While few of us who garden in the Midwest look forward to cold weather, we do welcome the autumn palette, especially when it announces itself gradually, very gradually. Change is good, we say, as we bid farewell to lavender, frothy pink, cerise, and soft yellow, and discover the hearty pleasures of pumpkin, mustard, eggplant, and olive (we’re speaking of colors, not crops). Anemone vitifolia …
Type: Plant Info
Wildlife and plants are constantly on the move. Birds, deer, and even water animals cross trails, roads, and waterways to seek food or habitats that are necessary for their survival, and the seeds of plants can travel by wind or other means to establish in new green spaces. This constant migration reminds us we are all connected. What I might see in my backyard or at the Chicago Botanic Garden, …
Type: Blog
Winter is always a good time to slip into a chair with some hot chocolate and do a little reading. A good book or magazine lets readers armchair-travel to far-off gardens, delve into horticultural history, explore new plants, or simply learn techniques that will help them improve their own gardens. Staff Favorites Lisa Hilgenberg, horticulturist in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden, is …
Type: Plant Info
Stand still and close your eyes in the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Dixon Prairie on a warm day in August and you’ll likely hear the hum of countless bees and the chirping of crickets and other insects. You may notice the wind rustle the leaves of tall switchgrass or the sharp “chip” calls of migrating birds as they search for seeds on coneflowers and coreopsis. The Dixon Prairie is a wonderful …
Type: Plant Info
Ring in the holidays with an idea that smart gardeners can appreciate: do-it-yourself wreaths made from dried and everlasting plant materials. The Garden’s own “Martha,” program horticulturist Nancy Clifton, made several of the wreaths in Krehbiel Gallery and offers up three basic ideas for a single-subject wreath. Forage collection Forage in your yard and neighborhood all year long. …
Type: Plant Info
Madame Dahlia, like her name, is a very stately dame; Her family is so polite, it is a joy to meet them, quite. —Elizabeth Gordon Certain flowers can simply rescue a garden. Their beautiful blooms arise, seemingly out of nowhere, breathing new life into borders edging toward boredom. Lilies are known for such heroic abilities, as are repeat-blooming roses and late-season clematis. But for sheer …
Type: Plant Info
During late summer and fall, just about everywhere you go you'll see pumpkins. These Central American natives are great for crafts, decorations and food. A member of the squash family, pumpkin is high in beta-carotene, potassium and vitamin C; low in fat; and high in fiber. Smaller, three- to six-pounders are the best for pies since they're sweet and non-stringy. As with all squash, the flowers …
Type: Plant Info
Nelumbo lutea , the American yellow lotus, is the only lotus native to the United States. Hardy from Zones 4 to 11, it grows naturally in large ponds and lakes as far north as Ontario and south to Texas and Florida. Our true American native is not to be confused with the Old World lotus, Nelumbo nucifera , the sacred lotus of the Nile, which was introduced to Egypt in 523 by the Persians. This …
Type: Plant Info
What would you think about a group of versatile plants that possessed the following characteristics? They're evergreen, but not exclusively so. Some are silvery blue, blue-green, yellow-green, or a shade of green so dark it appears almost black on a cloudy winter day. Plants in this group take many forms: spreading, cascading, ground-hugging, shrubby, conical, globular, upright, and treelike. …
Type: Plant Info
1. Turnips, carrots, and a prescription for a healthier life with VeggieRx If you had asked Jeffrey Williams three years ago if he likes beets, squash, or turnips, he probably would have laughed. Now, the North Lawndale resident has a new love for veggies. “The stuff’s not bad. It just grew on me,” he said. Williams participates in VeggieRx, a program that offers free vegetables and nutrition …
Type: Blog
