… David Cantwell is the assistant horticulturist for the Garden Wall and Berm—the exterior plantings at the … Garden's signature brick wall stretching along the western border from Lake Cook Road south to Dundee Road, consisting of more than eight acres of planting beds, more than 100 plant taxa, … assistant working in the Landscape Demonstration Garden. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to Grounds department crew leader and then in 2008 to assistant horticulturist for the Garden …
Type: Staff bio
… train exhibitions at the Chicago Botanic Garden—and he still plays with trains. “I hardly get to play with my railroad at home because I get to play with this one,” said Dave Rodelius, in the tone of a man who can’t believe his good … Q. What keeps you motivated after all these years? A. My passion for the railroad is what drives me—I absolutely love this railroad. The same passion goes for everyone. We have 18 …
Type: Blog
… Care Department Landscape Waste Program As manager of horticulture services, Cindy Baker is responsible for the care and maintenance of more than 100 acres of ornamental landscaping. She … Baker has been involved with many projects, events, and classes at the Garden since 1988. She is a regular guest on the WGN-TV Morning News "Botanic Backyard" segments. Baker is also a frequent speaker at the American Public Garden Association's annual meetings and has …
Type: Staff bio
… Simone Gore is an assistant grower for outdoor floriculture in the Plant Production department. Her job … garden. Also, growing up near the Chain O'Lakes, she visited local nature preserves and grew to love the outdoors. …
Type: Staff bio
… the fall, and we get vague quickly. Colder temperatures? Shorter days? True, but there’s more to the story. American smoke tree (Cotinus obovatus) turns a brilliant yellow late in the … or brown, the colors of carotenoid chemicals. Reds, crimsons, and purples happen when sugar is trapped in the leaves. As sugar decomposes, it creates chemicals called anthocyanins. According to Boyce Tankersley, director of living plant documentation, “Plant physiologists have …
Type: Blog
… These creative platforms have helped boost osprey populations after decades of declines due to DDT insecticide use and habitat loss. The osprey is listed as a threatened species in Illinois, which means it’s at risk of disappearing as a … species. Fish-eating raptors that migrate south and winter from the southern United States to South America, ospreys are often seen during their migrations—yet few remain in Illinois to …
Type: Blog
… my head when they’re in bloom in my home garden from June through October. Recently, I decided to revisit an old goal and bugaboo of mine—learning to overwinter the tubers so I can plant them again and enjoy the blooms next year. Sarah Nolimal, … I dampened them too much) if I cleaned them thoroughly of soil before storing. My solution is to leave soil around the tubers (whatever sticks there) and place them in a paper grocery …
Type: Blog
… this year’s Words in Bloom: A Year of Haiku program, I learned that the world of haiku is an expansive one with many forms. Designed to be “one breath” poems with a focus on nature, haiku has the power to strike an emotional chord. Collaborating with the Midwest Region of the Haiku Society of …
Type: Blog
… the path of his life. He began volunteering in 2011 and did so on and off until 2014. Thanks to an introduction by Sustic, Baker spent six months in 2012 studying with bonsai master Torho Susuki at the Diajuen Nursery in Japan. Returning to the U.S. in late 2012, Baker was awarded the “First Curators” Internship at the U.S. National … 2014 Baker was hired as the first full time curator of bonsai at Chicago Botanic Garden. Baker is the President of the North American Bonsai Federation and a board member of the World Bonsai …
Type: Staff bio
… Deciduous trees, explains Boyce Tankersley, director of living plant documentation, respond to environmental conditions when preparing to go dormant for the winter. Just like animals that hibernate, trees slow their processes down … it isn’t a regular year. The heat can be a factor. Expect color, but some years, the display is shorter than usual. “The higher the temperature, the faster the processes go,” Tankersley …
Type: Blog
