… excessive winter moisture. Archived Copy: This content was captured before February 2022, and is no longer being updated. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… In August, when the jewelweed and cardinal flowers bloom, the ruby-throated hummingbird is migrating. It’s perfect timing, because the hummingbirds get energy for their journey southward by sipping nectar from the blossoms of these plants native to northern Illinois. Ruby-throated hummingbird © Carol Freeman The ruby-throat is the only hummingbird to breed in eastern North America, and these tiny jewels are somewhat common nesters in Cook …
Type: Blog
… Conifer Garden Waterfall Garden Sensory Garden Circle Garden Lakeside Gardens Heather Sherwood is the senior horticulturist for the Helen and Richard Thomas English Walled Garden. She also is responsible for the West Flower Walk, McGinley Pavilion, Runnells Courtyard, and Searle … 2000, when she started out as a grower for the Plant Production department. She was promoted to supervisor of specialty areas in 2003 and then moved into her current position in 2005. …
Type: Staff bio
… know that one in every three bites of food you take required a pollinator visit? Pollination is essential for many of our favorite foods—from almonds to vanilla, and so many fruits and vegetables in between. The decline of pollinators around the … in the lid. I recall with pleasure catching and admiring monarchs up close until it was time to set them free. I worry that children may not have that simple pleasure much longer. After an …
Type: Blog
… you use them? We asked horticulturist Nancy Clifton, who brought five really fresh ideas to the table. Today’s blue plate special: flavorful greens finished with blue flower petals. 1. … + color Gone are the days of a plain side salad on a white plate: today, even a tiny saladette is vibrant with color and flavors. Start with a blue (or green) plate. Add a piquant mix of salad … Pick freshly-bloomed dandelions (just the blossom, no stem) from a trusted, chemical-free site. Gently wash the blossoms. While moist, lightly flour each flower (shake with ½ cup seasoned …
Type: Blog
… for the perennial border. Archived Copy: This content was captured before February 2022, and is no longer being updated. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Fast and graceful, hummingbirds flit from flower to flower—but which ones and why? A Chicago Botanic Garden scientist and his collaborators have … unexpected findings on the subject. It’s a common perception that plants are perfectly matched to their pollinators and that each pollinator has a specific flower type that they are attracted … many gardeners and scientists alike have long assumed their flower type to be one that is strikingly red, tubular, and scentless. Flowers that are often thought of as typical choices …
Type: Blog
… Have you been to the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden lately? If you have, you probably saw some of the … think of niwaki as big bonsai, but that relationship isn’t exactly right. Bonsai translates to “tray (or pot) planting.” While we may think of niwaki as big bonsai, we should try to think … year and where you expect the new growth to emerge. The result of breaking these candles is that the new growth spreads more horizontally than vertically, and the density of the pads …
Type: Blog
… some 12-inch-long soft strings of light-colored yarn put out by humans, she may snatch them to make her nest. A common breeding bird of open woodlands, natural spaces, gardens, and … Photo © Carol Freeman By May, Baltimore orioles have arrived in the eastern United States to set up breeding territories. To get her attention, the male hops around the female, spreads … Life Histories of North American Birds series, Arthur Cleveland Bent noted that the oriole is “perhaps the most skillful artisan of any North American bird.” Those lucky enough to see an …
Type: Blog
… harvests of fruit, nuts, herbs, and more in creative—and delicious—style. We asked our staff to share their handmade gift ideas, and their responses were so creative that we knew you’d say, … all black-and-white and gorgeous, at the suburban farm where she lives. She’s saving the four to six eggs she gets every day and handing them out as precious gifts, perfectly presented in a … With care, amaryllis will repeat the show next year. This long-lasting pink and coral beauty is Hippeastrum ‘Amalfi’. A Tiny Terrarium Bubble bowl terrariums are filled with dainty …
Type: Blog
