… horticulturist for the Regenstein Center Greenhouses at the Chicago Botanic Garden, I talk to a lot of people about indoor plants. I get that you want potted plants that are easy to take … have captivating flowers that look like they escaped from a Dr. Seuss book. The foliage is heart-shaped, with blushing purple undersides. The purple hues will fade with low light … your pitcher plant every few months to keep it fed and happy. Keep this plant moist; it does best in a humid and bright area. Your rock for the winter Lithops Lithops are fascinating …
Type: Blog
… Highlights Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’ Arendsii Azure Monkshood Aconitum carmichaelii is native to eastern China and northern Vietnam, where it is found at the edges of forests and on grassy … alternately. The leathery, dark green leaves are deeply lobed and broadly ovate with three to five palmate lobes. The terminus of each branch produces a dense panicle of deep purply-blue …
Type: Page
… As proud gardeners, we are thrilled to announce the arrival of flower names as a fresh trend on the best baby name lists. While Lily, Rose, and Daisy have been perennial list favorites, Violet has … happiness when Lady Edith named the baby Marigold. Speaking of England, behind today’s trend is an even earlier, Victorian-era trend rooted in the language of flowers. This is a topic near …
Type: Blog
… ice? Has your mood gone south, leaving you wishing that you could, too? What, with the world’s best antidepressant right out your front door? The magic elixir is a winter walk. And the Chicago Botanic Garden awaits with a prescription-strength dose—miles … all of them kept clear of snow and ice, with a number of mapped-out walks ranging from 1 to 2.3 miles. A hidden gem, the path along Spider Island is just the place for a peaceful winter …
Type: Blog
… the year. Many traditional plantings have unfilled niches and open soil, allowing sunlight to directly reach the ground. Any bare soil is a welcome mat for seeds—just look at any empty lot where weeds fill the cracks. In the summer, … it can soften the bark and cause rot. Don’t pile it on! Do the Mulch Math “Plants are the best mulch,” says landscape designer Claudia West, who recently spoke at the Garden. “Filling the …
Type: Plant Info
… Mild, late-February weather in Chicago can offer a surprisingly glorious time to be outside and work in the garden. But unseasonably warm weather also raises questions about … off the lawn and cutting back perennials are all fine to do now providing your garden soil is not too wet. Early flowering bulbs like snowdrops at the Chicago Botanic Garden are very … flower bud at the ends of the stem. The dormant season, and in particular late winter, is the best time of year to complete rejuvenation pruning, which is the aggressive pruning of overgrown …
Type: Blog
… The cultivar 'Sir John Thouron' is valued for its showy, pale yellow flowers that form a ball-shaped umbrella well above its … eight years ago that White Flower Farms offered 36 plants for $950 each; all were sold out to a movie star, a fashion designer, and several collectors. (The cost has dropped since then.) … the plant back indoors in fall. The plant is one of those rare plants that actually blooms best if slightly pot-bound, but its roots are perennial. The plant resents root disturbance …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… acre of land in the Greenbelt Forest Preserve in Waukegan. The program was founded as a pilot to examine the feasibility of expanding the Chicago Botanic Garden’s school and neighborhood … to serve teenagers in an extracurricular setting. Building on the success of the Lake County site construction of the North Lawndale Youth Farm began in 2005. This Youth Farm site is located on the west side of Chicago on a quarter-acre lot. This location is in partnership …
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… had the pleasure of teaching families with young children at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It is a gift to work in a garden with children because there is so much about gardening that we can use to … you’ve ever spent time with a toddler, you know that young children are active learners. The best teaching occurs when we join that child in hands-on, developmentally appropriate play. A …
Type: Blog
… cold, and sometimes snowy. But inclement weather shouldn’t stop homeowners from being able to enjoy views of their garden from inside their homes. With careful attention to selecting … few months, determine if your garden invites your eye to linger with appreciation for what is planted there, or whether your landscape needs an exciting new dimension. Here are some … a third of the oldest stems back to the ground to encourage new, more colorful stems. It is best to cut coral willow stems completely to the ground each year. Ornamental Grasses Ornamental …
Type: Plant Info
