… I am the Managing Ecologist for the prairie and river at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The natural areas I maintain at the Chicago Botanic Garden, which includes the 12-acre Barbara Brown Nature Reserve, 15-acre Dixon Prairie and the 22-acre riparian buffer of the Skokie River. Management includes but not limited to, … burns, tree removal, planting local genotype plants, maintaining our native nursery, and seed collection and sowing. Through my efforts, I will promote more diversity in our natural …
Type: Staff bio
… A longtime favorite of staff and visitors alike, the zebra longwing ( Heliconius charitonius ) is native from South America to south Texas and Florida, and occasionally an immigrant can be found as far north as Nebraska! The zebra longwing is the …
Type: Blog
… of chill units (CU) is a cumulative measure of the number of hours trees spend between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Liken this process to a reset of the tree’s biological clock. This … the nutrients stored in the roots into a form that can flow up the trunk as the weather warms and support flowering and growth. Time spent at winter temperatures above 60 degrees and below 32 degrees counts …
Type: Blog
… in creating a striking Instagram photo. Here are some tips to help you reduce distractions and bring focus to your pictures. The most important thing to keep in mind when photographing for … as they scroll through their feed. Nature is full of beautiful detail, intricate patterns, and delicate textures. However, keep in mind that once a picture is posted, the subtlety and tiny details of the subject matter may be lost. Composition Consider placing subject matter …
Type: Blog
… Each fall, we sing the praises of fall allium and autumn crocus blooms. This year, however, a special mention must be made for the glorious … in southern Africa. The genus was given its name by Pliny the Elder, in reference to the size and shape of the leaves, which are similar in shape and size to a short sword favored by Roman-era gladiators: the gladius . Hailing from areas of …
Type: Blog
… It’s time for a visit to the Dixon Prairie to savor late spring flowers and the pollinators visiting these plants. A standout plant, looking almost like a small shrub, … plants belong to the pea family; other important families of the prairie are sunflower, sedge, and grass. Queen and worker bumblebees primarily pollinate white wild indigo. Their large size allows them to push …
Type: Blog
… for our plants? Luckily, nothing devastating. Early bloomers, like winter aconite, crocus, and snowdrops, weren’t affected, and many bloomed as expected. Those species can also tolerate the colder temperatures we saw in April. If we had seen a few days of high temperatures and some of the more delicate flowers had opened, followed by a subsequent freeze, that would …
Type: Blog
… when it comes to harvest. Parsnips are in that category. The sun was out, the air was crisp, and the nights were frosty: parsnip weather. Cold weather is actually a good thing for … the dirt deeply around each parsnip top—a gentle harvest is required, as parsnips are brittle and can snap if eager hands try to pull the roots by their leaves. Parsnips have long tap roots … the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden, we've planted ‘Albion’, a creamy white elegant long and tapered variety, ‘Lancer’ ,and ‘Half-long Guernsey’. Parsnips germination can be a bit fussy, …
Type: Blog
… Post-storm, the lovers ran off—Venus, minus one slipper. A mortal human came across the shoe and reached down to pick it up, when suddenly and magically it transformed into a flower with a slipper-shaped petal of gold. Cypripedium … that name: Cyprus was the sacred island of Venus’s birth, pedilon is the word for slipper, and calceolus means little shoe. The lady’s slipper orchid is native to a broad swath of the …
Type: Blog
… What better way to celebrate spring and keep kids busy than with mud? All you need is a muddy buddy, a few basic supplies, and a sprinkling of imagination to try these fun, nature-based ideas at home. Mud Cupcakes … smaller, more manageable cupcake size keeps the mess down while still allowing kids to explore and experiment. There's no right or wrong way to do this. The only rule is no eating the …
Type: Blog
