… poison ivy and you will hear a few choice words. But come fall, poison ivy practically begs us to love it. Its leaves are some of the first to turn colors, from green to brilliant shades of … spot its vibrant fall beauty on a Chicago Botanic Garden trail, don’t be fooled. Poison ivy is toxic all year round, and you could still get a rash from exposure to it. Like thorns on … is communicating with us, said Matt Evans, managing ecologist, woodlands. “Poison ivy thrives best when fewer animals eat and trample it, and it has figured out how to make sure there is less …
Type: Blog
… In Greek mythology, Iris is the Goddess of the Rainbow. She’s a messenger from the gods to mortals—a golden-winged goddess … ) One of the first signs of spring are the charming flowers on 6-inch-tall plants. They are best massed in sunny areas of rock gardens, along the front of a border with dwarf daffodils, …
Type: Plant Info
… Jamie Berlin is the horticulturist for the Lavin Evaluation Garden and Green Roof Gardens at the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center. The Lavin Evaluation Garden is home to the Garden's Plant Evaluation Program, featuring plants best suited for Midwestern gardens and those in similar climates. The Green Roof includes a south …
Type: Staff bio
… Repurpose, recycle, reuse. We’ve all heard those terms. Giving new life to old things, whether donating clothing or recycling plastic, prevents them from piling into a … transformed into compost—a rich organic substance—used to improve your soil . Homemade compost is practically free, costing only your time. What is Compost? Compost is simply a pile or … soil that is dark and crumbly, which is why compost is often called black gold. DIY You can buy bagged compost, but making your own is easy and saves money. Composting can be as simple as …
Type: Plant Info
… the bats hunt on Evening Island for night-flying insects and a little honeysuckle nectar to wash them down. Another side of the Garden emerges after the front gates close for the night—one in which the natural world is less colorful but more dramatic. In the dark, your senses sharpen. You look at blooms in a new way when they are lit by lightning bugs instead of the sun. Photo courtesy of Cathi Fremer You …
Type: Blog
… and they generously share their stock (sometimes) with friends. But most of all, they love to discover new ones. Gaura lindheimeri is a relative newcomer to Chicago-area perennial borders. Native to Texas and Louisiana and … It is also tolerant of humidity and has no known insect or disease problems. Perhaps best of all, it blooms for a long time, from early summer to autumn, especially if the entire …
Type: Plant Info
… Right about now, some gardeners are thinking about putting their gardens to bed and stowing the trowels and pruners. Before you do that, think about popping a few fresh plants into your containers to take your garden’s display into fall. Garden centers are awash with pumpkins, mums, pansies, … ideas. Here are some things to do now before your garden winds down. Time to Plant September is a great time to plant some types of trees and shrubs. Cooler days, warm soils, and rain or …
Type: Plant Info
… a live, not cut, holiday tree this year. What do you recommend? A. It’s not too early to think about the holidays if you are considering a living balled- and-burlapped or container … transition of the tree from indoors to the home landscape requires advance preparation. It’s best to dig the tree’s planting hole in November, before the ground freezes. Choose a … eventual home. Keep the tree’s mature size in mind when determining placement. Once the hole is dug, if freezing temperatures are predicted, move the soil into a garage or other warm …
Type: Plant Info
… ( M. acuminata ), lily magnolia ( M. liliiflora ) Description & Symptoms Magnolia scale is one of the largest of the soft-scale insects that attacks trees by sucking plant fluids and … It is most noticeable in late spring and summer when it appears as large, whitish lumps, up to ½ inch long, attached to the branches of magnolia trees. In severe infestations, entire … immobile adult scales. Applying horticultural oil in the early spring and late summer is the best treatment. Horticultural oil will smother active and recently settled crawlers. When applied …
Type: Plant Info
… Take a deep breath, and feel the love Is it possible to breathe in … love? We think so. The heady scents that flourish at the Chicago … background is in classic archaeology. Indeed, the siren call of perfume has long been a way to pursue romantic love. Legend has it that Cleopatra ordered the sails of her ship coated in …
Type: Blog
