… Selfies? Walking hand in hand? A romantic picnic need not be formal or fancy. The secret to making it romantic is a personal touch—something that both reflects your personality and makes the evening more fun. … you’ll be tempted to use them on everything, but a little of their onion flavor goes a long way. Float a few florets on a chilled potato-leek or spring pea soup for all the extra zip you’ll …
Type: Blog
… When an exhilarating growing season comes to a close, many gardeners breathe a secret sigh of relief at the prospect of a few dormant … so many plants to grow and just not enough time to grow them. Even when days shorten and frost is on the pumpkin, there are some important duties left before gardeners can truly call it a … before problems develop. Monitor your plants, even in winter. Watch for changes in the same way you watch your plants in the growing season. Act quickly if you notice damage. Prevention and …
Type: Plant Info
… Garden! Our new volunteer intake has paused for the season. We will be sending an email to schedule phone interviews sometime after January 2026; all inquiries will be responded to in the order they are received. We ask that you please refrain from using our volunteer login, as it is for current volunteers only and not an application. Please note that the Chicago Botanic …
Type: Page
… Titan Arum The buzz on corpse flowers Something extraordinary is in the air. Our corpse flower ( Amorphophallus titanum ), affectionately named Ugly Duckling, has burst into full, dramatic bloom, releasing its famously foul odor of decay to attract pollinators. Like the duckling in the fairy tale, “The Ugly Duckling”, this plant … most pungent inflorescences in the plant kingdom, giving us a fascinating—and fleeting—chance to witness an amazing natural wonder. The bloom typically lasts just 24 to 36 hours. Last year, …
Type: Page
… Stop Plant Poaching 🛑 Stop Plant Poaching Plant poaching is illegal—and on the rise. Removing plants from their native habitats endangers species and harms ecosystems. Join the Garden in a global campaign to stop plant poaching and protect plants for future generations. Learn more about plant … and international trade. CITES is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the …
Type: Page
… or later. In this issue of Smart Gardener , we offer some thoughts about helping your garden to age gracefully. While a mature, lush, beautifully maintained landscape is every gardener's dream, Mother Nature (and time) aren't always on the same page that you are. … courage to edit. By becoming your garden's curator and addressing the issues in an organized way, you'll be prepared for the really big, garden-changing decisions to come, such as removing a …
Type: Plant Info
… In other seasons, people tend to breeze right by conifers in favor of, say, roses that scent summer evenings or crabapple trees … shift your energy and attention outward instead of inward for emotional well-being. One easy way to do that at the Chicago Botanic Garden or anywhere you walk is to seek out the company of evergreens. That includes most conifers, which are plants that …
Type: Blog
… colored squeeze bottles, and grab-’em-by-the-handful packets, Americans are at last tuning in to the taste of homemade condiments. The time has come for homemade mustard—and you won’t believe how easy and tasty it is. Start with the Basics As always, we turned to program horticulturist Nancy Clifton to learn … online.) Mustard-making Tips Mustard powder makes a much stronger spread than mustard seeds. Best bet? A combination of both. Hot water mellows mustard’s heat—use hot instead of cool in any …
Type: Blog
… forests of the Missouri Ozarks? And why did we need a desiderata? The first question is easy—we were on the trail of specific wildflowers and woody plants to preserve and add to our collections. Collections trip horticulturists Michael Jesiolowski, Tom … or insects/animals, they are genetically variable. A variety of genes can give each plant the best chance to exhibit a specific phenotype, or physical appearance, and better adaptability to …
Type: Blog
… It’s been another fantastic season at Butterflies & Blooms at the Chicago Botanic Garden. This is my second year working at Butterflies & Blooms, and I think it’s looking better than ever. The … big, hairy atlas moth cocoons, and I was a little concerned about whether they would have time to emerge before we have to shut our doors for the season. When I came into the pupae chamber a … happily snapped away. Volunteer Robyn Lynblad came up with the idea of naming each moth the way meteorologists name tropical storms, so we named this one “Aaliyah.” To make that week even …
Type: Blog
