list: … ). Because daffodils' bulbs are site-dependent—putting out larger or smaller flowers each year, according to sun/soil/water/weather conditions—the term "miniature" is a moving target that's hard to standardize. In general, however, the ADS and reputable …
Type: Plant Info
… Explore the Bonsai courtyards Among the Chicago Botanic Garden's world-class plant displays is a specialty collection of close to 200 priceless bonsai — trees that have been trained to grow … spend winters in carefully controlled environments suited to their species. Outside, each tree is displayed on a granite bench with a frosted glass backdrop. The benches have edge lighting so … Advanced technique As visitors remark on the beauty before them, what they do not see is the intense work required to train a small sapling into a mature tree, which appears almost …
Type: Walks
… are part of every garden. Because bee populations continue to decline, and because September is National Honey Month…we dedicate this Smart Gardener to the story of how bees actually produce … make honey, which tastes delicious! But what happens between the flowers and the honey jar is utterly fascinating—and it may make you think differently about how you garden. Honey starts with nectar Plants produce the sugary secretion called nectar to attract bees. Nectar is bee food: specifically, it provides the carbohydrates that bees need. While searching for and …
Type: Plant Info
